Mock accident at HBCS addresses drunk driving

Published 6:00 am Friday, April 12, 2019

It’s extremely dark, it’s quiet, something similar to the sound of an explosion coming from the immediate area.

That was the beginning of Sudden Impact’s mock scenario Thursday morning at Highland Baptist Christian School, which used local agencies and first responders to show Highland students the devastating effects that drunk driving can cause.

Louisiana State Police, Acadian Ambulance, Iberia Fire District No. 1, the Lafayette Coroner’s Office and David’s Funeral Home were all inside the parking lot near Highland’s gym, where students congregated around two collided vehicles.

The mock scenario had student actors portray a drunken driving incident that killed one student and injured two others.

The mock scenario put the crash at the intersection of Lewis Street and Loreauville Road, where one intoxicated teenager played by HBCS student Landon Jordan crossed the centerline and crashed into another vehicle driven by student actor Austin Charpentier.

Jordan’s passenger, played by Blaire Abshire, was killed in the scenario, with gory prosthetics put on as she placed herself through the windshield.

Students also learned the entire scope of the process for emergency personnel. The scenario started with the collision of two vehicles and then escalated to first responders immediately dealing with the victims at the scene.

It then instructed students on the jobs that police and fire departments do during an emergency situation, as well as the medical staff who handle the victims after they are taken to a hospital.

“We did something similar my first year here,” HBCS Principal Tim Sensley said. “Every two years we take the kids to Lafayette to see it, but this year we did it on our campus.”

State Trooper John Childers took questions from the group of students after the hour long scenario played out.

“Have a plan in place before you get yourself in that situation,” Childers said at the end of the event. “Because if you don’t you’re susceptible to peer pressure. I can’t tell you how much peer pressure you guys have in this day and age, so please have a plan.”