Evansville has not changed and I don't think it will. You would like to think that after such a tragedy that kids would wake up and see this for what it is --- a young kid who died because he was drinking and driving. Kids don't see it this way.
~~~
Whoever said the last drinking and driving acident to kill happened about 11-12 years ago was close. As I reacall, the last EHS student to die from drinking and driving was Justin Matzke in 1999 (I think this year is right). Again, kids didn't learn from this accident either. I was in high school then and I can remember kids going to his funeral and then getting drunk and driving around. HOW STUPID?!~~~
As for the person who commented about Dane's parents drinking with him. This is SO TRUE!!! The Wourms parents allowed their kids to have parties. They allowed underage drinkers to be at their house. They knew what was happening. How do I know this? First hand experience. I have been to their parties. Although I never drank at them, I frequently attended them or picked up drunk friends. I'm honestly surprised that losing a child to drinking and driving didn't happen much sooner to the Wourms family. This is a tragedy that may have been avoided if the parents wouldn't have condoned drinking in the first place.
~~~
As for the person who says it is completely the parents' fault --- THAT'S BS! I said above the accident MAY have been avoid if the parents wouldn't have condoned drinking. I say MAY because no matter how much you want to think parents can completely control kids, they can't always. Just because you raise your kid right, doesn't mean they won't make stupid decisions, and just because you don't raise your kid right doesn't mean they will made bad decisions. I am proof of that. My Dad is a complete alcoholic. I have been raised around a drinking parent my whole life. However, I learned from that experience and I don't drink. The person who talked about his good up bringing and his bad decisions is also proof of that. While I don't want to discount the importance of effective parenting, I do want to make the point that parents can only do so much in certain situations.
~~~
Last comment... good article. Things like this should be revisited as a reminder of what can happen when you make poor decisions.

Curtaincall, are you capable of NOT bashing the thoughts of others? It seems to me that the ones saying that this story was making Dane out to be a villain because it STATED THE FACTS are the ones who are a bit out of touch. There have been people trying to turn into something other than Dane drinking, getting into a fight at home, driving, and running from the cops since two days after it happened. And yes, I know this for a fact.

It's just sad how defensive people get about this situation. No one wants to dwell on the mistakes Dane made yet there is fear that it will happen again. And rather than being proactive and trying to actually do something, you sit behind your computer screen and criticize the police force and the staff at convenience stores for not making sure someone isn't buying for an underage party.

What has been done to try to reinforce the message that should be getting out to students? Anything? What has been done to get students to take a path that isn't focused on alcohol, not only in Evansville but wherever parents are concerned?

Its really to bad that miyata312 had to take the low road. No one else claimed Dane was not responsible for his actions. The focus is not on that. Grow up.

However I will say there are a quite a few people in Evansville who think the Wourms family should have gotten a lawyer.

Funny thing in small towns how investigations go.

Just because he was drunk, does not give anyone else the right to do as they please.

The biggest question that Scott Mcelroy has never answered if why was there only one officer on duty that night.

There are many people who question just what happened that night and always will because there are some things in the reports that don't
follow the 911 tapes. and vs:vs.

I have only noticed two people on here so far that seem to know the facts. It's always better when people don't know what they are talking about to stay out of it. You just look like a fool.

as curly sue. how dare you suggest anything of my grandfathers. you don't know them any better than you know Dane, yet you think you know it all. What a fool you are.

Have kids learned? Nope.
If I got caught drinking at 16 much less a dui, I wouldnt be able to drive a car until I moved out period. End of discussion.
If I remember the original story, he lost his license because of an underage/dui. Dont care if he was a top student, great kid, etc. He did something extremely stupid and paid for it. Just be glad he didnt take anyone else out also.
What I find disturbing is the family is trying to blame everyone but the actual person to blame, Dane Wourms himself. I dont care if the cop was in an umarked. The cop didnt make him go 50mph OVER the speed limit with twice the legal bac (well 177 times the legal bac for a minor which is ZERO ALCOHOL) when he wasnt even supposed to be driving a car in the first place. The cop was doing his job. But yet people have to try to blame others for their own conduct. Hey lets blame the auto maker for making a car that can go 75mph in a 25. Lets blame the beer makers. How about blaming WIDOT for putting a slight curve in the road there. We could go on.

curlysue, or loopysue, lives in another world.

to chelleandlou - Thank you for your point. AGAIN it's the parents who are involved in every part of their childs life and as you say "have a short leash" who will raise kids who don't drink, smoke or do drugs. It doesn't matter if your parent was a preacher or a lawyer, or a cook, if they know who you are hanging with and what kind friends you have they will have more opportunity to steer you clear of the 'problems'. Even preachers can be to busy to pay attention, or better yet lack the strength to discipline. If a parent is to busy with themselves, of course they won't know that their son took a car and went driving off. God knows there are ALOT of preachers that are as rotten as the devil!

Hello all. Sorry I’ve been out of town and away from my blog for awhile. Just wanted to respond to a couple points.
--I’m sorry if what I said offended or hurt some readers, as that’s obviously not my intent. I’m not here to make people look “good” or “bad” because I’m not here to judge. I did not personally know Dane, but I’ve heard and others have attested to what a good, popular kid he was. But I wouldn’t be doing my job if I ignored the facts and summarized the whole thing by instead saying, “A good kid died in a car accident a year ago.”
Yes, the people in Evansville may know the facts, but we have to write for a broader audience, which is why we have to give background for those tuning in to the story for the first time. And this is the first time I’ve discussed the issue on my blog.
--I think curtaincall brings out a good point about having a harder time as an adult dealing with the situation because he/she fears seeing such actions repeated. So what can adults do? There’s the obvious—don’t supply/endorse alcohol consumption, etc. But beyond the obvious, what else? Start a parent support group to discuss the topic? How do you get through to the parents endorsing or ignoring underage drinking?
--This isn’t just Evansville. Since I posted this blog entry, we’ve published a story about how one Walworth County teen allegedly killed a man by drunken driving in November, yet authorities have since caught her drinking at another party: http://www.gazettextra.com/news/2008/apr...
-Gina Duwe

While this was a tradgey; at least no one else was killed due to his high speed and drunken state. It could have been a lot worse.

Nothing has changed in Evansville I'm sure. Kids came to drunk when I was in school (yes I'm a proud EHS grad). Of course, they closed campus beginning with the class of 1986 so kids couldn't leave and come back trashed; but I remember drinking going on. I was one of the lucky ones however, my parents kept a short leash on me, I didn't drink, do drugs, or smoke.

To think that 20 some years later much less a year later that things have changed would be looking thru rose colored glasses.

I simply stated, some know how to drink responsible. Dont judge the whole state by a few. Wisconsin is a very nice place to live. If you dont like it, MOVE. I never said drinking and driving equaled responsible drinking.

ccall: It isn't the most glorious job but I wish everyone had a dd every time they went out! What a safer world it would be! I sometimes am bored out of my mind because sometimes there isn't much to do in a bar, when you don't drink but it is always worth it to keep others on the roads safe and to get my friends all home safely. :o)

thank you ncpanfan thank you for being the d.d.. Thank you for keeping your friends and everyone else on the road safe.

lilbobby: I think you have to remember that some people who drink are being responsible when they have a designated driver. I know I am always the designated driver (don't drink)and I haul around the designated drunks. They are my firends and I am glad they have enough sense to go out with a dd already in charge! They don't drink and drive and possibly kill someone and I don't worry about them being out there. A designated driver is a win-win situation and a responsible one.

I forgot to add that both of my grandfather's, are Methodist Minister's.

When I was young (now 24) I partied hard. I drank, smoke, and tried pot. I skipped school, swore at teachers, my parents. I think they counted the days until I graduated from high school and were relieved when I did.

My parents? Never drank,even though I gave them reason to.
Never smoked. Went to church twice weekly. Taught Sunday school.

What did they do? They tried a little of everything. They did try.

My dad is a TEACHER. My mom is a registered nurse. They spent more money sending me to counselors and psych.

So to curly sue, I bet my parents would have loved to live in your world. YOU are making assumptions about things you admit you don't know about.

The story would have been fine without the legal violations thrown in. But this young man
is no different than many youth. It is just he died. The gazette really needs to practice compassion when reporting. Especially since this is not a new story. It was not needed.

So one might ask what does this young person who was so rebellious in high school do today??

I graduate in a couple weeks with high honors from the U.W. with a degree in education.

I look forward to trying to make a difference in young people's lives. I hope to relay to them that I wasted alot of time when I was younger (yes I know I am a whopping 24), and I can't say as though I have one good memory for all my misdeeds.

Just caused my parents alot of grief.

Do not judge before you walk in someone else's shoes.

I don't think curlysue could be more off if she tried.
It would be nice if the world worked how you seem to think it works. Kids do not always do as parents do, regardless how hard the parents try. What kind of fairy tale world are you living in? Many, Many parents, DO NOT drink but there kids do. Many Many kids smoke, when there parents do not. Many kids, skip school when there parents never did, I could go on and on and on. Times have changed so much. So are these all bad parents? NO. I am sure that Dane's mom said that night ' yes Dane honey you have no license, please go out and drive and die.' How ignorant are you?

When you don't know this family or circumstances shut your mouth. It's clear your mother never taught you tack.

This is like the SIXTH time Gina Duwe has written about this stating the same thing every time. Those of us who know the family , who went through this know all of this.

A good journalist can write a story without repeating her self.
She could have wrote the article with out.

The example I gave of the mother partying with the kids, is not a isolated incident. It happens more than it should in this town.

Where did Dane get the alcohol, who let the kids party at her house?

What did this person get for doing this?

What was it a 300.00 ticket if that.

Sorry folks really Wisconsin has to get a lot tougher on drunk driver's , underage drinkers and people who buy for the underage before you start seeing any real change.

Start at the top of the problem. The adults.

Cutaincall says, "Now I am curious Gina could you not write a article with out making him to look like a villian, he died." journalists are to report the facts not sugar coat it so not to hurt someone feelings. The kid wasn't killed mowing the old lady down the streets lawn, or bringing a sick friend a card in the hospital. He was drunk and running from the cops, that's what villians do. Call an apple an apple. Then curtaincall says about another accident "The sad, thing is this MOTHER of this kid, PARTIED with these kids a few months ago. She let them drink. She drank with them." You hit the nail on the head with this one! It's the parents job to teach their kids right from wrong. Why was he allowed to drive without a license?
A drunk will raise a drunk, A law abiding parent will in most cases raise a law abiding child. My 4 kids learned to wear their seatbelts because I ALWAYS wear mine. Kids follow the examples they are shown by their parents beginning as a toddler. If you drink and drive so will your kids, If you don't wear your seatbelt neither will your kids.
How many "good kids" drink at an accident site and leave their beer cans behind? What kind of friends did this kid have? Again the parents are responsible in allowing their child to 'hang' with these kids. I went through MANY battles with my kids during their rebellious teens, but as adults they now know drinking does not have to be apart of a 'good time' because I very seldom drank while being a responisble parent. Most kids will become byproducts of their parents, and with WI haveing so many drunks out driving the kids don't stand a chance to learn that it's WRONG!

Heather H. must have been drinking when she wrote that. Because thats what it has always been about. Dane drinking. Dane making a bad choice. NO one has ever denied that. I think Heather H is a tad bit out of touch.

Banging there heads against a wall?

You don't know this community very well at based on your comments.

I think this was very well written. If the facts make Dane seem like a villain in the eyes of some, those are the facts speaking. In my opinion, before Gina listed the facts, she tried to make the point that he wasn't a bad kid.

I think there are quite a few people who are trying to do everything they can to make Dane's accident about something other than him making a bad decision. It's frustrating to see members of the community banging their heads against a wall about what a good kid he was and virtually ignoring the root cause. Why not take some time to be proactive? Why not get online and find effective ways to get through to students?

And for your info 'tugger' I put in for a transfer over a year ago, and if one of you "responsible drinkers" don't kill me first, I should be safe at home by the end of the year.

"some know how to drink responsibly" ??? Yeah if you call driving while drunk being responsible.

there is not a fence...get going! not everyone here is a drunk and some know how to drink responsibly. And furthermore, prohibition went out a long time ago. Good bye.

With yesterdays national news story about WI having the most drunks on the road driving, I don't think teens will learn anything! Look at the role models they have, A BUNCH OF DRUNKS!!!!!What does WI put in the water to make so many have the need to be drunk to deal with life? I was transfered here for my job 3 years ago and have never seen so many messed up adults raising messed up kids! I can't wait to get out of this state!!!

Another sad fact is . This summer my son's friend's dad was killed in a car accident. Tragic. He was drunk. Tragic. He was a nice guy. Fortunately he was the only one involved in the accident. The sad, thing is this MOTHER of this kid, PARTIED with these kids a few months ago. She let them drink. She drank with them.

With the Headline I was thinking you might have talked about more than just the one accident. Sadly, I don't remember the names but I think it was 11-12 years back was the last time I heard about a drunken driving accident and death relating to Evansville.

Either way its sad.

The story simply sites the facts of the case. It's always easy to kill the messenger, so to speak. If you want to put a happy face on everything, go pick up a Dr. Suess book.

I agree with JimB. He was outof control that night. But thats not all of what he was about. There was so much more to him than that night. But all the gazette seems to be able do is point out and bring up the bad. You can write a good story and be a good journalist with out having to drag a family through the ugly facts again.Those of in Evansville know the facts. I think JimB may be right about the memorial. If you want to leave flowers go to the cemetary. I would say if it had made a difference since Dane died, leave it. But it has not. There was nothing 'grand' about the way that he died. IT was devasting and tragic. He had many friends, however with that memorial there they seem to want to make him their 'hero.'.

I mean come on some kids got caught drinking at the memorial site the week he died. The week he died. They learned nothing. They took no time to reflect upon anything. Just cracked open another beer.

I think I as a adult have had a hard time moving on because I see these kids continuing to live this way and I fear we will have another death of a young person in our communtiy.

And we expect people to buy small cars so they can be ran into and killed by drunk drivers that are not held accountable.
.........
Yeah ...........right.

cc: The facts aren't Gina's fault. Yes, he was a good kid otherwise but the fact is he was drunk and out of control the night he died.

I suggest that we remove the memorial to his death out on the edge of town and start to memorialize his life beginning now. There is nothing to be gained by making the place of his passing a sacred place. If you want to remember him well, then remember him at his best, not at his very worst.

Teens are teens are teens and have been teens for time immemorial. We can steer them toward a straight path but cannot hold them on it. Don't make that place on the highway the focus of Dane's life and death. Build his legacy on firmer ground than that.

Now I am curious Gina could you not write a article with out making him to look like a villian, he died.

Tha answer is NO the kids in the Evansville community have not learned a darn thing.

In fact I think it has gotten worse. It was like there was NO absence of drinking in light of Dane's death.

They drink, they drink and drive.

So no they have learned nothing.

Dane was a good kid, always willing to help his friends.

His family.

He was a good friend.

I predict it will happen again, because these kids just continue down that path.