The culmination of months of planning by Murrieta Mesa SRO Jennifer Metoyer and her team, Every 15 Minutes impacted over 1500 Murrieta Mesa High School students over the course of the two days immediately preceding prom. Her last big event before retiring, Metoyer left no detail unchecked, and it showed.
With the cooperation of the Murrieta Police Department, Murrieta Fire Department, Inland Valley Medical Center, Temecula CHP, RivCo Sheriff’s Department, the DA’s Office, and many more, the emotionally charged event was uniquely designed to help teens truly feel the weight of all the possible lives affected by a DUI collision.
Student actors portrayed the perpetrator and victims of a DUI collision, staged on the 50-yard line of the Ram Stadium. Fully mic’ed, the first responders went to work with life-saving measures at the scene of the crash. Students were able to witness a re-enactment of the intense scene – including airlift via helicopter – and imagine their friends had indeed been involved in this terrible incident.
The cameras continued to follow the victims to Inland Valley Medical Center and documented the arrest and booking of the 18-year-old girl responsible for the collision. Behind-the-scenes footage was captured to broadcast the following day.
The student actors and their parents were then hosted overnight in separate retreats to allow the feeling of loss and separation to sink in.
Day two of the event was staged as a funeral procession. As a “deceased” student read her final words to her parents, and a mother read a letter to her son who had “passed,” tears flowed freely among students, staff, and dignitaries alike.
Officer Metoyer and Sergeant Phil Gomez went on to share a personal experience with a collision in which a teen driver hit and killed a local young nurse while under the influence of alcohol and narcotics. Even more compelling were the statements from the husband of the woman who had passed. Kevin Reay showed great courage in relaying his story of unthinkable and unnecessary loss, all to save another family from the same outcome.
Assistant District Attorney Mackenzie Parker directed her comments to the teens, asking if one mistake was worth spending years, if not decades, in prison as it is well within her power and inclination to prosecute any DUI driver as an adult.
Closing remarks were delivered by Principal Scott Richards, who expressed how much he cares for the teens and echoed each speaker’s hope that the program had made a difference in the life of even just one of the students in attendance. By all accounts, this program affected far more than one, and for that the families and citizens of Murrieta Valley are eternally grateful.
A proud sponsor of “Every 15 Minutes,” Teen Road to Safety – Temecula offers complete concierge service from online driver’s education, to one-on-one behind-the-wheel instruction packages of 6 to 20 hours with expert law enforcement officers as instructors, to Advanced Training hosted once a month in South Orange County. Behind the wheel teen safety is our passion and purpose, and we will gladly hold your hand every step of the way.
For more information and pricing:
Visit: www.teenroadtosafety.com or https://www.facebook.com/trtstemecula
Email: temecula@teenroadtosafety.com
Call: 855-81-DRIVE
Voice or text: 951-516-1452
