By Jessica Taloney Reporter
Published: Tue, March 25, 2008 - 6:15 pm
Last Updated: Wed, March 26, 2008 - 2:17 pm
Last Updated: Wed, March 26, 2008 - 2:17 pm
Jessica Taloney
Bradley Dronet, 20, plead guilty to being a youthful offender for the February 2007 crash that left Officer Charles Rogers with four fractured ribs, internal bruises, a concussion and a blood clot at the base of his brain.
Rogers was in his patrol car writing an accident report when Dronet slammed into him at 65 mph.
"It sounded like an explosion going off next to me," said Officer Rogers.
Dronet, whose blood alcohol level was six times the legal limit, was facing up to 20 years in prison for felony assault and driving under the influence, but Tuesday Judge Charles Graddick allowed him to plea as a youthful offender instead.
"While the judge determines the status, our office as prosecutors are the ones who are trying to explain this to a victim or a victim's family," said Nikki Patterson, Mobile County's Chief Assistant District Attorney. The rules of the youthful offender status forbid Patterson from talking specifically about Dronet's case, but Officer Rogers says prosecutors fought against it.
A spokeswoman for the Mobile Police Department says the last three officers killed on duty all died in traffic accidents.
Rogers returned to work at MPD five months after the crash.
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After reading the posts regarding this incident, it seems that most of us unanimously agree on something....that this person was WRONG and should be punished to the full extent. More importantly though, we should all take notice that judge Charles Graddick is allowing this criminal to take the easy way out. So, the next time Charles Graddick comes up for election, or even if he comes up in conversation with your friends, let them know that this judge seems to favor criminals. I wonder if it was one of judge Graddick’s family members that was hit by this drunk driver, if he would show them the same favortism. Probably not. This kid will probably get off with a slap on the wrist...then, in a year or so, he will do the same thing all over again, only this time, he will KILL someone… and once again, the system will have failed...and an innocent person will have died....and everyone will have that “deer in the headlights” look on their faces and say “How could this happen?”