DUI: Strong action needed

Amazing article in the Oct. 3 edition of the Coeur d’Alene Press on page A3 regarding a local citizen’s drinking and driving problems.

Mr. Paul Hendzel, age 54, of Dalton Gardens, was booked into our county jail after receiving his seventh DUI citation, with a blood alcohol test of 2.0 or 2 1/2 times the legal limit. His first DUI was issued in 1989, so he averages a DUI approximately every 3.5 years. What is wrong with our court’s judgment on this individual in the past and why is he out there driving and putting our citizens in peril for injury or even death?

Thankfully, an individual called to complain about his erratic driving and the fact that he had just driven through the center of the roundabout at Fourth Street and Kathleen and reportedly had hit several other vehicles in his travels. Then, for his finale, drove up on an individual’s lawn, around a tree in the yard and then he drove off the property to a nearby driveway where he was taken into custody.

Amazing, yes, amazing that this individual was free to carry on his antics in part possibly because of lenient court judgments in the past. The question to ask is, “Does Mr. Hendzel even have a driver’s license?” was not reported in this article, but very doubtful according to his driving history. How about liability insurance to cover the damage that he has created, also very doubtful.

When Mr. Hendzel appears before the court, hopefully his lenience days for past infractions are over. Hopefully, he will be facing at least a minimum determinant sentence of at least two years fixed — this would at least protect the public for that period. In conjunction with this, his driver’s license should be revoked for life as well as confiscation of his vehicle.

Will Mr. Hendzel finally see the light? “No” is my best guess. He will most likely be drinking and driving when he has the funds to purchase another vehicle. Just another confirmed alcoholic with no social concerns ready to put the public in harm’s way again.

I can only hope that the court certainly gets it right this time.

JOHN WALSH

Coeur d’Alene