Mothers Of DWI Victims Take On New Battle

Two mothers whose lives were irrevocably changed by a drunk driver are taking their cause to Albany to petition lawmakers to toughen DWI penalties.
Monique Dixon, whose 11-year-old son Vasean Alleyne was killed, and Diana Reyes, whose 12-year-old son Angel was critically injured last October — both allegedly by drunk driver John Wirta — headed to the state capital along with various politicians to lobby for a new law which would allow DWI infractions resulting in death or serious injury to be prosecuted as felonies.
“All I know,” said Dixon, “is that at 1:02 a.m. on October 23 when my son was pronounced dead, everything I saw in my future was taken away from me. John Wirta erased my future. I have nothing left to do than fight for this law.”
Under current law, absent additional evidence of criminal recklessness or negligence, prosecutors can only pursue driving while intoxicated charges, a misdemeanor.
This means that, after a four-month long investigation by the office of the district attorney in which no further evidence of recklessness was discovered, Wirta, who is free on $5,000 bail, only faces misdemeanor charges punishable by a year in jail and a fine of merely $1,000 maximum.
“Our purpose is to prove to him [Speaker Sheldon Silver, who must put a bill before the Assembly so that it may be voted on] that this is something our state needs and we are showing this through his Assembly,” Dixon told The Queens Courier. “I intend to meet with every Assemblymember in order to accomplish this. Further, I have already met with Governor [George] Pataki and I will address the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus.”
The bill, A6285 (The Brian McLaughlin-Serphin Maltese Bill) is being spearheaded by Dixon, who is present each time the Assembly meets.
“Our legislation, introduced in both the State Assembly and the Senate, with bi-partisan support, stiffens DWI penalties, thereby untying the hands of the district attorney,” said Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin, a co-sponsor of the bill. “It also sends a powerful message to both the families of DWI victims and those who cause their loss.”
toni@queenscourier.com