Hey wlb,
Yes, I’m sorry you’re wrong.  And PLEASE use spell check.

he should be put away for what he did….but pass a law to get bikes off the road….look i was a mobile fire fighter for 37 years…beleave me i love life and not only for me but for you…..read my lips BYKES have no place on the road..sorry if you think im wrong ...

This young man is hopefully going to spend some time at hotel do right.

NO problem.

“Why?“ thank you for saying what I have failed to put into words.

To the person who said it was the cyclists fault for being hit, someone needs to stick you out in the middle of the raod and run you over.  And are you klidding me? tell cyclists to pay raod taxes, your an idiot.  Both of you need to go sit in the cell with Ballard.  He is worthless and has ruined 3 families.  It is HIS fault, no one elses. HIS!!!  He needs to rot in that cell.  I agree with the statement that no punishment for him is too severe!

Thank you, “why?“.  Well said.

karliejene,  There is one key difference between Ballard’s family’s loss and the loss experienced by the families of Art Clemons and Bill Imle.

Ballard chose his fate.  He made a CONSCIOUS decision to get into a vehicle, knowing he was impaired.  He made a CONSCIOUS decision to ignore the laws of the road and so he CHOSE to kill and he CHOSE to be held accountable.

Art and Bill were forced into their fate and so were their families.  I feel sorry for Ballard’s family that they have to endure the shame he has brought to them.  But I feel empathy and anger and frustration for the families of these two men who should be here with them today.  Instead those families are sitting in churches and funeral homes today in absolute and utter grief. 

Ballard had his chance at rehabilitation.  He was shown mercy by the McDuff family.  He wasted it.  He does not deserve a third chance.  He should spend the better part of if not the rest of his life in prison.  If he ever does walk the streets again, he should be unable to EVER get a drivers license again.

Mr. Lutz I agree with you totally.  I think you have the right idea.

“It just would be hard for me to send him to prison for the rest of his life. He needs help…...”  Too little too late.  I agree he needs help but that should have happened at the time of the first accident as the victim’s family requested.  I do agree that the investigation needs to look at what the precursors to this event were and ensure all guilty parties are held accountable.  Let us not loose sight though that he did this once before.  As for the DA; I am not sure what was asked for but let us look at the result.  In many jurisdictions, a bond of $300,000 means that a person pays $30,000 to bond out.  This is what I am mad about but again, I don’t know what the DA asked for nor do I know if the judge played a part in the bond amount.  As for the family of the accused we should be cautious about beating on them unless there is proof they may have served, provided, or failed to prevent his drinking in their presence or with their knowledge.  If you have ever been a parent of a teen you know that most teens have a strong personality and no matter how hard you try they will often do what they want.  This teen choose his actions which is plain and simply two counts of murder.