Victim Tribute
Kelly & James Engstrom
Meet my children Kristy, James and Kelly. Three
young children who loved each other very much. They
enjoyed all the usual things like most kids do.
Swimming, playing in the sand, running with the dog
and much more. But on July 29th 1993 that Joy was
taken from them. James, 5 years old, and Kelly, 3
years old, were killed by a drunk driver. Kristy,
10 years old, survived but has emotional scars that
have been troublesome to put behind her. If only
the driver would have thought what could happen if
he chose to drink and drive. So take a good look at
all the victims in this tribute section. Take the
first step and make the right choice to not drink
and drive or keep someone else from getting behind
the wheel. The life you save could be your own.
Santinia Carol Pasquini
On July 11, 1980 my family was celebrating my daughters fourth birthday, It was a joyous day until a 17 year old girl made a choice to drink and drive. Her choice ultimately changed my life forever. My daughter was crossing the road in a clearly marked crosswalk and was hit head on. She was thrown several feet in the air, landed face down on the pavement and then the car ran completely over her. What I saw next was my daughters lifeless blood soaked body emerging from underneath the vehicle with the left back tire nearly missing her head. The impact was so great that in the aftermath, her shoes were found lying a hundred feet from the crash site. I felt like my life was spinning out of control. My child was in danger and I could not protect her. It was almost intolerable to see her lying there unresponsive. Since that time, MADD has helped initiate over 2,300 laws to stop drunk driving and prevent underage drinking. I invite you to join our MADD volunteers here in Shasta County to stop this senseless crime.
Dana White
Our youngest son, Dana White, was killed by a drunk driver on October 1, 1994 in Long Beach, Ca. He was 41 years old. In the early 1970's, he was drafted by the NFL from San Diego State University by the New Orleans Saint's. Dana was a big, strong man and played defensive end, his playing weight was 270 pounds and he was very fast on his feet. We got a phone call at 4:30 in the morning that he had been hit head on by a drunk driver who was driving the wrong way on the Long Beach freeway. Dana's car was knocked five feet and came down on all four wheels. The drunk driver had 3 ½ times the legal limit of alcohol in his blood stream. He served eleven years in prison. Our son was a well liked person that never met a stranger; he had a great sense of humor and enjoyed life to the fullest. He was a very outgoing person. A day does not go by that we do not think of him. He is always in our thoughts and prayers. His parents are Ernie and Shirley White and his brother Lanny White.
Alicia Davis
Dianne Rochelle Dragoo
Date of crash: 01-19-1958
Killed by a drunk driver
Jenifer Elsea
Date of crash: 04-19-1975
Killed by a drunk driver
Jennifer Forbes
Date of crash: 06-01-1985
We were a family of four, complete, it seemed. Both
children were adopted as babies.
What a blessing they were! We thought life would
continue to be good and fairly predictable UNTIL
one decision among many changed our lives forever!
In 1985, Christi, age 16, and her friend, Jennifer
Forbes, age 17, left in the evening to go to the
movies. Mike, who was 13, went with them. It had
been the last day of Christi’s 10th grade school
year. Jennifer drove her little Honda Civic. They
were due home right after the movie later in the
evening. They did not make it! Just a short
distance from home, a woman with a .34 blood
alcohol level left a bar, turned into traffic
driving her Buick Riviera the wrong way and
directly head-on into Jennifer’s car. Christi and
Jennifer died instantly and Mike was trapped in the
back seat severely injured and requiring the Jaws
of Life to be removed from the car.
Imagine the shock of the coroner coming to your
home and telling you that your daughter has been
killed and your son has been taken to the hospital
for emergency surgery!
Where do you go first? I wanted to hold Christi but
she could no longer be warmed with a hug – Mike
needed us! We saw the car being towed away as we
drove to the hospital.
Though still in the shock of denial, that
registered reality and then we saw our son being
wheeled from the operating room! He survived, in
some ways.
Christina Lynn McPherson
Date of crash: 06-01-1985
We were a family of
four, complete, it seemed. Both children were
adopted as babies.
What a blessing they were! We thought life would
continue to be good and fairly predictable UNTIL
one decision among many changed our lives forever!
In 1985, Christi, age 16, and her friend, Jennifer
Forbes, age 17, left in the evening to go to the
movies. Mike, who was 13, went with them. It had
been the last day of Christi’s 10th grade school
year. Jennifer drove her little Honda Civic. They
were due home right after the movie later in the
evening. They did not make it! Just a short
distance from home, a woman with a .34 blood
alcohol level left a bar, turned into traffic
driving her Buick Riviera the wrong way and
directly head-on into Jennifer’s car. Christi and
Jennifer died instantly and Mike was trapped in the
back seat severely injured and requiring the Jaws
of Life to be removed from the car.
Imagine the shock of the coroner coming to your
home and telling you that your daughter has been
killed and your son has been taken to the hospital
for emergency surgery!
Where do you go first? I wanted to hold Christi but
she could no longer be warmed with a hug – Mike
needed us! We saw the car being towed away as we
drove to the hospital.
Though still in the shock of denial, that
registered reality and then we saw our son being
wheeled from the operating room! He survived, in
some ways.
Justen Purcell
Date of crash: 01-11-2003
Killed by a drunk driver
Kevin Wayne Thompson
Date of crash: 04-28-1984
Ronald Joe Towey
Date of crash: 10-20-2005
Killed by a drunk driver
Amber Biendera