I thank the Sun Journal for printing the story July 24 about repeat operating under the influence offenders, which alerted our family and the public to the fact that Gale Chapman/Shannon Ross continues to drive drunk. When she killed our son, Ethan, in 1998, we guessed that the experience of taking a life and going through a trial was very traumatic for her, and we hoped that it was something she would not want to repeat. When we learned that she was continuing to drink and drive, we realized that normal self-governing behavior is not something we can expect from alcoholic drivers, and that we need stronger laws, as well as the resources to enforce them.

We are grateful to the person who discovered her name change, and we are grateful to Waldo County officials for apprehending her and for seeking maximum penalties. However, we know that there is a distinct possibility that she will eventually claim more victims.

We are all at risk from drunken drivers on a daily basis, whether or not we realize it. We support the current effort to control the problem of drivers with suspended licenses and drivers who have been identified as a risk to public safety. To advocate for this legislative reform is to advocate for the safety of all of us.

Suzanne Barton, Westbrook

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