Several Oklahoma bills hope to reduce DUI-related incidents

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Here’s a sobering statistic: in 2021, more than 400 Oklahomans were killed in drug or alcohol related crashes in Oklahoma, according to the state’s Highway Safety Office. 

On December 22 of that year, Chandra Crutsinger was one of them. 

"Our family is never going to be the same because of this,” said Ericka Banks, Chandra’s sister. 

Sisters Ericka, Amber and Chandra were headed to Texas for a girls trip. It was the first time just the three of them would’ve been going away together. 

"It was just like a big event for us, you know? So, we were really looking forward to it,” said Banks. 

But sadly, they didn’t make it. 

Court records show Collrett Boyd was driving recklessly on I-35 near Purcell when he lost control, drove through the cable barrier and into oncoming traffic. At one point, he eventually landed on top of the sisters’ car. 

“I was just scared,” said Amber Scholl-Lee. 

Ericka was knocked unconscious briefly and Chandra lost her life. She was only 24. 

"We could have easily lost all three of our children in that accident, in that wreck,” said Zona Scholl, their mother. 

Court documents reveal Boyd admitted to smoking marijuana multiple times that day and “had recently smoked just a couple hours before.” 

“Boyd also stated that he knew he was not supposed to be driving because his driver’s license was suspended for possession of THC but needed to help a friend move to Texas,” said the documents. “The Ford was traveling approximately 90 mph in a 70 mph zone prior to and at the time the collision occurred.” 

Last fall, Boyd was found guilty on multiple charges, including first degree manslaughter and multiple counts of DUI, drugs, causing a great bodily injury. 

"A total of 47 years to be served consecutively… Our pain will always be there. Our only saving grace on this really is just that he's not going to be out there to do that to somebody else,” said Scholl. 

Now, the Scholl family is turning their tragedy into a lifelong mission. 

"These feelings over the past 777 days now have just been intense and preventable,” said Rob Scholl, the girls’ father. “Now, you know, I do have two of the daughters, so it'll help maybe prevent them from getting into a wreck like this. But, it will [also] help everyone else's loved ones and family members and friends so they don't get that call." 

They were one of dozens of families part of the nonprofit group, Victims of Impaired Drivers (VOID), who were at the state capitol on Monday sharing their stories and pushing for stricter DUI-related laws. 

"We're losing our loved ones at an alarming rate,” said Jeff Murrow of VOID, whose daughter was killed by an impaired driver in 2020. "Everyone has a right to get home safely, and that's a right we're fighting for.”

There are a handful of those types of bills on the table this session that have the support of lawmakers. 

HB 3960 : Removes the probation exception for DUI, which would apply probation consistently across all felonies

HB 3220 : Requires a threat assessment seen by a judge prior to bond for 2nc & subsequent DUI charges

SB 1818: Marissa Murrow Act - Requires an ABLE commission license for any special event premise that allows alcohol service, if they do not already possess another ABLE license

HB 2130 : Bentley's Law - Requires a DUI offender to pay child support to minor children whose parent(s) they have killed

HB 2151 : Drunk Impaired Accountability Law (DIAL) - Requiring the development of a DUI offender cellphone tracking app for law enforcement

At Monday’s event, Republican Representative Jon Echols, R-Edmond, says three DUI-related bills are up for a committee vote this Wednesday.