WHO WAS SENTEN >> FROM THE LOCAL STATION NEWSFOURJAX.
>> A LOCAL MOTHER OPENING UP
ABOUT THE PAIN SHE FEELS
AROUND CHRISTMASTIME. HER BABY
GIRL KILLED BY A DRUNK DRIVER
MOMENTS AFTER PHOTO WAS TAKEN
THINK.
>> JUST DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE.
EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU’RE OK,
YOU’RE NOT BECAUSE HE THOUGHT
HE WAS OK.
>> DURING THIS TIME BETWEEN
CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S, IT
CAN BE ONE OF THE DEADLIEST
TIMES ON THE ROAD AS PEOPLE
CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS, GAS.
AND STARTING SUNDAY, A
NATIONWIDE CAMPAIGN CALLED
PROJECT ROADBLOCK WILL BEGIN
TO WARN PEOPLE ABOUT THE
DANGERS OF DRINKING AND
DRIVING NEWS. 4 JAX IS A
PARTNER NEWS. 4 JAX REPORTER
JOE MCLEAN SPOKE TO THE LOCAL
MOTHER WHO KNOWS WHAT IT FEELS
LIKE TO LOSE SOMEONE TO DRUNK
DRIVING.
>> IT’S A REALLY IMPORTANT
REMINDER THAT YOUR DECISIONS
ON THE ROADWAY HAVE A REAL
LIFE CHANGING IMPACT ON
YOURSELF AND OTHERS. WE DID
SPEAK TO A LOCAL FAMILY WHO
KNOWS THAT ALL TOO WELL.
>> THIS WILL BE THE 4TH
CHRISTMAS THAT ABBY, EVERY
WINE AND HER FAMILY WILL SPEND
WITHOUT HER DAUGHTER SOPHIE.
THE CHILD WAS ONLY 6 MONTHS
OLD WHEN ON DECEMBER 17TH
2018. SO IF HE WAS KILLED IN A
CAR CRASH AS HER FAMILY WAS
HEADING HOME FROM GETTING SOME
PICTURES WITH SANTA HER
MOTHER. ABBY WAS ALSO INJURED
IN THE CRASH AND SAYS EACH
HOLIDAY SEASON SENSE CARRIES A
PAINFUL REMINDER OF THE
FAMILY’S DEVASTATING KENNY
BEEN LIKE THAT WORDS JUST HOW
HARD IT WAS FOR ME LIKE MY
FAMILY.
>> STILL CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS,
BUT WE LIKE LEFT. SO THESE
PRESENTS THAT WE GOT HERE LIKE
UNDER THE TREE AND EVERYTHING
AND THEN JUST SAYING THEM JUST
LIKE BROKE US.
>> PRETTY THE CRASH HAPPENED
BECAUSE 33 YEAR-OLD RANDY TEAL
JUNIOR WAS DRIVING HOME FROM A
JAGS GAME WHEN HIS JEEP REAR
ENDED. A VEHICLE STOPPED IN
TRAFFIC ON BLANDING BOULEVARD
IN ORANGE PARK. HIS BLOOD
ALCOHOL WAS 0.1, 2, 5, WELL
ABOVE THE LEGAL LIMIT FOR
DRIVING IN AUGUST OF THIS
YEAR, TEAL PLEADED GUILTY TO
DUI, CAUSING MANSLAUGHTER AND
SERIOUS INJURY AND HE WAS
SENTENCED TO 14 YEARS IN
PRISON. EVERYONE SAYS THE
SENTENCE PROVIDED SOME CLOSURE
BUT SAID HER FAMILY WILL STILL
NEVER BE THE SAME. AGAIN, A
LIKE 100% BUT IT’S.
>> EVERY DAY IS A TINY BIT
EASIER FOR US. BUT IT’S. IT’S
STILL VERY, VERY DIFFICULT FOR
US TO DEAL WITH THAT.
>> KNOWING SHE HAD THAT JUST
MADE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER.
EVERYONE IS NOT ALONE IN
TWENTY-TWENTY, FLORIDA SAW 746
DEATHS FROM CRASHES INVOLVING
ALCOHOL DRUGS OR BOTH. THE
LATEST DATA FROM THE FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAY SAFETY
AND MOTOR VEHICLES SHOWS 587
PEOPLE HAVE DIED SO FAR THIS
YEAR. THE AD COUNCIL AND THE
NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC
SAFETY ADMINISTRATION IS AGAIN
ISSUING A WORD OF WARNING
THROUGH PROJECT ROADBLOCK. THE
CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR
THE PAST 18 YEARS,
SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED IN THE
WEEK BETWEEN CHRISTMAS AND NEW
YEAR’S EVE WHEN HOLIDAY
DRINKING IS AT ITS PEAK
FOREVER WINE AND HER FAMILY,
THOUGH.
>> THE WARNING IS PERSONAL.
JUST JUST DON’T DRINK AND
DIVE. EVEN IF YOU THINK OKAY,
YOU’RE NOT BECAUSE HE THOUGHT
HE WAS OK, HERE WE ARE LESS MY
DAUGHTER AND EVERYTHING’S OUT
JUST DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE.
>> A FAMILIAR WARNING. WE HEAR
IT ALL THE TIME. AND IF YOU’RE
WHETHER THE DRINKING DRIVING
PROBLEM IS WORTH WORSE DURING
THE HOLIDAY SEASON, A ONE A
NUMBER FOR YOU. ACCORDING TO
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ALCOHOL
ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM, 40% OF
TRAFFIC FATALITIES THE
HOLIDAYS INVOLVED A DRIVER
IMPAIRED BY NOW, COMPARE THAT
THAT NUMBER IS 28% OR 12% LESS
OVER THE COURSE OF THE REST OF
THE YEAR REPORTING LIVE. I’M
JOE MCLEAN, CHANNEL 4, THE
LOCAL STATION.
>> AND IF YOU HAVE TOO MUCH TO
DRINK OVER THE HOLIDAY, DON’T
DRIVE. CALL TRIPLE A IT’S
LAUNCHING ITS TOW TO GO
PROGRAM TONIGHT THROUGH
JANUARY 3RD, CALL 8, 5, 5, 2,
TOW TO GO. YOU SEE IT THERE ON
YOUR SCREEN, ITS FREE SERVICE
AND YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A
TRIPLE-A MEMBER. IT WILL TAKE