It truly saddens me when a teacher makes a stupid decision and gets arrested for an alcohol-related incident. It is even worse when someone gets hurt. It is its absolute worst when someone dies. Such is the case for a teacher whose life will never be the same because of his decision to drink and drive.
In Florida, a former teacher and football coach Josh Hunter went to jail because her killed someone while driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol. This was reported in the Herald Tribune. His sentence came almost two years after the incident.
Hunter was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison in 2010 but was allowed to stay free while his lawyers appealed his conviction.
It is especially sad for Huinter because the person who died in the accident was his close friend and fellow coach Doug Garrity, 27. Hunter's blood alcohol content was 0.21 percent. Hunter had been drinking for more than eight hours and consumed more than 14 drinks at a party with other coaches in Venice that day.
Hunter lost his job, his career, and a friend he considered as close as a brother. At his sentencing hearing in 2010, his psychologist said Hunter showed the most remorse he had seen in two decades of practice.
While a Florida DUI/DWI class will never completely restore Hunter’s life, it might put him in the right direction where he can lead a life of sobriety. Perhaps he can even dedicate his life to keeping others from making the same mistake. If so, he will have honored his friend.