Mock deadly crash highlights dangers of drunken, distracted driving

WINCHESTER — Winchester and Bluffs high school students witnessed a crash Tuesday outside the Winchester bus garage meant to highlight the dangers of impaired and distracted driving. The mock incident involved a vehicle carrying students returning to Winchester from a party and another vehicle driven by someone who was texting on a Saturday night. A vehicle driven by Mariah Stuart, who portrayed an intoxicated driver, swerved into a vehicle driven by Audi Brown, who portrayed a texting driver, on Illinois Route 106. The two vehicles crashed, leaving one person dead and seven others injured in the mock scenario. Though staged, the scene was meant to show students the consequences of choosing to drink and drive or text and drive. "It's really scary and I feel a lot of high school students don't realize this could actually happen," said Stuart, a Winchester senior. "It's an eye opener that anyone can have this happen to them." Groups from Bluffs and Winchester high schools watched as "witnesses" arrived on scene, finding their friends injured — or dead. They watched as police, fire and EMS crews arrived to investigate and treat those with serious injuries, broken bones and concussions. They watched as Stuart was given a field sobriety test and Breathalyzer test and was "arrested" by Winchester Police Department on a charge of driving under the influence. They also watched as Winchester senior Madi Steckel, who portrayed a passenger who went through the windshield during the crash, was placed in a body bag and taken away after being pronounced dead at the scene. Several others were extricated from the two vehicles and carried away by EMS. "It was a lot more realistic than I thought," senior Izzy Wellenreiter said. "We are all friends and we hang out and we drive around. I hope the audience learns from it." Though neither truly involved in an accident nor arrested, Stuart was placed in handcuffs as part of the scenario. She said it was a truly terrifying moment. "I felt like I was there for a second and living it," Stuart said. "I couldn't imagine actually going through that." Steckel said it provided a perspective she hadn't thought of before. "It put into perspective how the people around us would be impacted, too," Steckel said. "How our parents and friends would react." Even during the skit, Stuart was stressed to realize what it would take to try to keep someone alive while waiting for EMS and police to arrive, she said. "It would truly be hard to keep people alive while waiting for people to get there," Stuart said. "It would take longer than what it took today and it felt so long." Some students in the audience became emotional, even knowing the crash was staged and no one actually was harmed. Bluffs sophomore Dallas Surratt said he felt real emotions while watching the scene play out. "I was almost scared and it was sad," Surratt said. "My heart dropped watching it. The screaming and the sirens freaked me out a bit. I hope people will tell their friends not to drive if they've been drinking. We saw with our own eyes what could happen, or worse." The mock accident was sponsored by Southern Illinois University School of Medicine's ThinkFirst program, with help from local police, EMS and fire departments, Scott County State's Attorney Richard Crews and Coroner Justin Dawes. "The purpose of the crash reenactment program is to show the real-life consequences of risk-taking behaviors," said CJ Compardo, director of ThinkFirst. "This event illustrates what can happen when a bad decision is made. We want students to be informed and make intelligent decisions, particularly behind the wheel of a car."