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Passenger falls from bed of pickup truck in Darien, driver charged with DWI

By Howard B. Owens

A passenger riding in the back of a pickup truck on Fox Trail Road in Darien at 1:04 a.m. suffered a head injury and was taken by ground ambulance to UMMC while the 17-year-old driver of the truck was charged with DWI.

The Sheriff's Office did not release the name of the accident victim.

Taken into custody was Norman Peter Locher, of East Center Road, West Seneca. He was also charged with driving with a BAC of .08 or higher, no seat belt for the driver, operating out of class and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident.

Darien fire assisted at the scene and transported the patient to UMMC.

The investigation was conducted by Deputy Jason Saile.

Steve Hackett

What the hell are people thinking these days????....and where the hell are this 17 year olds parents?...they have clearly failed as parents....PERIOD!!!!

Jul 7, 2013, 4:16pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

So, Steve, the only way to be a successful parent is to lock a teen in his room and never let him go anywhere or do anything. Ever? The teen should never be out of the parent's sight?

You're blaming the parents without all the facts (I don't have them either). That's simply unfair and not nice.

Jul 7, 2013, 5:02pm Permalink
Steve Hackett

When a 17 year old is driving a pickup truck, drunk, at 1 am in the morning with a passenger in the back of it.. Common sense tells me this kid did not not have a proper up bringing....it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out..... I don't need to have all the facts to determine that !!!!

Jul 7, 2013, 5:19pm Permalink
Beth Kinsley

Sometimes bad parents have good kids; good parents have bad kids; and good kids do really dumb things. I know I made a lot of dumb mistakes when I was 17.

Jul 7, 2013, 5:35pm Permalink
Steve Hackett

I didn't say anything about good or bad parents ....it's all about how you are raised...stupid mistakes and STUPID mistakes are two different things....this youngster could have changed a lot of people's lives in the worst way...fortunately....he didn't...will he learn from his mistakes?????....we will have that answer down the road

Jul 7, 2013, 5:46pm Permalink
Ed Hartgrove

Mr. Hackett: I believe that Howard's comment pretty much summed it up. Unless you know the 17-year old personally, and what his 'upbringing' consisted of, to say that his parents have clearly failed IS unfair. Have you never heard the phrase, "That's not how you were raised."? It may be hard for you to believe, but some people can have the very best 'upbringing' and still choose to go 'their own way'. Trust me, IT DOES HAPPEN!

Jul 7, 2013, 6:33pm Permalink
Steve Hackett

No need for formalities..Steve will do....And the odds are definetly in favor of a failed upbringing...I can pretty much say that he is not a success story....

Jul 7, 2013, 6:58pm Permalink
John Woodworth JR

Steve the only thing I can say is this. Parents can teach their children everything in life but, it is still up to the child to learn and develop what their parents taught them. I remember growing up and my parents were very much involved in my life. It does not mean they could be there every step of the way. I still went out and drank and caused trouble. My parents were there every time to pick me back up and let me try again. Sometimes they had to pay for my mistakes but, ultimately I was held accountable and to had answer for my actions. As a parent of three I can only hope that, my children use good judgment in their decision making. The parents of this seventeen years old child cannot be held 100% accountable for his actions. How about the all those with him that, allowed him to drive intoxicated, a casual observer whom may of seen this child drinking, the idiot who purchase or sold the alcohol for or to this child, etc...... How can you accuse the parents of not teaching their child the right things, when you do not know the outside influences? We all have free will and we all get to chose our paths. This child is only a year or less from being classified as an adult.

What defines a failure of upbringing, Steve? Who established the definition of such? Yes, parents need to take more of active role in their children’s life. Today's society likes to find fault with everything and everyone but, them self! There is a moral breakdown in today's society. Does it start with the parents or you? Society has to work together to improve itself. How many times have you made a mistake and chose the wrong path? We can only hope this child's parents are doing the right thing and that they give him the help he needs. However, this child is old enough to know right from wrong. Like I stated, what outside influences steer him? Social Media, violent and mature video games, Hollywood movies and even our media play a crucial part in our life. We all need to play an active role in our society. However, you have those few who feel they do not have right to interfere, those who take offense in being corrected by someone else or those who go outside their capabilities and so, it is business as usual.

Jul 7, 2013, 9:09pm Permalink
Raymond Richardson

Okay everyone, stop picking on MR. Hackett. After all, he IS the voice of experience and lived in a rose colored, and perfect little world at 17.

Jul 8, 2013, 8:17am Permalink
Joeseph Wright

OK FOLKS, time to clear Mr. Hackett. I don't agree with his jumping the gun and saying as a general statement that when something like this happens that the kids parents aren't doing their job. But in this case I know the family, and he is EXACTLY RIGHT !! This kid has been in trouble regularly since he has been 8-9 years old. He doesn't attend school at the regular school, he attends a school for trouble maker kids. He has on several occasions, at the age of 14--stolen his parents cars and taken them out for LONG joy rides. He has been pulled over by local town police, only to be taken home, with no charges levied against him because his uncle is a police/fire dispatcher in town !! He has been drinking since the same age, and his parents know it !! I'm sure the alcohol he got that night was from his parents cooler, and he probably drank it sitting around the campfire. So what do his parents do when the kid turns 16...they allow him to get his license and buy him a car !!! OK I don't claim to be the best parent in the world, but my kids have never done anything remotely close to this !! I am just thankful the the kid who was thrown from the truck is OK. Hopefully that kid has learned his lesson about getting in a vehicle with an intoxicated driver...let alone a under age intoxicated driver. SO YES MR. HACKETT YOU WERE 100% CORRECT !!

Jul 15, 2013, 6:26pm Permalink

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