ENOSBURGH, Vt. (WCAX) – A Franklin County family is calling on drivers to make the right choice before hitting the roads this Memorial Day Weekend. It comes after a crash on a busy Sheldon Road one year ago that turned their world upside down.
“She was the light of our lives. She thrived in everything she did. She was just the sunshine when everything was dark,” said Alisha, describing her six-year-old Olivia. She says Olivia was involved in gymnastics, baking, and even tee-ball, with Chad as her coach.
“That morning around 10 o’clock, we were up in Franklin for the tee-ball game. Finished that, came home. It was a nice sunny day. We decided to go down to visit Olivia’s Mimi. Spent most of the day down there and it was getting late so we decided to come home…” Chad recalled.
It was that drive back that changed their lives forever. “Just east of Woods Hill Road, came up the hill, rounded the corner, distinctly remember seeing the vehicle in front of us. I remember hearing her say. ‘Oh my god babe,’ and then black,” Chad said.
Their car was hit head-on, and a life in its earliest stages was cut short by a drunk driver. “He took her out of the car and I remember just collapsing to the ground and a lady coming and helping me. I was yelling at him to do CPR,” Alisha recalled.
“It’s hard to keep going once you fall victim to something like this. No parent should ever have to bury their child because of someone’s irresponsible decision,” Alisha said.
The 911 call after the crash was answered by their colleague. That’s because both Chad and Alisha work in law enforcement — Alisha as a dispatcher and Chad as a sheriff’s deputy. They say they’ve seen their fair share of deadly drunk driving wrecks. Now, they’re pleading for others to make the right decision.
“You have a drink or two, you think you’re fine — it’s just not worth it. I’ve been to DUI crashes, I’ve had to tell parents their kids have been killed in crashes, but when it’s your own child, I can’t even explain to you the feeling,” Chad said.
To honor Olivia, her family on Saturday has organized a motorcycle ride. It starts at Wilkins Harley-Davidson in Barre. It will go to where the crash happened, make a stop at Olivia’s gravesite, and end at the Franklin Central School for a barbeque and silent auction. All proceeds from the event will go to Mothers Against Drunk Driving. It will be the first time since the crash that Alisha will drive by the site.
VERMONT STATE POLICE LOOKING FOR IMPAIRED, DISTRACTED DRIVERS
The Vermont State Police say they will be among agencies cracking down on distracted and impaired driving this holiday weekend.
They will have increased patrols in hot spots throughout the state like I-89. They say they’re looking for drivers who are speeding, following other cars too closely, or may be under the influence. “There are many decision points along the way where if only one decision was made differently that incident could have been avoided altogether. So, we’re asking folks just to be cognizant of what you’re doing, have a safe plan, not only for yourself but for other people who are using the roadway this weekend,” said VSP. Lt. Paul Ravelin.
Authorities say similar rules apply to those operating boats.