I would never be in a car with a 15 year-old driving!

I wish people would really read the story the Drunk didn't hit the kids the 15 year old driver hit him yes it was wrong for him to be drinking but the accident wasn't his fault!

Pretty much everything that's been said about the teens is correct. What's interesting is all the hearts bleeding for the drunk driver! Wake up, people! This is why our state is infamous for OWIs! Drunk drivers ought to lose their vehicle on the 1st offense--after that, throw away the key. That's the only way to "sober up" an addict!

Sorry guys. Fault doesn't lie with the drunk driver, the 15 old driving, or the other 5 kids in the car. Or, 916WI, the ipod or cell phone...Where in the hell were these parents? This isn't a case of kids sneaking out to run the neighborhood or sneaking into an R rated movie when the were supposed to be watching "High School Musical." There is a lot of carelessness here. A 13 year old? Out after midnight? In a SUV (can't help but believe this was a PARENT'S SUV) with 5 other kids? (Even if the driver was of legal age, this is still illegal). So many things are wrong with this picture. And, while I am happy another drunk driver got busted, his actions play very little into this situation. And believe it or not, are probably not the most illegal here either.
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Pat-the 15 year old driver did not die.
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I do have compassion for these families. However, there were probably blaring red lights going off as warning signs well before this accident occured. I have a friend who's sister was killed in a car accident about 2 years ago now. She was drunk and so were her friends. Her family all knew tragedy was emminent with this girl. She, sadly, thought she was invincible. At 6 feet under, you're right sweetheart, you are pretty "invincible"

Regardless who is at fault, a family has a broken heart on both sides. Yes the young kids should not have been driving in the first place and ,BIG, yes the other drive should not have been drinking and driving. At the end of the day families on both sides are suffering today and will for a very long time. Put them all in your prayers and thoughts today. Now with that being said. The drunk that hit those kids needs to learn a very severe lesson. We need to get very,very tough on those that drink and drive. Not excusing the kids for driving without license, they have learned a very severe lesson that will last a lifetime I hope. Please have a little compassion for the families.

916wi, I do believe this 15 yr old died. Try some compassion.

One was driving drunk and the other was driving without a license (underage). WHAT PART OF ILLEGAL DON'T THEY UNDERSTAND! So sad.

I agree that the 40 year old that was under the influence bears little responsibility here. It sounds like this 15 year old idiot whipped right into his lane, probably because he was on his phone or playing with his ipod. It will be interesting to see what comes of this--if the kid will try to spin it after his family/attorney finds out that the driver he hit was DUI.......

regardless of whom was doing what, my heart and prays go out to the parents, family and friends. What a tragic loss.

I sure hope the Gasjet follows up on this one!!!!

I am saddened by the loss of life. I am a parent and I know that I would be devastated if it was one of my children. I offer my sincerest condolences to the family of the 15 year old who is no longer with us.
I do have a problem with the Associated Press article itself. There is something missing or inaccurately reported. There HAS to be more to this story. JMO

rummagesalesrock - I'm not trying to be argumentative, but a 15 year old would only have a learners' permit and with that the only people allowed in the vehicle is an adult licensed driver. Unless I am mistaken, in WI you cannot get an actual license until you are 16. If the kid was 16 and had just received his license then it would be legal for him to have siblings in the vehicle.

What a mess! Another example of kids thinking they are invincible. The DDriver certainly made a bad choice to be on the road, but I prefer to know his Breath test results/blood results before I condemn him. He could have just had a couple of beers or twenty, none of us knows at this point, and I feel for this man, not only is he in jail, he is having to deal with knowing a child died as a result to him just being on the road. Now, as far as the driver, IF these kids in the car were his immediate family, he would have been completely legal having them in the car. Common sense tells me they weren't, but still, we don't know that until it is told. This whole situation is just plain awful! There is obviously way more to this story, and judgements shouldn't be made at this point, in my opinion. I pray for the health of all involved.

Ok six kids in a car? The oldest being 15 what are they doing out past curfew and obviously this kid only has his temp so he shouldn't even have these kids in the car, I hope all the fault gets put on the dumb parents who let this kid have the car. I can see why the 40yrold was jail but hopefully he doesn't get charged with the death when it was the childs fault, I hope there is more to the story later in the gazette.

it doesnt sound like the drunk driver is at fault, but he will pay the price

How sad.. This man driving drunk will pay the ultimate price- for a 15 yr. olds mistake.. No I do not condone drinking and driving- clearly this is a tradgedy.. Wrong place, at the wrong time..

There’s so much wrong here, where to begin? Six teens, the oldest fifteen, in a car, driving around Madison at midnight? The drunken driver is purely a red herring, the fault lies entirely with these kids. The 15 y.o. driver lost control – any bets that there were drugs and/or alcohol involved here? Or, he didn’t understand the difference between xBox and real life, and was showing off for the girls? And what about their parents, letting them drive around at that hour. Were all these parents busy in a crack house somewhere? Sad, sad, sad.

I agree. What will the charges be to the 15 year old who lost control of the vehicle to cause this accident to begin with??

not to be too critical but why was a 15 yr old driving to begin with