5/14/09
Mesa Vista High School senior Isaiah Martinez was arrested for drunk driving May 8 at 10 a.m. in the high school parking lot after a head-on collision with a classmate’s car. Senior Mauri Campos died on impact and junior Mariah Galvez died after paramedics failed to resuscitate her.
Thankfully, the accident was fake and part of a production put together by Mesa Vista senior Brian Romero. Martinez was eventually freed and Campos was released from a body bag.
Romero said he has seen firsthand the consequences of DWI accidents through his time working with the El Rito Volunteer Fire Department and at Block-Salazar Mortuary.
“I wanted to show students up close to see what it’s like to be in DWI accidents,” Romero said. “I’ve been to a couple accidents where people have died. I’ve seen drunk drivers kill others and hurt families and innocent people.”
Middle and high school assistant principal Ruben Lucero said he hopes to see a demonstration like this one before prom next year.
“Drunk driving is a common thing that everyone knows about in Rio Arriba County,” senior Sonia Suazo said. “It’s weird seeing kids we respect at school being involved.”
Romero called five agencies to help with the hour-long production. Rio Arriba and Santa Fe County Sheriff Departments were the first to arrive at the accident followed by the El Rito Fire Department. Shortly after, ambulances from the Ojo Caliente and El Rito Fire Departments arrived. El Rito Firefighters used their jaws of life to tear open the victim’s car door and pull Campos’ lifeless body out. All this happened while Martinez was tested for sobriety and arrested.
A member from the state Office of the Medical Investigator then arrived to tag the bodies followed by a hearse from the Mortuary to pick up the bodies.
“These are our friends and stuff,” junior Alex Gallegos said. “It’s hard to see them die for something dumb.”