Yesterday morning, members of the student body gathered in the Conlin Gym for the Mock Trial hearing related to the Mock Crash from October. The accused driver in this mock event, 18-year-old McHenry Taylor, faced charges for the death of his good friend and passenger Alex Atkinson and for the injuries suffered by two classmates in another car. Nick Bohte is now paralyzed and John West suffered serious injuries in the mock crash.
The jury of 12 students at Brother Martin found Taylor guilty of vehicular homicide and first degree negligent injury. Judge Olivier sentenced him to 15 years in prison for the homicide and five years in prison for the negligent injury. And she ordered the sentences served consecutively, meaning Taylor faces 20 years in prison.
Bridget Gardner of the LSU Interim Hospital, the Louisiana Passenger Safety Task Force Program Director, organized the mock crash and trial along with the Louisiana State Police. The program is called “Sudden Impact.” It aims to show students the horrifying lifelong consequences that can come from one bad decision of driving while impaired.
Thank you to Dennis Woltering (WWL), the staff at the LSU Level 1 Trauma Center, the Louisiana State Police (Troop B), all the participants, and the students’ parents.
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