Drunk Driving Always Ready to Claim a Victim

Re “A Repeat Drunk Driver’s Luck Runs Out,” July 4: Sadly, the “friend” of the drunk driver who killed the preschool teacher in Redding, Calif., who says that Novis Levelle Lackey had “had a few beers but wasn’t drunk enough to run off the road and kill a teacher,” is in as deep a state of denial as I was years ago. I’ve been a sober alcoholic for over 15 years. I drove drunk at least four nights a week for a minimum of 10 years of my life, sometimes in blackouts, sometimes after only a “few beers,” but was fortunate to not have injured or killed anyone else while I recklessly pursued my “feeling good” state (or avoidance of feelings).

I also never “planned” to go out and kill someone while driving drunk, but as real, chronic, “functioning” alcoholics, we do not know when or where or what time we are functioning at our best, whether we woke up and had one beer at 8 a.m. or had been drinking nonstop all day and got behind the wheel when the bar closed or the party ended.

I can only hope and pray that other “feeling good” drinkers read this and a lightbulb goes off about their denial about their alcoholism. The country and, certainly, Redding would be a better place for more responsibility and fewer excuses.

Andrew P. Crane

Los Angeles