Mock crash leaves impact on Fallbrook students, families

The consequences of drinking and driving was the focus of a two-day program called “Every 15 Minutes,” held at Fallbrook High School, April 3-4. Made possible through a grant from the California Highway Patrol, the program’s goal is to reduce alcohol-related deaths among youth.

Presented only to junior and senior students, the program began in the 1990s when every 15 minutes a life was lost from a DUI-related crash. That number has since improved to every 50 minutes, California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Latulippe said.

“While that’s an improvement, it is still unacceptable,” he said.

Students watched fellow classmates participate Tuesday, April 2, in a dramatic mock car crash that resulted in the pretend death of two students and a DUI arrest of a third.

The mock collision was followed by an assembly Wednesday, April 3, at the Fallbrook High School gymnasium. Junior and seniors, along with parents and families of the crash participants, watched a mock funeral procession for one of the young women killed.

A bagpiper played “Amazing Grace” as a band of students wearing matching black T-shirts carried in the casket of fellow classmate, Vanessa Hernandez.

The group of 25 students wearing black made up the “Living Dead.” Nominated by staff and other students as being leaders on campus, they represented the number of FHS students who would die if one died every 15 minutes to an alcohol-related car crash.

“This is to make an impact on our campus so students really think about how many people pass away each day,” Alana Milton, Associated Student Body director at Fallbrook High School, who helped coordinate the event, said.

A uniformed volunteer or officer went to each “Living Dead” student’s third period class to read their obituary. The obituary and a rose were placed on their desk to give other students a visual reminder that someone from their class had “died.”

At the assembly, audience members viewed a film presentation of the events leading up to the DUI crash, and its aftermath. Featuring Fallbrook student actors, the film showed teenagers drinking at a party before two drunk party-goers decided to leave and drive home.

The drunken-driving escapade led to a head-on-collision with a car full of other high school students returning from a soccer game. Footage was shown from the previous day’s mock crash at the high school, including the real-life response of police, firefighters, ambulance and a life-flight helicopter.

Fallbrook High School Principal David Farkas said the staged scenario was a reflection of real incidents.

“This is exactly what happens all across our country to teenagers every single day,” Farkas said. “As a principal for the past 11 years, I’ve lost more than a few students.”

One of the big messages for students was how a single incident can affect the whole community.

CHP Officer Mark Latulippe said drinking and driving is like playing Russian roulette: a person takes the chance of hurting themselves or others.

In his case, he lost three family members.

Latulippe told a tragic personal story involving his cousin, cousin’s wife and their two children. The family was driving back to the airport from vacation in Austin, Texas, when a suspected drunken driver collided with them head-on. The mother, Nancy Latulippe and her son Jackson died on the scene, while the father Scott Latulippe succumbed to his injuries a week later. Ten-year-old Keira was her family’s only survivor.

“Losing them all in one moment would be the worst thing that could happen to me,” Latulippe said. “My professional life and my personal life became one, all because of a choice.”

The highway patrol officer asked students in the auditorium to remember his story when thinking about the choices they make.

“My hope is that if you decide to drink, you don’t drive,” Latulippe said.

Fallbrook High School partnered with the California Highway Patrol, San Diego Sheriff’s Office, North County Fire Protection District, Mercy Air and other local businesses to put on the program, which takes place every other year at the high school.

The Fallbrook student who played the role of drunken driver was Caiden Metts.

Metts said he volunteered to be in the program because he felt it was important to keep children from drinking and driving.

“It felt surprisingly real,” said Metts, 18.

He said the crash and courtroom scenes were nerve-wracking and intense.

“It really hits home for some students, who have a background with drinking, or whose parents drink or people they know,” Metts said.

Hernandez, who was voted this year’s Miss Fallbrook, played one of the students who died.

“It was really impactful for me and very emotional,” she said.

The young woman read a letter in front of the entire assembly, addressing her family and friends. She said the whole experience allowed her to put herself in her family’s shoes.

“It made it very powerful and real,” the Fallbrook senior said.

For extra impact, the “Living Dead” students were asked to turn in their cell phones and cut off communication with their families after the accident.

Some parents said even though the crash wasn’t real, it was hard not hearing from their children for a 24-hour period.

“It didn’t hit us until yesterday, when I picked up my other kids from school, and she (Vanessa) didn’t come home,” Hernandez’s mother Veronica said. “The last thing we saw was the accident, and then they were gone. It was so hard. I hope they get the message.”

Another parent noted how assemblies at the high school can usually be pretty rowdy, but not this one, he said. Students were very somber and serious.

Tim Mings, who’s 17-year-old daughter Emma was a participant, said, “It was an emotional 24 hours or so. I think it will make a big impact on the kids.”