Two-vehicle accident with entrapment, fatality: Promise scene hits home for DHS students

Emergency responders from multiple agencies responded to a two-vehicle T-bone accident behind Daleville High School last Monday, May 2. One driver—a student—was pronounced dead at the scene by Dale County Coroner Woody Hilboldt. The other driver was taken into custody for driving under the influence. Two other students were seriously injured.

Luckily, this entire scene was an act. It was all part of the first-ever Prom Promise for DHS juniors and seniors during prom week.

“Everything was done like it was a real accident. (All departments responded) just like in a real situation,” said Daleville Department of Public Safety Director Harvey Mathis.

“After the fire chief arrived, two ambulances responded. Crews started triaging and tried to get people out of the vehicles,” he explained. “It required the fire department to cut the windshields out and cut the door completely off and then the top (of one of the cars) in order to get to the victims to treat them.”

In an effort to make everything as real and authentic as possible, “victims” were assessed and transported out via ambulance with one being airlifted to a Dothan hospital. The offending driver was administered a field sobriety test and the other driver was determined to be fatally injured. The county coroner made his pronouncement before a somber crowd of students. The police calls and communications were broadcast in real time over the speaker system so students could hear and be further drawn into the seriousness of such a situation. Narrator Lt. Stacey Austin also walked the students through what was happening in each scene, sometimes just being silent “to let things sink in.”

Austin said, “You can tell that they were focused on what was going on. The key parts that I thought would really hit home, I would kind of be silent for a little while…You could tell they were paying attention to what was going on…I think it hit home with them.”

He added that he also informed the students of statistics, including that 4,700 people a year—an average of 12 per day—are killed in this country because of distracted/DUI driving.

Mathis added, “The students really got somber, especially when the ‘mother’ of the ‘deceased driver’ was informed of her ‘son’s death’ at the scene. They were asked how they would feel if their parents had to be notified of their deaths because they had decided to drink and drive.” Mathis said Assistant Fire Chief David Grubbs came up with the idea for Prom Promise. Grubbs said he had seen it done in other areas and thought it would be a good thing to do for the youth here. He said he was pleased that everything went as planned and he believes all goals were met.

“We started planning four to six weeks ago…The goal was just trying to get kids to realize what could happen if they have a slip-up, decide to drink and drive or text and drive,” said Grubbs.

Participating in the exercise were Wiregrass Life Flight, Southern Automotive, the Daleville Volunteer Fire Department, Rescue Squad, Police Department, DHS Drama Club, DHS Cosmetology Department and the Dale County District Attorney’s Office.

“We just want to give them, show them that there are consequences, not just that they might not make it home, but they could kill a person or persons, hurt people. That their lives will forever be scarred,” said Mathis. “It also shows them how many resources it takes to have to come cut you out of a car. It takes a lot of people…to save you.”

The DDPS expects to make this an annual exercise to try and help students make good decisions and stay safe on prom nights and at all times. A written pledge may be added in the future.