Montville, Connecticut, a United States Navy sailor stationed at Naval Submarine Base, who had allegedly been drinking at the Mohegan Sun Casino was involved in a fatal automobile accident.
According to State Police Sergent Michael Collins, the sailor, Daniel E. Musser, 24, had been drinking at a night club in the Mohegan Sun. At about 3:30 A.M. Musser got into his 3001 Honda to supposedly go home. He entered the Route 2-A in the wrong direction and then proceeded on to I-395 going south in the north bound lanes.
Musser hit a van carrying Connecticut College students that were going to Boston Logan Airport for a trip to Uganda on a humanitarian mission. Elizabeth Darante, 20, of West Islip, Long Island, New York was killed when she was tossed from the van. The seven passengers and the driver were taken to area hospitals for treatment. Jennifer Blanco, 20, of Groton, Connecticut was still in Backus Hospital, Norwich, Connecticut, in fair condition. The others were treated and released.
Musser was tested with a field sobriety test.. He was later given two (2) Breathalyzer test that were administered at the state barracks. He allegedly failed all three (3) tests.
Musser was scheduled to appear in Norwich Superior Court on Monday, March 9, 2009, on charges of second-degree man-slaughter with a motor vehicle and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He had been held in $100,000.00 bond at the Corrigan Correctional Center in Montville. Musser faces a possible 19 years in prison.
Jeffrey Hartmann, The Mohegan Sun Chief Operating Officer said, "Of course any tragedy like this is unfortunate, and we'll be working with state police to review the report and ascertain," if Musser had patronized the casino.
A spokesperson for Governor M. Jodi Rell, said that the governor is questioning her proposal to extend drinking hours at the casinos.
The facts are that the accident happened at 3:30 A.M. in the morning. Drinking on Friday night ends at 2:00 A.M. Even if had not come from the casino, it could have been a bar, a private party, or some where else where drinking had occurred. He would have been drinking when the hours are legal.
Extending or not extending the hours of drinking alcohol would not have prevented the accident. New York allows drinking until 4:00 A.M. Atlantic City, New Jersey, allows drinking 24 hours a day 365 days a year.
There is no easy solution to this problem. It is tragic that one young person made a mistake, and another young person's life was taken. Two young people who had their futures ahead of them, destroyed by this alleged drunk driving.
Our sympathies go out to the Durante family and the students who loved and cherished her. She will be missed. This is a tragedy.
Would changing the drinking hours have made a difference in this case? Could it have been prevented? Should casinos have drinking 24 hours a day? What do you think?
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2 comments:
we should absolutely not have drinking 24 hours a day.. Do you even have to ask that question? It could possibly leave drunks on the road at 7am when are kids are at the bus stop.... Do you even have to ask??
Wow, this sounds an awful lot a like to the exact article posted in the day. do you give credit to the bodies of work you steal from? or do you plagarise on purpose?
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