WASHINGTON 鈥� Maryland law enforcement leaders are urging state lawmakers to expand the use of ignition interlock requirements to help stop drunken driving.
They joined police officers on Wednesday who have been injured by drunk drivers to push a group of bills.
A measure before lawmakers would require all drunken drivers with blood alcohol contents of 0.08 or greater to have the ignition interlock devices. State law now requires them for those with a BAC of 0.15, nearly twice the legal limit for driving.
The bill is being called 鈥淣oah’s Law鈥� because of the December death of Officer Noah Leotta. He was killed while working on a driving-under-the-influence assignment by a suspected drunken driver with two previous convictions.
鈥淚n the last three years, I鈥檝e had 49 of my cops in Montgomery County alone hit by drunk drivers,鈥� said Montgomery County Police Chief Tom Manger.
鈥淭he saddest thing about DUI collisions is that they鈥檙e 100 percent avoidable,鈥� added La Plata Police Chief Carl Schinner.
Prince George鈥檚 County Police Officer Ponleu Le was nearly killed by a drunken driver in 2009, when he and his then-partner were on the scene of a fatal accident. He鈥檚 back on the job after suffering massive injuries.
鈥淢y forehead was ripped all the way down to my nose,鈥� he told reporters on Wednesday. Remarking on the fact that the scars are not immediately visible, he joked that the doctors did a good job, saying, 鈥淭hey made me look pretty again.鈥�
But that was just one of the injuries he sustained.
鈥淢y right lung collapsed. My aorta ruptured. My pelvis broke in a couple of places.鈥� Pointing to his hip, he said, 鈥淚 have a metal rod from here all the way down to my knee. It took me over a year to learn how to walk all over again.鈥�
Le鈥檚 former partner, now-retired Corporal Brian Trice, was with Le the night of that crash in 2009. As he recalled the aftermath of the crash 鈥� and the sight of his partner whose chances for survival weren鈥檛 certain 鈥� Trice was overcome with emotion.
Trice, whose own injuries led to his retirement from the Prince George鈥檚 County Police, recalled walking down the hallway to see Le.
鈥淚 go down there, and see him hooked up to a ventilator and everything,鈥� his voice broke and trailed off.
Trice said what made things worse was the outcome of the case involving the driver that struck Le. The driver was sentenced to one month in jail.
鈥淔or literally almost taking two officers鈥� lives.鈥�
Officer Noah Leotta鈥檚 father Richard says he鈥檚 dedicating the rest of his life to fighting for tougher drunken driving laws.
鈥淣obody should have to watch their child take their last breath. And I did. That鈥檚 my last memory of him,鈥� he said.
Twenty-five states have laws that require ignition interlocks for all offenders following any drunken-driving offense.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
