How many people does a DWI driver have to kill before going to jail?

A Shreveport police officer testing a suspected DWI driver.

As a follow-up to a story last year on drunken driving, I recently asked local police for information about DWI arrests from March 2009 through April 2010.


While looking through that data, I came across Ronald Cooper. At first glance, his two DWI arrests didn't stand out that much among some of the other drunken drivers who were arrested as many as three times in a year. (One woman had three DWI arrests in less than two weeks)

Ronald Cooper

But a closer look revealed that Cooper, a 40-year-old Stonewall, La. resident, had at least two other previous DWI arrests - one that involved the 1996 death of passenger Beverly "Diane" Clay. A drunken Cooper turned in front of oncoming traffic and in the resulting crash, Clay, 36, was thrown from the vehicle and killed. Read more about Cooper's story on Sunday in The Times.


The thing is Cooper isn't alone. The data which is available at The Times' Data Center revealed more than 160 DWI offenders with multiple arrests - at least one had eight. And, most - including Cooper - received suspended jail sentences for their crimes. Yes, you read that right. No jail. (Cooper served 15 months for Clay's death but has received suspended sentences for his two subsequent DWI convictions)


I visited with Clay's mother, Verna, who was devastated to learn the man who killed her daughter still was drinking and driving - and serving no time in jail


"What will it take for the justice system to get serious about getting these drunken drivers off the streets?" she asked. "Why are the laws set up to protect the drunken drivers? Who's there to protect the victims?"


Good question.

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