Too many times during the last year have we read the words “DUI, vehicular homicide” in the pages of the Kirkland Reporter. It would be too much if it was written just once. Writing those words means that someone innocent, just going about their normal day-to-day life, paid the price for someone else’s carelessness and selfishness. And each time it could have been any Kirkland resident. All three incidents in the last year have occurred on main thoroughfares in Kirkland. Two of the three occurred at times when most people are out running errands or enjoying time away from work.
The most recent occurred on Juanita Drive at 8:45 p.m. on Aug. 7. The wreck took the life of Kirkland resident Joyce Parsons, 81. She, her brother and friends were coming home from an Argosy Cruise on the waters of Lake Washington. And while Parsons’ family comes to grips with the passing of their loved one, the rest of us read about it in the local media. For most, the realization of where and when the accident took place holds an impression. We realize that could have been our sister, brother or friend. Juanita Drive, just like N.E. 124th Street and N.E. 85th in downtown Kirkland before it, now holds a great significance for Kirkland residents. They may now hold some trepidation.
Juanita Drive is traveled by thousands of cars each day, not to mention hundreds of bicycles and some runners. It has no sidewalks. A cyclist was also killed on the road last summer in a non-DUI related accident.
Some have blamed the police – somehow if there were more patrols on the road the DUI vehicular homicide incident would not have happened. I do believe that if there was a police officer patrolling at that exact moment maybe the incident would have been prevented. But the police cannot be everywhere. Finn Hill residents have complained, since annexation, about the number of police cars patrolling the area as well. I personally travel that road every day and there are weeks when I see multiple patrol cars on duty, keeping the road safe. There are months when I see no patrol cars. And yet, they can’t be there all the time.
I have heard some complaints that the speed limit is too high. That 35 mph is too much for a hilly road with so many curves and cyclists. But we need to remember that the blame for these accidents rests with one person and one person only. Finn Hill resident Kelly Hudson is innocent until proven guilty. She is the woman who allegedly slammed her minivan into the Prius in which Parsons was riding. She supposedly told officers that she took medication with wine earlier that day. If convicted she will lose her freedom.
Nathan Jeremie Godwin of Redmond is awaiting his day in court for being charged with killing Kirkland cyclist Bradley Nakatani. Patrick Rexroat also got his time in court and plead guilty of DUI vehicular homicide in March.
We have to remember that we are all responsible for our own actions. The people responsible for these horrific incidents are those who choose to drink and drive. They are the people convicted in a court of law, and no one else.
