DWI laws harden after fatal collision

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - 16 years after he killed a mother and her three children, drunken driver Gordon House is scheduled to be paroled from prison. That crash on Christmas Eve 1992, which killed Melanie Cravens and her three young daughters, was a turning point in D.W.I laws in New Mexico.

Nadine Milford, Cravens mother, was the driving force behind many of the changes. She charged up to the legislature and demanded to be heard—and lawmakers listened.

In 1993, just months after the crash, lawmakers made a number of law changes.

1. Lowering the legal level of intoxication from .10 to .08.
2. Made a fourth or subsequent DWI a felony instead of a misdemeanor.
3. Created a charge of aggravated DWI for drivers who refused a breath test or had a blood alcohol content of .16 or more.
4. Created mandatory jail times for second or subsequent DWI offenses.
5. Required server training for all alcohol licensees and their employees.

The Executive Director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving Lora Lee
Ortiz calls the changes a major step forward.

Ortiz said the crash was the catalyst for the changes.

"You had a woman who took a terrible tragedy and put a face to it she went in and let people know what happened, I think that is what made the difference," Ortiz said.

The changes continued well after 1993. In 1998, drive up liquor windows were closed in the state.

In 2002, repeat drunk drivers were ordered to install ignition interlocks in their vehicles. In 2005, it was made mandatory for first time offenders.

Through the years there have been many more changes to the penalties for drunk drivers. Lawmakers have now made a third DWI offense and every one after a felony.

A third offense has a mandatory jail sentence of 30 days a maximum of a year. A fourth offense jumps to a mandatory of six months in prison.

Ortiz said the changes are good, but the state still needs to do better.

"I think we have great laws I think we need to work with the judicial system to make sure laws are implemented. If there are loopholes we need to close the loopholes," she said.

Some other changes over the years: the license revocation period for drunken drivers has increased, and if a drunken driver kills someone, their sentence can be enhanced by four years for each prior DWI offense.

A list of D.W.I penalties in the state