Judge Bans Rhode Island Teen From Driving For Life

[SkyTrekTower]

A Rhode Island judge wanted to send a clear message to young people that he won't tolerate reckless driving.

According to ABC 7, 17-year-old Lyle Topa has been banned from driving in the state of Rhode Island for life, after he crashed into a tree last October.

Police said Topa was driving on a suspended license at the time. He and his three teenage passengers were drinking alcohol at a party before the accident. The teenagers were lucky to escape with their lives, but 16-year-old John LaMotte was in a coma for weeks, according to The Daily Mail.

The Westerly Sun reports that Chief Magistrate William Guglietta of the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal pored over photos of the wreckage before handing out the harshest penalty possible, noting that he hoped the "dramatic" sentence would deter other teens from being so careless.

Huffington Post

I know what the kid did was illegal, but being banned from driving for life?!  I'm generally one for being tough on crime, but this isn't how I'd go about it.  I think the judge should have gone with a ban until the kid was 22(since 21 is the drinking age), along with mandatory traffic and anti-drug classes.  A lifetime ban on driving just seems to be the wrong way to deal with a case like this, even if one wants to set an example.

[Witchyjoshy]

Okay, one of the teen's friends was put into a hospital.

I think, this is alone is a statement to the teenager.  "When you're an idiot behind the wheel, you're not the only one that can suffer the consequences."

Granted, I support keeping him from driving for several years, and possibly charging him with negligent harm to another, but...

This is stupid.  Utterly stupid.  Even if it wasn't his first time offense.

[ironbite]

Suspended license.  He was driving on a suspended license.  And was driving drunk and put one of his buds in the hospital for a week in a coma.

Ironbite-fully support this.

[Witchyjoshy]

Suspended license.  He was driving on a suspended license.  And was driving drunk and put one of his buds in the hospital for a week in a coma.

Ironbite-fully support this.

Gee, why am I not surprised?

[nickiknack]

A ban for life-No, A ban for a few years, along with some major community service work- Yes

[Yaezakura]

I'm sorry but... a suspended license, underage drinking? This kid is obviously too stupid to be trusted with a motor vehicle.

Besides, if he wants to drive again, all he has to do is move out of state.

[ironbite]

Suspended license.  He was driving on a suspended license.  And was driving drunk and put one of his buds in the hospital for a week in a coma.

Ironbite-fully support this.

Gee, why am I not surprised?

The kid is a danger to others and himself.  Hell, i wish something like this had happened to my stupid younger older sister when she was doing shit like this all the time.  Do I want this punishment for everybody?  No.  But the crime does fit so you can't acquit.

Ironbite-and again, if he wants to drive, he moves out of state.

[erictheblue]

This will be overturned on appeal. RI has statutory punishments for this.

(a) When serious bodily injury of any person other than the operator is caused by the operation of any motor vehicle, the operator of which is under the influence of any intoxicating liquor, toluene, or any controlled substance as defined in chapter 28 of title 21 or any combination of these, the person so operating the vehicle shall be guilty of driving under the influence of liquor or drugs, resulting in serious bodily injury.
. . .
(d) For a second or subsequent conviction under this section within a five (5) year period, a person shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than two (2) years nor more than fifteen (15) years and by a fine of not less than three thousand dollars ($ 3,000) nor more than ten thousand dollars ($ 10,000). The sentencing judge shall have the discretion to sentence the person to any unit of the adult correctional institutions. In addition, the person convicted may be required to successfully complete alcohol or drug treatment, at their own expense, in a program established by the director of the department of corrections. The license of the person may be revoked for a period of up to four (4) years. The license privilege shall not thereafter be reinstated until evidence satisfactory to the administrator of the division of motor vehicles establishes that no grounds exist which would authorize refusal to issue a license and until the person gives proof of financial responsibility pursuant to chapter 32 of this title.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-27-2.6

(a) When the physical injury of any person ensues as a proximate result of the operation of any vehicle in reckless disregard of the safety of others, including violations of § 31-27-22, the person so operating the vehicle shall be guilty of "driving so as to endanger, resulting in physical injury".
(b) Any person charged with a violation of this section shall upon conviction be imprisoned for not more than two (2) years and have his or her license to operate a motor vehicle be suspended for no more than one year.

R.I. Gen. Laws 31-27-1.2

[SkyTrekTower]

Suspended license.  He was driving on a suspended license.  And was driving drunk and put one of his buds in the hospital for a week in a coma.

Ironbite-fully support this.

Gee, why am I not surprised?

The kid is a danger to others and himself.  Hell, i wish something like this had happened to my stupid younger older sister when she was doing shit like this all the time.  Do I want this punishment for everybody?  No.  But the crime does fit so you can't acquit.

Ironbite-and again, if he wants to drive, he moves out of state.

I'm not sure he'd be able to drive, as I think one of the questions asked at the DMV is if your driving privileges have been revoked. 

Also, when writing my first post, I forgot this happened while on a suspended license.  With that in mind, this lifetime ban seems more appropriate, albeit still extreme.

[m52nickerson]

Suspended license.  He was driving on a suspended license.  And was driving drunk and put one of his buds in the hospital for a week in a coma.

Ironbite-fully support this.

I'm with IB on this one.

[MadCatTLX]

He'll need to drive eventually. He'll just do it illegally.

[Smurfette Principle]

Ban him until he's older, but for life? Life? Keeping him dependent on others for transportation until he's fifty or sixty or older is a tad extreme, especially in New England where there isn't a lot of public transit.

[Witchyjoshy]

Suspended license.  He was driving on a suspended license.  And was driving drunk and put one of his buds in the hospital for a week in a coma.

Ironbite-fully support this.

Gee, why am I not surprised?

The kid is a danger to others and himself.  Hell, i wish something like this had happened to my stupid younger older sister when she was doing shit like this all the time.  Do I want this punishment for everybody?  No.  But the crime does fit so you can't acquit.

Ironbite-and again, if he wants to drive, he moves out of state.

1. Moving out of state isn't easy to do.

2. Just because he did shit like this doesn't mean he'll do it in the future.

3. Humans can actually learn from their mistakes.  Especially if something serious, like putting a friend into a coma, happens.

[clockworkgirl21]

I see nothing wrong here. People who act like idiots behind the wheel need to be banned from driving, no matter what they ages are.

[Sylvana]

Look, when I first saw the title of this thread I thought the punishment was extreme, but here is a kid that crashed his car while he had a suspended license and while drunk. Seriously his license was suspended, which means he got into trouble for driving badly before, but instead of waiting out his suspension he instead carries on driving and then does so while drunk. That tends to show a total disregard for the law and safety of others, made even more apparent by him putting his friend into a coma for a week.

If you are young and do something sufficiently stupid you sometimes have to face the harsh long term consequences of your actions. As a result I fully support the judges decision.