A Union County teenager, who fatally struck a pedestrian in April of last year, was sentenced this week. The incident occurred as the 
victim was walking home along the shoulder of the road; thereafter, the teen struck the man fleeing the scene. It was found by police that the teen was intoxicated at the time of the accident, and her vehicle was traveling over 55 m.p.h. at the time of the accident. As a result of the excessive speed of the driver, and the fact that her driving was allegedly “materially and appreciably impaired” the pedestrian was killed.
At trial, the teenager reached a plea deal in which she was found guilty of misdemeanor death by motor vehicle and failing to stop at the scene of an accident that she caused. The court stated that she will receive two years of supervised probation and has to complete 75 hours of community service. Further, she will be required to wear an alcohol monitoring device and pay restitution to the victim’s family.
More and more law enforcement agencies are beginning to use a new high-tech tool that helps them track the alcohol consumption of previous offenders, 24 hours a day, seven days a week — particularly repeat drunk drivers.
The device, which works much like the ankle bracelets worn by offenders under house arrest, is called SCRAM — Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor. It reads the blood alcohol content of the person wearing it every hour and reports those readings to law enforcement agencies.
“This is the first offender or patient bracelet that tests (offenders) consistently,” said Don White of Alcohol Monitoring Systems, which manufactures the device. “We’re able to test the molecules of ethanol that are coming off the ankle, because five percent of everything you drink comes out your body.”
The SCRAM (Alcohol Monitoring Systems) website states that SCRAM “provides accurate 24/7 monitoring of an offender’s alcohol consumption. It catches tamper attempts that mask drinking events. It closes testing loopholes. If offenders drink or tamper, you’ll know it. If they don’t, you’ll know that too.”
Agencies throughout the state are beginning to utilize the device, and many others are planning to use the device as the price decreases and funding becomes available. In a recent North Carolina case, a man left jail wearing a SCRAM monitor, and within five hours he was arrested again for another public event where he threatened officers, the lives of families, and was re-incarcerated.
