Mock Drunk Driving Crash at Plymouth High School

Published Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Jacob Hildebrand portrays the driver in the drunk driving mock accident held at PHSPHS student, Reis Yoder, portrays the student who lost his life in the mock accident L.E.A.D. officers and actors in the mock crash scenario (Kizzy Schuler, Reis Yoder, Victoria Leazenby, Hunter Stevens, Libbie Portteus and Jacob Hildebrand)Trauma response by Memorial Hospital South Bend during mock crashPHS students portrayed the car accident victimsPHS students watch as the mock crash scene is assessed by emergency respondersPHS senior, Libbie Portteus, portrays a victim in mock drunk driving accidentTed Brown, PCSC Resource Officer, presented information to PHS students throughout the accident scenarioPHS senior, Josh Hildebrand, portrays the drunk driver in mock crash scenarioPHS student actor submits to breathalyzer by Plymouth Police Department during crash scenarioHildebrand is arrested mock drunk driving accident scenario at PHSPlymouth Fire and EMS use the jaws of life to extract victims during mock crash scenario at PHSMarshall County Coroner, Bill Clevenger, was called to the mock crash scenePlymouth Fire and EMS work to extricate victims of the mock crash

With prom season and graduation right around the corner, teenagers are excited to celebrate and enjoy the rites of passage that go along with their high school years. Unfortunately these rights of passage sometimes involve kids making poor decisions that can have permanent consequences for more than just themselves. In an effort to reinforce the dangers of driving while under the influence, officers of the L.E.A.D club (Leaders Eliminating Alcohol and Drugs), Plymouth High School's version of SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving), organized a mock crash scenario on the front lawn of PHS. The event began with students watching a video created by L.E.A.D. for the scenario and then they were ushered outside to watch as the rest of the staged scenario unfolded on the front lawn. The student actors wore stage make-up to make the accident scene as real as possible for onlookers. Emergency responders treated the accident scene as if it were real, using the jaws of life to cut victims out, placing the injured on backboards, as well as removing the body of the student who lost his life in the mock accident. The driver in the mock accident, underwent questioning and a breathalyzer while his classmates were being extricated from the vehicle. It was found that he was drunk, so he was placed under arrest by Officer Workman and escorted to the patrol car to await transport to the jail.