Former Yankee
Jim Leyritz was arrested early Friday morning in Broward County, Florida and charged with drunken driving and vehicular homicide. According to police, Leyritz ran a red light and smashed into a car driven by a 30-year-old woman. The woman was ejected from her vehicle and was pronounced dead at Broward General Medical Center.
Leyritz refused a breathalyzer test and has been charged with two counts of drunken driving, including one count of DUI that causes death to
a human.
I usually don't write about situations that occur to players off the field (unless it has something to do with the sport), but this is a story that shouldn't be ignored or glossed over. I'm not one to preach and I am by no means perfect, but one thing that I cannot understand (or tolerate) is people who drive while under the influence. If you're going to drink, then drink, but don't get behind the wheel. You're not just fooling around with your life, but with others that are driving on the road.
My brother was nearly killed by a drunk driver about two years ago. A 40-something-old guy hit him straight on and sent him flying backward and into another car. Then the drunk fled the scene. My brother's car looked like an aluminum can that was squished from both sides. Somehow my brother avoided major injury and the loser who slammed into him was caught, but it could have been much worse. Later my brother told me the cop who arrived on the scene told him he was shocked that my brother was able to walk out of the car.
Leyritz, who was nicknamed "The King" by some during his stay with the Yankees, will have a lot of soul-searching to do after this. I can't say that I feel sorry for him because he should have known better. It's tragic when an 18-year-old kid is behind the wheel and does something like this, but when a grown man does it, it's just senseless.
We're approaching the end of the year and that means a lot of people are going to be out there celebrating the New Year.
If you're going to drink, please don't drive.
[Full Story] [Comments (0)]
