Red Ribbon Week in Superior

More than 50 Superior Elementary students sat mesmerized in the Superior Elementary gym Friday morning as they watched an old television news report chronicling the fate of a child their own age whose life was taken by a drunk driver.

Montana Highway Patrol Sgt. Roman Zylawy spoke with the group of children about the July 4, 2000 accident as part of Red Ribbon Week in Superior schools.

Superior Elementary students met with Zylawy and discussed what they could do to help protect themselves from drunk drivers.

Zylawy encouraged the students to make sure they always wear their seat belts and to never get in a vehicle with an intoxicated driver.

He explained to the children that the legal limit for alcohol in a driver’s bloodstream is .08 blood alcohol content, and even showed the group exactly how a road-side Breathalyzer test works.

Zylawy then showed the group a video clip taken from a FOX News Broadcast that showed the kids the terrible effects drunk driving can have.

According to Zylawy, Bart Thompson, a five-time repeat offender for driving under the influence from Texas who was not put in prison for his fifth offense, spent much of July 4 2000 drinking at different bars in Alberton.

When Thompson decided to go home after a full day of drinking, in his alcohol-induced state he drove the wrong way down I-90, heading west down the east-bound lane.

Thompson’s vehicle collided with a car being driven by 27-year-old Tory Terrant. In the car was his son, 7-year-old Gary and his parents Tom and Cindy Terrant.

Tory and Gary Terrant were both killed in the accident, as was Thompson.

In the news report, Zylawy told reporters that he had children of his own around the same age as Gary Terrant and it was a difficult incident for him to work with.

“It made me feel like crying,” Zylawy said in the report.

Zylawy’s presentation is just part of the effort Superior Schools are making throughout Red Ribbon Week.

Superior Counselor Dan Lucier said that there have been several presentations for Superior students of all ages, including one from Healthy Communities Coordinator Denyse Traeder, encouraging youngsters not to drink and talking about how the community plans to combat binge drinking.

Lucier added that Superior plans to continue to work with kids through presentations and talks to help them combat substance abuse.

“It’s not just something that’s going on this week,” Lucier said.

According to the Red Ribbon Coalition Web site, the Red Ribbon Coalition began in reaction to the kidnapping and brutal murder of Drug Enforcement Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena in 1985.

Camarena had worked undercover and discovered the location of a multimillion dollar narcotics manufacturing facility in Chihuahua, Mexico, that was subsequently raided by authorities.

In response, Camarena was kidnapped, tortured and killed by members of a Mexican drug cartel.

For more information on Red Ribbon Week, visit their Web site at www.redribboncoalition.com.