LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Gruesome crime scenes. Weeping relatives. Tricky court proceedings. Lenient laws, and generous judges.
These are just a few of the things that members of the Clark County District Attorney's DUI team say they face on a daily basis.
WATCH | Local prosecutors discuss effects of DUI in our community
From grizzled veterans to cynical lawyers, jaded by the failures of the system, to the newest, youngest prosecutors, they are driven to fight one of the valley's most tragic crimes — because it's also one of the most preventable ones.
So far this year, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has logged 35 fatal drunk driving deaths — about half as many as last year. But behind the statistics are real people whose lives are being changed forever.
I sat down with District Attorney Steve Wolfson and members of his team at their downtown offices recently, to talk about their cases, their frustrations and the effect that seeing some of the worst things that can happen to truly innocent victims has on the people who strive to get justice for those left behind.
To a person, they agreed that stiffer penalties were needed to combat DUI, and to a person, they said everyone needs to take more responsibility for their actions to reduce the number of crashes, including deadly ones.
The somber warning from team chief Eric Bauman, a 17-year veteran of DUI prosecutions:
"Anyone in this room, anyone watching right now, you could be the next victim, and you'll never see it coming."
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