Local Doctor Has Seen Enough Drunk Driving Deaths

Last Update: 2/13/2009 7:29 a
Reported by Kristine Frazao

Dr. Fred Simon was on duty Saturday night, when 24-year-old Emily Dowdy was rushed in to the hospital after being struck and killed by a drunk driver while crossing the street. While her case was one of the severe ones he sees, he said alcohol is a factor in some way almost every night he works. He’s the Director of Medical Trauma at Scripps Hospital in La Jolla.

Now, he’s in the process of joining with other doctors, paramedics, law enforcement and friends and family of Dowdy to start a foundation to try to tackle some of the issues.

“The judicial system has failed us,” Dr. Simon said. “The legal system has failed us. And as a society, we’ve failed ourselves.

Emily’s mother, Ellie, agrees, especially after finding out the suspect, 45-year-old Alan Mabrey, had five prior DUI convictions, including one in which he spend five years behind bars.

“We are going to fight until the day we die to change the laws,” Dowdy said. “To change the sentencing criteria for these people.

Dr. Simon said the idea for a foundation is still in the very early stages but contrasts the effort against the alcohol industry to that of the tobacco industry.

“We spend so many resources on a problem such as tobacco that takes 30 years to kill somebody and alcohol as you know with this young lady, she was probably killed in about 8 seconds,” Dr. Simon said.

They hope to keep Emily’s name alive with this. Dr. Simon said she already has impacted so many lives, donating eight of her organs to patients in need.

Source: San Diego Channel 6