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Wednesday, June 15, 2005
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Drinking causes lifetime hangover Several 2003 BHS grads suffering in aftermath of accident that killed friend Staff Writer In one brief moment in the early morning hours Monday, the lives of several 2003 Brainerd High School graduates changed forever.
As they now prepare to attend the funeral of one of their friends -- and the court appearances for another friend charged with causing her death -- they hope others will realize that drinking and driving just isn't worth it.
"It was a nightmare," said Fred Weiss of the accident early Monday that killed his classmate and friend, Jackie Saddler. "I honestly can't even imagine drinking or letting people drive after drinking either."
Saddler had been a passenger in a car driven by Annie Bahr, 20, also a 2003 BHS graduate and friend, who is now charged with three felony and two gross misdemeanor charges in connection with Saddler's death and injuries suffered by three other young women traveling in a separate vehicle.
According to the criminal complaint, Bahr told a Crow Wing County sheriff's deputy at the scene that she had been at a party in Merrifield and was on her way to a house in Pequot Lakes. Bahr tested positive at the scene for alcohol consumption. Her preliminary breath test was .154. The legal limit is .10. The results of a second test are pending.
Weiss, 20, Baxter, who attends college in Bozeman, Mont.; Dmitri Morris, 21, Baxter; and Andrew O'Day, 20, Pequot Lakes, all 2003 BHS graduates, had been in a car driving ahead of Bahr when the accident occurred 3:23 a.m. Monday near Breezy Point. They were all on their way to O'Day's apartment in Pequot Lakes, they said.
The three young men declined to discuss where they had been with Bahr and Saddler before the accident and the pending charges against Weiss and O'Day. O'Day was cited at the scene of the accident for driving after revocation and underage consumption. Weiss was cited for underage consumption. They declined to discuss how they had obtained alcohol and where they had been drinking earlier in the night.
Morris said he was sitting in the back seat and noticed that Bahr's headlights could no longer be seen, figuring she had either been in a car accident or driven off the road. The three men turned around. They discovered Bahr's car had been in an accident with a second vehicle, which was on fire. The driver, Ann Nicoski, 20, St. Paul, was standing outside her vehicle waving for help but her two passengers, Sunita Lankey, 18, St. Paul, and Laquanda Hammons, 22, Cottage Grove, remained in the car.
Morris said he went over to Bahr's vehicle and asked if they were OK. Bahr told him they were, and Morris noticed that Saddler was unconscious. O'Day was able to pull one of the young women in Nicoski's vehicle out a window. He and Morris had to rip off a damaged car door so they could get the second woman out of the back seat, they said.
The men said Bahr's seat-belt buckle had been damaged in the crash so they had to work to free her from the car but were unable to get Saddler, who remained unconscious, out of the car. The three friends tried to push Bahr's car away from the other car, which was still on fire. Emergency personnel who soon arrived on the scene extinguished the fire and, using extraction tools, removed Saddler from the car. Saddler was then airlifted to St. Cloud Hospital where she died from her injuries Monday afternoon.
Now Bahr, a student at the University of North Dakota majoring in elementary education with a minor in coaching, is charged in connection with her friend's death. Bahr spent Monday night in the Crow Wing County Jail. She was released Tuesday after posting bail.
According to the three men, Saddler was employed at Dave's Pizza in Baxter. Her friends described her as an upbeat and positive person who was known for her admiration of singer Justin Timberlake.
"She was a great girl," said Morris. "And Annie is probably the sweetest girl I know. I don't think either of them had an enemy. They get along with everybody. They both don't deserve any of this."
All three men said this experience has changed their lives forever. They won't forget how helpless they felt, not having water to put out the car fire and being unable to help Saddler.
One minute they were all together having fun and the next minute, Saddler was dead and Bahr was in jail.
"It woke us all up," said O'Day. "I don't think people realize how fast things can change. People underage are going to drink, but don't drive."
"Sleeping in your own bed is not worth dying over," said Weiss.
"I can't imagine us going partying again," said Morris.
JODIE TWEED can be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.
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