Friday, October 30, 2009

This drunk is a public menace. Get him off the road!


A chronic drunkard that caused a car wreck killing a young mother is apparently off the wagon and back on the streets, menacing good people again.

Over 12 years' time, Robert Van Dyke has been arrested seven times on DUI charges and only convicted three times.  His last drunken trip down the road (well, the last time he was caught anyway) caused a collision that  killed Michelle Bradley, a 36-year-old mother of two from West Valley. One daughter also in the car survived but lost an eye.  Bradley's pregnant sister-in-law was also injured in that fatal crash.  Bobby Van Dyke spent just six years in the Utah big house for his role in killing Michelle - his sentence was 20 years.

Van Dyke's story is one of a serial drunk that somehow continues to get out on our roads, and like any numbers game, it's just a matter of time until another unfortunate victim has their number pulled while Bobby's behind the wheel.

In late September Spanish Fork police stopped Bobby and booked him on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, according to a report on ksl.com.   A police spokesman reported that Van Dyke smelled of alcohol, had slurred speech and exhibited other signs of intoxication, but refused breathalyzer and sobriety tests.

Are you as outraged as I am about this?  How do losers that repeatedly prove that they have no regard for other people get sixth and seventh chances to go out and hurt someone again?  Prosecutors claim that it's a tough process to convict guys like Van Dyke.

Make your feelings known!  Jeff Buhman is the Utah County Attorney.  His office states they intend to vigorously pursue felony charges against Van Dyke in his latest drunk driving.  Send them your opinion and your support.  Let's get this menace out of our way and make sure he stays where he belongs and where we can be sure we'll all be safe from him - behind bars.

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