Poestenkill Victim Latest Name on the List
by Doug La Rocque
Families of those killed by a drunk driver, County and local officials gathered at the Rensselaer County DWI Memorial Tuesday, April 26, to remember those whose names are on the memorial wall and to plead with people not to drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly conducted the yearly ceremony reminding all it is important to share our concerns about people’s awareness of the dangers of drunk driving and touched on another topic as well: marijuana. She noted the recent legalization of marijuana has opened a new door for law enforcement with the ramifications of smoking and driving still undefined. Unlike alcohol use, which can be measured with a breathalyzer, there is no such yardstick for marijuana use. She again touched on the awareness factor, pointing to the sign in front of the speaker’s podium that said “If you feel different you drive different.”
Ms. Donnelly remarked about the horrific accident in Poestenkill last Thursday night that took the life of a local man and saw the driver of the second vehicle charged with Driving While Intoxicated. Please see the related story on page 4.
County Executive Steve McLaughlin also read a proclamation marking the annual event, held every year since the memorial was dedicated on September 8 of 2000. The Memorial is located on a strip of land on Congress Street in Troy, opposite Prospect Park, the very site where a popular Troy teenage girl was struck and killed by a drunk driver.
