By James Feichtner
Those affected by drunk and impaired driving will tell their stories at the first victim impact panel in Boone County. The Mothers Against Drunk Driving program is set for 6:30 p.m. April 14 at Zionsville Town Hall, 1100 W. Oak St.
“The victim impact panel is set up to benefit the community and anyone that has been convicted of drunk driving or drugged or distracted driving,” MADD volunteer and Zionsville resident Amber Martin said. “The (county) probation department will actually tell offenders that they have to attend this class, and the proceeds go back to MADD. When they show up they have to register and they also get breathalyzed.”
During the panel, victims of impaired driving incidents will talk about their encounters and how it has affected them.
“We go in and have speakers, all of whom are victims, and they go in and tell their stories of their crash or their encounters with the impaired driver,” MADD volunteer Pam Kelshaw said. “We are trying to reach out to all 92 counties in Indiana and bring our program to all of them.”
The Zionsville Police Dept. will offer support to the panel. ZPD Chief Robert Knox said MADD is a great way to spread awareness about this problem and that he is eager to see what the panel offers.
“We’re certainly going to have a presence there and I’m looking forward to what I’m going to learn and what it’s all about,” Knox said.
The panel is free to the public but donations are encouraged. For more, visit www.MADD.org
