STORY and PHOTOS by Tam Nguyen, Nguoi Viet
SANTA ANA, Calif. ― Outside Santa Ana High School, the mangled cars sat. How could anyone have survived the gruesome wreckage?
The scene of the accident at Santa Ana High School during the ‘Every 15 Minutes’ presentation.
One student lost her life in the accident, thanks to a drunk driver. And she wasn’t the only one.
An accident in front of the school occurred every 15 minutes. Before the carnage was over, 10 students had lost their lives; others, broken and bloody, struggled to survive.
Thankfully, it was only a drill, designed to show teens the dangers of drinking and driving during prom and graduation season. Wednesday’s lifelike demonstration was part of the “Every 15 Minutes” program, which brings together a coalition of agencies that have a goal of reducing alcohol-related incidents among young people. The event was designed to provide a realistic depiction of the consequences of drinking and driving through the mock accidents.
According to the California Highway Patrol, someone dies from an alcohol-related collision every 15 minutes, thereby leading to the program’s name.
The scary scene could not have helped but make an impact on the students. Two cars had crashed head on, with one passenger going through the windshield of the white car, the driver slumped over the steering wheel. In the other car, the driver and passenger were unresponsive.
Within seconds of a staged 911 call, a Santa Ana police cruiser rushed to the scene and talked to the driver of the white car. Soon after, paramedics came to tend to the injured, pronouncing one “dead” at the scene and two in critical condition. One student was rushed away in an ambulance and the other airlifted away.
The driver was arrested on DUI charges and taken away in the police cruiser as the presentation ended.
During the silence, after the police cruiser drove away, students were heard weeping.
A student actor is prepared for transportation by ambulance.
A few of the student actors who took part in the presentation shared their thoughts.
“After seeing this, I hope the other students would think twice about drinking and driving,” said senior Brandon Lee, who portrayed the drunk driver. “It is not only alcohol, but texting while driving or any other distracting driving, that can cause a major accident. Innocent people will get hurt.”
Brandon Lee is arrested on DUI charges in the presentation.
Melissa Zamora, a senior, acted as the dead passenger in Lee’s car. She had similar thoughts on what the student body should take from this.
“It’s important to be aware of these accidents. Lives can be cut short like mine was in this presentation,” Zamora said.
Melissa Zamora prepares for the presentation in front of Santa Ana High School.
Clarissa Lopez, a senior, acted one of the “living dead.” She got to see what her death would be like.
She said she was surprised when the school announced that she was one of the dead. “It was like any other day (until) … police officers came and announced my death during class,” she said.
Clarissa Lopez, one of the ‘living dead,’ was selected by a teacher to take part in the program.
After the announcement, she was no longer to have social contact with her friends or family for the rest of the day. Off campus, Lopez’s family was contacted by the police to hear the “bad” news. Lopez suddenly broke into tears and said, “Our life can end without warning, and I feel bad imagining what it feels like not to say goodbye to my family.”
