Driving
Prom night – nothing could be more exciting, right? My best friend and I had spent hours looking for dresses and doing our hair. It was perfect. We had been waiting for this night since both of us could remember and nothing was going to ruin it. My best friend called me the night before and told me that her parents had to go on an emergency trip to see her dying grandmother. It was a really sad story but what interested us was that she was planning on throwing a huge prom party at her house. That night after we got our pictures and dinner, my date and I headed over to her house. I couldn’t believe how many people had shown up! Everyone was there and everyone was having a great time! People were drinking and dancing and everything was awesome. I decided to spend the night over there so that I could help clean up the next day. Her parents got home the next morning at about the same time the police arrived. It turns out that someone who had been at the party had gotten into an accident and was intoxicated. The police asked where they got the alcohol and they pointed at my friend’s house. The police were very nice and explained to all of us that adults can be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor if they knowingly allow minors to drink on their property (ARS 4-241.H.) Fortunately her parents didn’t know anything about the party or the alcohol! But police also told us that there is still a chance that through their homeowner’s insurance, her parents might get sued (be held civilly liable) because someone got hurt as a result of the party.
I wish I never listened to the guys. It all started out as fun, drinking beer and cruising around the school at night. We mess around a couple of nights a week and never got caught. One night, we got pulled over by the cops, I was driving and had 3 buddies in the car with me. We drank a full six pack and still had the empty bottles in the car. A soon as I heard the siren I knew we were busted. I wound up in jail for 24 hours. My parents had to hire a lawyer and we all had to go to court. My coach found out and I got thrown off the football team. I lost my part-time job cause I didn't show up for work that night. I just started the job and was saving money toward my new car. Instead, the judge ordered me to pay a $250 fine and I had to do 50 hours of community service by running errands for senior citizens in my neighborhood. What a mess for me and my family. I'm graduating in a few months and my parents had promised to give me a down payment for my car, but now that car is out of the question. I won't let my friends talk me into drinking and driving ever again.
How's it goin? I'm Ernest. I'm 15 years old and have never been in any trouble before. In fact, I've been on the honor roll all through high school. But now I've really got trouble. I don't know why I did it, but on a dare from a friend, I borrowed this one neighbor's car. You see, we knew the keys were always in the ignition. Right now, I wish they weren't that day. Anyway, I guess I'm not that great of a driver yet and I accidentally went up over a curb and hit an old lady. Geez, she's my grandma's age, 72, and I hurt her bad! The police and ambulance showed up and I was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. And from what I understand, back in 1997 a law got passed in Arizona where this type of case has to be filed in the adult justice system! Before, I might've gotten time in the juvenile jail or put on probation, but now I'll have to serve 7-1/2 years in adult prison!