Saguaro
11-07-2007, 09:42 PM
LAKEWOOD – A man police say hit a 44-year-old mother and her 2-year-old while they were on a bicycle is facing his seventh DUI charge, according to records obtained by 9NEWS.
Lakewood Police say Jeffrey Morris hit Joyce Terlaje and her daughter Renee while they were riding a bicycle on Saturday afternoon at South Union Boulevard and West Arkansas Place.
Morris then left the scene.
"I'm angry, I'm frustrated. I'm just in shock that somebody could do this," said Terlaje.
She says she and her daughter are only alive because of divine intervention. Terlaje only injured her knee and her elbow, and has some road rash. Renee walked away without any injuries.
"I had a feeling God was definitely protecting us, based on how we were hit and the fact that we just got a few bruises and scratches," she said.
Terlaje says they were on the way to the park when they were hit.
"We were heading down this way going south on Union on the bike lane," she said. "I looked over to my left side and I saw, 'Oh my goodness, he's going to hit us.'"
Terlaje says Morris only stopped for a brief moment and then left.
"I could tell he was drunk, just from his demeanor - his slurring - he was obviously intoxicated," she said.
Police say Morris faces eight different charges, including DUI. It will be his seventh DUI charge since 1984 according to his criminal record obtained by 9NEWS. Police say Morris was also driving with a suspended license.
"How is it that somebody who's had so many convictions keep being able to drive?" said Terlaje. "This guy should be put in jail. He's lucky we're alive."
Lakewood Police, who have issued most of Morris' DUIs say there is little they can do beyond arresting him.
"Can we sit at his house and prevent him from getting into a car? No. If people choose to not obey the punishment or sanctions that are given or placed against them - that's a decision that they make," said Steve Davis with the Lakewood Police Department.
Colorado Attorney General John Suthers says state laws are just not harsh enough.
"It's in this area of chronic habitual drunk driver that I think our law has a serious weakness," said Suthers.
According to Morris' record, his harshest punishment was 120 days of work release.
"Before he kills someone, you have to say, 'Look, this is your third drunk driving in five years - you get 10 years in prison, you get five years in prison, to try and avoid someone dying in the next several years,' cause he will not stop driving."
According to Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, in any given year, law enforcement makes 30,000 alcohol stops. Of them 85 percent suffer some type of license restraint. Of the first time offenders, 18 percent become repeat offenders within five years.
9NEWS attempted to contact Morris on Wednesday. He lives right near the scene of the accident, but he did not answer his door, nor return a message.
Terlaje says she may now change her route to the park.
"It's going to be nerve-wracking if I ever ride on this road again," she said.
http://www.9news.com/news/top-article.aspx?storyid=80506
Lakewood Police say Jeffrey Morris hit Joyce Terlaje and her daughter Renee while they were riding a bicycle on Saturday afternoon at South Union Boulevard and West Arkansas Place.
Morris then left the scene.
"I'm angry, I'm frustrated. I'm just in shock that somebody could do this," said Terlaje.
She says she and her daughter are only alive because of divine intervention. Terlaje only injured her knee and her elbow, and has some road rash. Renee walked away without any injuries.
"I had a feeling God was definitely protecting us, based on how we were hit and the fact that we just got a few bruises and scratches," she said.
Terlaje says they were on the way to the park when they were hit.
"We were heading down this way going south on Union on the bike lane," she said. "I looked over to my left side and I saw, 'Oh my goodness, he's going to hit us.'"
Terlaje says Morris only stopped for a brief moment and then left.
"I could tell he was drunk, just from his demeanor - his slurring - he was obviously intoxicated," she said.
Police say Morris faces eight different charges, including DUI. It will be his seventh DUI charge since 1984 according to his criminal record obtained by 9NEWS. Police say Morris was also driving with a suspended license.
"How is it that somebody who's had so many convictions keep being able to drive?" said Terlaje. "This guy should be put in jail. He's lucky we're alive."
Lakewood Police, who have issued most of Morris' DUIs say there is little they can do beyond arresting him.
"Can we sit at his house and prevent him from getting into a car? No. If people choose to not obey the punishment or sanctions that are given or placed against them - that's a decision that they make," said Steve Davis with the Lakewood Police Department.
Colorado Attorney General John Suthers says state laws are just not harsh enough.
"It's in this area of chronic habitual drunk driver that I think our law has a serious weakness," said Suthers.
According to Morris' record, his harshest punishment was 120 days of work release.
"Before he kills someone, you have to say, 'Look, this is your third drunk driving in five years - you get 10 years in prison, you get five years in prison, to try and avoid someone dying in the next several years,' cause he will not stop driving."
According to Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, in any given year, law enforcement makes 30,000 alcohol stops. Of them 85 percent suffer some type of license restraint. Of the first time offenders, 18 percent become repeat offenders within five years.
9NEWS attempted to contact Morris on Wednesday. He lives right near the scene of the accident, but he did not answer his door, nor return a message.
Terlaje says she may now change her route to the park.
"It's going to be nerve-wracking if I ever ride on this road again," she said.
http://www.9news.com/news/top-article.aspx?storyid=80506