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This is the case I chose to read up on for this assignment. This case was very hard to read up on because it was so sad.  Larry Mahoney drove home drunk and collided with a church bus full of children, he was going so fast that when he hit the bus he hit the gas tank which immediately engulfed the bus in flames which killed 24 children and 3 adults.

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Just before his 1989 conviction, Larry Mahoney poured his heart out to a Courier Journal reporter, talking about himself, the prospect of spending years in prison, his faith in God and his shame over the fiery crash that killed 27 people when Mahoney, driving drunk the wrong way on Interstate 71, struck a church bus.

"They said they hate me, that I'm a murderer," said Mahoney, explaining why he avoided going out in public. "I would feel the same way, I guess. I don't move around because I know they're staring at me. I can feel it, and I'm thinking about what they're thinking."

The five-hour interview at a friend's house as the jury deliberated his fate appears to be the last time Mahoney has commented publicly about the crash that killed 24 youths and three adults headed home to Radcliff from the Kings Island amusement park in Ohio. Forty others on the bus survived, most injured, some severely burned after Mahoney's pickup punctured the gas tank on the bus and it erupted in flames.
The tragedy: Survivors still in agony over school bus crash that horrified a nation
Three days after the 1989 interview, Mahoney was convicted of 27 counts of manslaughter and sentenced to prison, serving 10 years of a 16-year sentence. He earned early release for good behavior that included getting a GED and taking classes.

Since the conviction, Mahoney has refused interviews, including a request for comment for this story. A 2003 story in the Cincinnati Enquirer said Mahoney, who lives in Owen County, did not respond to requests for comment on the 15th anniversary of the bus crash; the article quoted friends and relatives who said he just wants to be left alone.

The article said that after Mahoney's release from prison, he found work, married and built a home on a lot in Owen County he purchased from his parents. He was 34 at the time of the crash, making him 64 now.

Mahoney's silence has frustrated survivors of the crash, many of whom had hoped after being released from prison in 1999 that he might use his experience to speak out about the dangers of driving drunk.

"Nobody can get him to speak," said Jason Booher, of Pikeville, 43, a survivor who has spent his adult life as a coach and educator talking to youths about the crash and the dangers of drunken driving.

"I forgive him, but if there's one thing I could tell Larry Mahoney, it's that the good Lord gave you a platform coming out of prison and you didn't take advantage of it." Booher said.

In the 1989 interview, Mahoney said he remembers nothing about the crash, also his testimony in court. He told Courier Journal that he learned about the bus crash and the 27 fatalities when he awoke the next day in the hospital.

"It was like a bad nightmare," he said, "and it still is. I felt like it was a nightmare, really. I kept telling myself, 'Wake up, I've got to wake up.' But I never did, and still haven't."

Mahoney in the interview raised the possibility of speaking to others about the crash.

"I'm not much at talking. But I think people would listen," he said. "I believe God has got something very important for me to do. I don't know what, but he saved me for some reason."

But after his release from prison, Mahoney shunned requests that he speak, including when crash survivor Harold Dennis asked him to consent to an interview for a 2013 documentary, "Impact After the Crash," about the event and those who survived.

Dennis, 44, said he was disappointed, given that Mahoney at his trial testified that he was sorry about causing the crash.

"If you truly are sorry, you would publicly or privately apologize to all of us, as many as you could get in a room," said Dennis, who was badly burned and remains severely scarred. "Secondly, you would make an effort to make sure something like this doesn't happen again. Speak to groups, schoolkids."

Ciaran Madden, 44, also a crash survivor, said she visited Mahoney in prison after he responded to a letter she wrote him. In the visits, he was apologetic and remorseful, she said.

Madden said she visited Mahoney trying to understand who he was and how he could have caused such a disastrous accident. She concluded he was not a murderer.

"Murder is the intent to kill," she said. "He was just a country boy that made a mistake."
Read more of our coverage Churches are putting faith in these old vans that could kill How the horror of the Carrollton bus crash made highways safer Child's death led family in a crusade for 15-passenger van safety
Mahoney stopped responding to her calls and letters after he left prison, Madden said.

Last year, she and a friend, Tammy Darnell, also a crash survivor, attempted to talk to Mahoney by stopping by his house in Owen County while visiting the area for a school program about drunken driving.

Mahoney appeared surprised by the visit and was polite but didn't appear interested in resuming contact, Madden said.

Darnell, 46, snapped several photos of Mahoney on her phone before they left and said she wishes he would speak about the crash that changed the lives of its survivors.
Deborah Yetter: 502-582-4228; dyetter@courierjournal.com; Twitter: @d_yetter. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/deborahy.
"I think he tries to forget, but some of us are not going to let him forget it," she said.

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Drunk driver silent about Carrollton bus crash despite survivors' pleas

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Just before his 1989 conviction, Larry Mahoney poured his heart out to a Courier Journal reporter, talking about himself, the prospect of spending years in prison, his faith in God and his shame over the fiery crash that killed 27 people when Mahoney, driving drunk the wrong way on Interstate 71, struck a church bus.

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This video talks about the impact impaired driving can have on the family/friends of the people who are involved in these kind of cases. It shows how quickly life can be changed within the blink of an eye when you make the choice to get behind the wheel while intoxicated. Two lives were taken when a man decided to get behind the wheel after a night out of drinking.

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This is a heartbreaking story about a young 12 year old girl who survived in a car crash when a drunk driver hit her families car taking all of their lives except for her. She now has to live with that pain for the rest of her life.

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Drunk driver sentenced for killing Valley Center family

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This video is about a woman who decided to get behind the wheel while intoxicated, and ended up driving the wrong way on the highway and hit a mans car head on and he was killed instantly.

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This article on Marco Muzzo is completely saddening. It talks about how Marco had just flew in from Miami to Toronto where he celebrated his bachelor party, he got behind the wheel obviously not aware of his surroundings, which lead him to fly past a stop sign which crashed into a mini van which killed 3 children and the grandfather, the grandmother was the only survivor.

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TORONTO -- Drunk driver Marco Muzzo, who killed three children and their grandfather in a Vaughan, Ont. crash in 2015, has been granted full parole.

The Parole Board of Canada made the decision during a virtual hearing held on Tuesday.

Appearing before the board via videoconference, Muzzo, wearing a dark-coloured dress shirt, a face mask and shield, said his victims' names for the first time in any official setting.

"I'd like to start off always thoughts and prayers always with the Neville-Lake family, Neville family and Frais family," he said.

"My heart bleeds every day, me knowing my actions killed their three beautiful children Daniel, Harry and Milly and a loving and probably awesome grandfather Gary."

His words came after four victim impact statements were heard, including one read by the children's mother Jennifer Neville-Lake, who says Muzzo still does not take full responsibility for his "disgusting actions."

"I have never heard him say, I, Marco Muzzo, killed nine-year-old Daniel Neville-Lake, five-year-old Harrison Neville-Lake, two-year-old Milly Neville-Lake and 65-year-old Gary Neville," she said. "I, Marco Muzzo, am the man who killed all three of Jennifer Neville-Lake's children because I am a selfish and irresponsible drunk driver."

Neville-Lake said Muzzo instead continuously "expresses his scripted idea of remorse."

The now-34-year-old was first granted day parole in April 2020. He was then granted six more months of day parole in November.

At the time of the deadly crash, Muzzo was driving home from Toronto Pearson International Airport. He had just flown in from Miami, where he was celebrating his bachelor party.

As Muzzo sped through a stop sign in his Jeep Cherokee and smashed into the family's mini-van, the children's 64-year-old grandmother and 91-year-old great-grandmother were also seriously injured.

According to an agreed statement of facts read in court, a police officer called to the scene said Muzzo had glossy eyes, smelled of alcohol and had urinated himself.

A toxicologist discovered that Muzzo was about three times over the legal limit of alcohol consumption while behind the wheel.

Muzzo pleaded guilty to four counts of impaired driving causing death and two counts of impaired driving causing bodily harm. In March 2016, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison, along with a 12-year driving prohibition.

Muzzo was released from a minimum security prison in May 2020 and has been living at a community facility since then with special conditions.

Those special conditions will also be applied to his full parole, including no consumption of alcohol, avoiding drinking establishments, avoiding direct or indirect contact with his victims, and not attending Brampton or York Region.

His statutory release date was June 18, 2022 and his warrant expiry date - the end of his sentence - is July 28, 2025.

Low risk to reoffend, parole officer says

At Tuesday's hearing, Muzzo's parole officer outlined his plans to reintegrate into society and said he is at low risk to reoffend.

She said Muzzo has been "consistently positive" since being released on day parole last year and has respected all of his conditions.

According to the parole officer, since his release, Muzzo has been maintaining employment through his family's business, working reduced hours and has volunteered, building a homeless shelter for men.

"He takes full responsibility for his actions, it is evident in conversations with him," she said. "He displays insight and understanding into his offence."

"He will continue to engage in counselling for a long period of time."

The parole officer added that Muzzo had no prior criminal history, noting he did have several traffic violations on his driving record and was taken into police custody in 2012 due to public intoxication.

When asked about these incidents by members of the parole board on Tuesday, Muzzo said he feels "a lot of embarrassment."

"Environment plays a big role," he said. "Now me knowing what it takes to be over the limit, it was a gamble back then. A lot of times I drove I thought I was under but I may have not been."

"I was foolish, being younger. My priorities were a little scattered."

Muzzo added he has not had a sip of alcohol since the day of the deadly crash.

"It's been 228 weeks," he said. "I take this seriously. I'm hoping to add a comma to that numbers. I want to grow more, it keeps me motivated to do the right things."

"It's a slow progression of moving forward. Short-term, long-term goals, were just moving forward."

"To switch the hands of time, I would. I can only adjust them moving forward."

Mother of children says nothing has changed

Following the hearing, Neville-Lake wrote on Twitter that "No matter what happened today, Daniel, Harry and Milly are not coming back home. My dad isn't coming home to my mom."

"Nothing changed for me. My family's killer Marco Michael Muzzo was granted full parole."

In her victim impact statement, Neville-Lake detailed her extensive trauma, explained what it is like to listen to her family's killer speak and expressed her constant fear of seeing Muzzo in the community.

"The killer of my family has forced me to endure so much death, so much pain in all areas of my life because of his reckless decision and actions," she said.

"He scares me."

Neville-Lake and her husband, who also read a victim impact statement during Tuesday's hearing, urged the parole board to relocate Muzzo out of the province.

"I didn't think that I could be anymore scared than I already am," she said. "I live in constant fear that I will see the offender."

"Please do not give this drunk driver anymore privilege than he already has."

The grieving parents said Muzzo continues to blame others around him, including his family members.

"He said whether he wanted to drink or not, he had to because of expectations by people around him," Edward Lake said. "I feel that he does not regret drinking and driving, he regrets getting caught."

The pair said they suffer from severe anxiety, nightmares and now require assistance with minimal tasks.

"I am angry that my children never got the chance to grow up," Lake said. "I wake up every day crying. It's scary when you want a hug from your children and they aren't there."

'He was my neighbour'

During Tuesday's hearing, another victim impact statement was read by Josephine Neville, the daughter of Gary.

"My neighbour, Marco Muzzo, put (my father, two nephews and niece) in a casket," she said. "Since the offender was my neighbour, if people cannot trust their neighbour, who can they trust."

"I used to walk my niece and nephews by his house."

She said the whole family continues to be devastated while experiencing extreme grief.

"My mother and grandmother have not been the same, with long-lasting physical and emotional tolls that will not go away," she said.

"I want my dad back. My dad was my everything."

Full written decision to be released

The board members said a full written decision will be released in the next 15 days.

Muzzo has the right to appeal any part of the parole board's decision within three months of it being made.

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Marco Muzzo, drunk driver who killed 3 children and grandfather, granted full parole

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TORONTO -- Drunk driver Marco Muzzo, who killed three children and their grandfather in a Vaughan, Ont. crash in 2015, has been granted full parole. The Parole Board of Canada made the decision during a virtual hearing held on Tuesday.

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This image of statistics was taken 6 years ago from today, I can only imagine how much worse it has gotten since then. Its ashamed to see Canada on that list as number 2 in the whole world. That shows how dangerous it can really be for anyone who is a driver. You never know who could be drunk around you while driving and its scary to think about. I wish more people understood how important it is to stay sober behind the wheel

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This story is very sad, a 41 year old man decided to get some drinks after work with a friend. He then chose to still drive home rather than call a cab/uber. When he was driving near Centennial college he was going 162km an hour. The speed limit on that street is 50km an hour. Driving at accelorating speed his car jumped the sidewalk and plowed over 3 international students killing them.

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‘I will never forget all the damage I’ve caused’: Pickering drunk driver apologizes for killing 2 teens - Toronto | Globalnews.ca

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“That night I was not in the right state of mind. It was never my intentions to hurt anyone but myself.”

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I chose this as one of the pictures related to my topic "impaired driving" because I thought it spoke volumes. It shows the impact drinking and driving can have when you decide to get behind the wheel. If you decide to drive while intoxicated it could end up taking your life or someone's around you.

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This tragic story discusses a man named Johnathan Pratt who got behind the wheel of his pickup truck drunk with his blood level 3 times over the legal limit and was speeding at 199 km an hour. Pratt flew into a vehicle which 3 young boys were in and crushed them to death.

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WETASKIWIN, Alta. -- A judge has convicted a drunk driver of manslaughter for killing three young men when his pickup truck with its gas pedal to the floor plowed through their car at 199 km/h.

Court heard Jonathan Pratt had a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit when rescue crews found him underneath his mangled Dodge Ram near Beaumont, just southeast of Edmonton, in November 2011.

The only other people at the scene were the three victims -- crushed to death in their demolished Pontiac Grand Am.

Manslaughter is a rare conviction in a drunk-driving case. But Crown prosecutor Ryan Pollard said the stark facts called for the charges, even though there have been less than a dozen convictions in past cases involving deadly crashes across the country.

Pratt's lawyer had argued that his client hadn't been driving that night, but the defence didn't call any witnesses, not even Pratt, to say who might have been behind the wheel.

Queen's Bench Justice Paul Belzil ruled it would have been "practically impossible" for a mystery driver to walk away unharmed from the "catastrophic collision." Pratt, 30, suffered a broken leg and head injury and spent the next six weeks in hospital.

Court heard there were no footprints in the snow at the crash site. And although unidentified DNA was located on a passenger airbag in the truck, Pratt's DNA was on most of the other airbags in the vehicle, including the one on the driver's side.

Pratt was also convicted of impaired driving causing death. But the judge determined he was also guilty of the more serious offence of manslaughter for showing "wanton and reckless disregard" for the safety of other people on the road where the posted speed limit was 70 km/h.

Evidence showed the truck's pedal was fully depressed. The vehicle didn't swerve and didn't brake to avoid the car in front of it.

Sheri Arsenault said she was a bit stunned when she heard the verdict. Her only son, 18-year-old Bradley, had been on his way home from a lounge in nearby Leduc with his close friends Kole Novak, also 18, and Thaddeus Lake, 22.

"The judge absolutely said every single thing that we wanted to hear," she said outside court Thursday. "I think for a second there, I was happy. And it's one of the first times I've been happy in a long time."

Court heard either Arsenault or Lake had been driving the car. Toxicology tests showed Arsenault had some marijuana and a small amount of alcohol in his system and Lake was too drunk to drive. But the judge said those facts were irrelevant.

The car was going the posted speed limit, Belzil noted, and the three did nothing to cause their deaths.

Prosecutor Gordon Hatch said he may argue that Pratt should serve eight to 10 years. Sentencing arguments are to be heard Aug. 1.

Sheri Arsenault said no prison term can bring back her son, but she has met twice with federal Justice Minister Peter MacKay to discuss possible changes to Canada's impaired driving legislation.

Arsenault is a spokeswoman for a group called Families for Justice, which is collecting names on a petition demanding a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for convictions of impaired driving causing death. The petition also calls for the Criminal Code to redefine the offence as vehicular manslaughter.

Zane Novak, Kole's father, said he'd like the federal government to go even further and change the law to allow consecutive instead of concurrent sentences in drunk-driving cases.

"These three boys died and I think there should be sentences of 10 years per boy," he said.

As he left the courthouse, Pratt swore at reporters, then briefly spoke for the first time about his sympathy for the victims and how he thinks about them every day.

"It affects every aspect of my life."

He said when he hugs his mother, he thinks "of the boys who are unable to do that with theirs."

He refused to talk about whether he was driving the night of the crash. He said the court has already decided what happened.

"That's what it says -- my DNA's all over airbags, everywhere, so there you go.

"You guys can come to your own conclusions."

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Man found guilty of killing three young people in drunk-driving crash

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WETASKIWIN, Alta. -- A judge has convicted a drunk driver of manslaughter for killing three young men when his pickup truck with its gas pedal to the floor plowed through their car at 199 km/h.

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Drunk driving is becoming more and more of a problem every year, part of that being a lot of people don't do their jobs properly, for example: getting served at a restaurant you can order as many drinks as you like and no one makes sure you aren't driving home, majority of the time they let you walk out without a concern. If we worked together as a community it would make all of the difference.