Todd began using alcohol and drugs at a fairly young age. When I met him back in 1999 I was unaware of just how bad his addictions really were. He was volatile and abusive but I continued to stay with him. He would drink and drive frequently and did so without a license. In 2000 at the age of 19 he was involved in a high speed chase with me in the vehicle with him. It was his first offense so they allowed him to do a PTI program and get the charges dropped. He got away with community service and a small fine. Pretty insignificant for what he had done.

In 2002 we finally split and he began dating a co-worker of mine. She continuously left her 3 year old son with Todd who would drink and drive with him in the vehicle. He still did not have a license and was actually pulled over while drunk for improper passing of a vehicle but the officer did no more than write him a ticket. Again, Todd got away with his actions on a small level and was allowed to drive away with out a license!

In 2004 Todd was living with another friend of mine. The friend was allowing Todd to use his second vehicle to get back and forth to work. Todd continued his defiance by drinking and driving as well as doing other illegal drugs. One night with a blood alcohol content 4 times the legal limit, he ran a stop sign and struck a family of four. Todd suffered the most serious injuries. He had a broken arm, 30 stitches in his head, was knocked unconscious and the vehicle was unrecognizable. All were transported to the hospital. The family was able to leave with only minor scrapes and injuries but Todd required a longer stay. (If I cant get the pictures of the car, Ill submit them)

It cost my friend $13,000 to clean up Todds mess because his insurance refused to cover Todd. He lost his car and almost lost his house. Todd moved and never even gave an apology or a dime to help. It then cost Todd $4500 in cost fines and he was not allowed to get a license until the completion of a DUI program.

In 2005, Todd said he was ready to straighten his life up and wanted to get back together. I believed him because I thought he had hit rock bottom. In early 2006 I found out I was pregnant but Todds substance abuse was at an all time high. I moved back home and told him it was get clean and sober or never see this child. He entered a treatment facility and got clean but continued to drink and drive until the summer of 2007. At that point and time we had to pay $2000 and he had to complete a treatment program to get his license. He sobered up.

We had a beautiful daughter and life was great. He started school, had a steady job and I thought I may finally get that fairy tell ending. Around February of 2009, Todd began to drink and hide it. When confronted he would tell me I was crazy. Finally in July of 2009 I caught him so drunk he couldn't even walk so he could no longer hide it. Once I knew, he began drinking more heavily because he didn't have to hide it. He always stated he had it under control.

November of 2009 we gave birth to a premature infant son who passed away shortly after birth. Todds drinking and addictions really began to spiral out of control. Two months ago we find out we are expecting again and Todd bought him a Ford F-150 pick up. His first vehicle that was all his own.

Four weeks ago Todd said he was going to take our three year old daughter fishing with him. I said ok but you know better than to drink and drive with her. Several hours later it was getting late and I called to see when they would be home. He was so drunk he couldnt even talk. He was about to put my child in the back seat and attempt to drive home with her in this manner. I told him if he moved I was calling the police. I went and picked up my daughter. The next morning when he sobered up I told him he either got help or we were gone. He had crossed a line and I would never trust him with his own child again.

He saw a psychiatrist which prescribed an addict with all sorts of drugs that should have never been given to him. And within 5 days, Todd had a mental breakdown ending up in the psychiatric ward of our local hospital. They released him after 7 days. He did not come home. He went out and became intoxicated and would not answer phone calls. When he finally showed up 5 hours later, he had wrecked his truck by rear ending some one and fleeing the scene of the accident. We couldn't get out of him where and apparently they didn't get his tag number because the police never showed. This was not quite two weeks ago.

He said he was done drinking but it was not the case. By this past weekend he was drunk again. Yesterday morning I awoke to find him gone. I had that feeling in the pit of my stomach I was going to get a phone call or knock on my door. He wouldn't answer his phone and I didn't even know where to begin looking so I sat by the phone waiting. At 10:30am I got a phone call from his mom. He had been involved in a single car DUI accident and they were handcuffing him to take to jail as she spoke to me. I put my three year old into my vehicle and drove to the scene to get pictures of the accident. I wanted to show him what he has done.

He is now serving a minimal of 6 months in jail, up to three years with a $10,824 fine. He calls crying begging us to get him out. But really, the family of the DUI driver is a victim as well. His daughter will suffer without a stable father. I will suffer trying to figure out how to support a 3 year old and another one that's on the way on a very limited income due to my own disabilities. I will have to figure out how to live off of $600 a month and no child support. Its only a matter of time before we loose our home and even though I may end up in a shelter, its better than having him out here where he can hurt me, his daughter and others who may cross his path when he is drinking and driving. So Im releived he is in there and would rather him stay than help him get back out and continue to hurt people. Next time some one could die.

Lets this be several lessons. Let this be a lesson to those who enable drunk drivers. Let this be a lesson to those who wait around thinking they will change. Let this be a lesson to those who drink and drive in understanding they hurt many people along the way, including the family they leave behind.

Thank you for allowing me to tell my story

Sincerely,
Tabitha