Mothers Team Up to Present American River Parkway DUI Awareness Conference

Peggy Fong and Susan Haight, both of Fair Oaks lost their children to a drunk driver on July 4, 2006, almost three years ago. Kendall Lui and Brian Haight were getting a ride home after rafting on the American River from a mutual high school acquaintance, Michael A. Dimitras. Dimitras drove passengers home that day, but had a BAC of .1% and was speeding at 70MPH on Folsom Boulevard when he crashed the car into a phone pole. Kendall and Brian were not drinking and Kendall’s coroner’s report showed a 0% blood alcohol content, but they were the ones who died.

This June would have been the year that both Kendall and Brian would have graduated from their beloved universities; Kendall from UC San Diego and Brian from UC Berkeley. They were both successful honor students in their freshman year at their respective universities. So, instead of happy graduations this year, moms Peggy and Susan are left to continue to grieve their deaths. However, they both realized that they needed to symbolically mark their children’s graduations this year by honoring the exemplary and successful lives they had lived.

In their honor, the moms are telling their story to remind the public not only about the alcohol ban on the American River; but, also its DUI related consequences if drinkers coming off the River choose to drive afterwards, like the drunk driver Michael A. Dimitras. That is the story of how Kendall and Brian died, which ended their bright futures and devastated two families. This is the new 4th of July for Peggy and Susan, the day their children died.

Above are photos of Kendall Lui (dancing) and Brian Haight, submitted by their family.

Peggy Fong and Susan Haight will be speaking at a Press Conference they have organized for DUI awareness in our community to honor their children. It will be held on July 3rd at 10:00AM at the Sunrise Boulevard raft launch in the American River Parkway just past the Sunrise River Raft Rentals business. The media event will be covered by the local news channels. Other speakers will include Assemblyman Dave Jones, who will speak about the continued alcohol ban for the July 4th weekend on the American River and officers of several law enforcement agencies will comment about their roles in enforcement of the ban of alcohol on the River and DUI.

Of particular note, by telling their story of tragedy, moms Peggy and Susan helped Dave Jones get the AB#951 bill passed in time for the July 4th weekend of 2007, exactly one year after their children died. The bill allows law enforcement to enforce the alcohol ban on the American River for the three major holidays of the summer, which are Memorial Day, the 4th of July and Labor Day. The law now allows the Sacramento County Park Rangers and the law enforcement agencies to check for alcohol and enforce its ban in the American River Parkway and on the waters.

Officials and the community have seen how the alcohol ban has brought back a family atmosphere on the River since it went into effect. More importantly, it has reduced the potential for rafters and park visitors to drive away drunk after a day of fun. However, that safeguard came too late for Kendall and Brian. Their moms’ message is simple, don’t bring alcohol to the River and don’t drive drunk, just like Michael A. Dimitras did on July 4th 2006. Two innocent lives were taken, two families were devastated and the criminal drunk driver is serving a prison sentence at Folsom Prison.

Top photo is of Michael A. Dimitras, taken after sentencing as seen in the Sacramento Bee.

Submitted by Peggy Fong.

Similar Posts:

• July 2, 2010 – Regional Parks Prepares for Holiday Weekend with Temporary Alcohol Ban and Increased Rates
• July 13, 2010 – Don’t Forget to Purchase Your Annual Pass to Parks Before July 31
• June 4, 2010 – Sacramento County Board Moves Forward on Layoffs; More Cuts Ahead

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Posted by Michelle Ventress on Jun 23 2009. Filed under Lifestyle, Public Safety. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.