Crime & Safety

Graphic Crash Reenactment Used to Deter Prom-goers from Drinking, Driving

Marquette High School's "Shattered Dreams" demonstration provided a glimpse of what can happen when poor decisions are made.

In an effort to deter drinking and driving during prom season, hosted “Shattered Dreams,” a graphic reenactment of a two-car crash scene on prom night caused by alcohol.

The Rockwood School District’s Drug-Free Coalition teamed up with local emergency responders and business owners for Thursday’s presentation. The reenactment included representatives from the Monarch Fire Protection District, Chesterfield and St. Louis County police departments, ARCH Air Medical Service and .

About 300 juniors and seniors watched intently as police and firefighters arrived on the scene, assessed the situation and took the necessary actions to remove the victims from the cars. Six students in Marquette’s Theater Club played the roles of the accident victims. 

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During the demonstration, Roger Morris, a fire inspector with Monarch, gave students a play-by-play account of what emergency responders were doing and why. He said the main goal of the reenactment was to encourage students to use good judgment during prom season. Marquette's prom is Saturday. and high schools' prom is April 30. 

“Don’t mess around with alcohol or drugs,” Morris said. “Go to prom, go to dinner and have a good time, but don’t ruin your life by not using good judgment.”

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Natalie Condon played the role of one of the drivers. In the reenactment, she was given several field sobriety tests, which she failed. She was eventually handcuffed and arrested for driving under the influence.

“I hope the demonstration resonates with the students and causes them to think twice before drinking and driving,” Condon said.

Valerie Kamhi, Rockwood’s Safe Celebrations coordinator, spearheaded the effort. She said the reason the presentation is so graphic and powerful is to drive home the message to students that a poor decision could end their life.

“By just seeing the reenactment and being exposed to it, it’s etched in their minds,” Kamhi said. “We’ve even had students in the past get sick or pass out after watching it.”

Taylor Land, a senior who attended the event, said the reenactment was a good demonstration of what could really happen when one gets behind the wheel after drinking.

“It just reinforces that you need to make smart decisions, and if you are going to drink, stay at the house and do not get in a car,” he said.

Joe LoPiccolo, general manager of D&L Towing Service, donated the vehicles used in the demonstration.

“If it saves one kid, it’s done its job,” he said. “It’s just gut-wrenching when you have to release items out of cars to family members of someone who’s died in an accident.”

For tips on celebrating prom safely, visit Rockwood’s Drug-Free Coalition website.


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