Kelli Laine Lewis

My beautiful 18 year old daughter was killed by two underage drunk drivers racing on impulse on January 21, 2001 on Gold Hill Road in York County in Fort Mill South Carolina. 

Kelli was a passenger in one of the vehicles where all three minors died on impact.

Kelli  left our home with two girlfriends that night.  3 adults had passed out flyers at her fort mill high school "$5.oo a head- drink all you want". 

In the state of South Carolina- where I was told when I asked for help when adults were providing alcohol to Kelli-- that  at age 15, Kelli was considered too close to the age of 16, which they consider an "adult"- so I knew I had no control over her at 18!  Plus if alcohol is served in a private home- "nothing we can do about it"

I knew the girls she was leaving with and knew that she was with a good designated driver.   Kelli had told me earlier in the day that she felt she was going to die soon.  I asked her why- and she said she just had a feeling about it.  I thought this was because the night before she had been in a car with an underage girl that was drunk driving and it had scared her so badly she begged to be let out of the car until someone else drove.

Kelli got so drunk at the "party"  she refused to leave with her friends when they wanted to go home. 

Kelli asked a boy from her school how he was getting home.  Jason dye said his friend Tommy Byington was giving him a ride and they could give Kelli a ride because she just lived down the street from Jason. Later people stated they saw Tommy drinking captain morgan and out of a keg as well.

Another boy named Erich had parked his car on Gold Hill Road so he didn't have to drive as far home from the house they were drinking at. Erich was also getting a ride from Tommy to his car, then the two drivers were going to go to Charlotte NC (we live on the state line) to get something to eat after dropping Kelli and Jason off at home.

Tommy dropped Erich off at his car and he proceeded to follow them on Gold Hill Road.  They only went about one mile before they were going 70 mph in a 35 mph zone.  They made it through all the turns on this very curvy road and were just in a straight away when.....  well we will never know what really happened, but there is much speculation from EMT's at the scene that the two cars made contact.

Tommy's car went off the road, flew up in the air about 15 feet high taking out the top of three trees.  There are very mixed reports as to who was sitting where and who actually the car landed on top of.   At the end of it all- the three died on impact at 3:35 am.  All underage all over two times the legal limit.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol allowed Erich- the other driver to "call a friend" as the "trooper" told me he knew he had been drinking so he didn't want him to drive his car home.  Erich left the scene with a friend- went one block down the road and tried to buy more beer with a fake ID. 

When I asked the "trooper" why Erich was not taken in for a DUI, he told me that because our state highway patrol does NOT carry a field breathalyzer, they have "to actually see them drinking in order to charge them with a DUI".   Ok, how about underage drinking?  Speeding?  Same response- he said they didn't see him doing either.

Then the investigation was handed over to SLED (SC legal enforcement division)

They couldn't find the house where the adults lived.  Guess those high school students were too much for that state agency. Maybe if they would have interviewed more than 9 out of the 60 kids there- they would have found out what we did on our own.

Jason's father and myself found the house for them.   We also came up with pictures from inside THAT house on THAT night with Kelli in them and bottles of alcohol lined up on a table in the background.

ahh... but our state doesn't have a host law- so because it was in a private home.. NO CHARGES.

Trust that all three of our families are well aware that our children participated in their own deaths that night.   however... if the adults had not sold the alcohol to them....  Our kids paid the ultimate price for their part in that night- we only want the others involved to have been responsible for their part.

As it stands now I have been fighting with my state to get changes made in these area's that allow the selling of alcohol to minors & the issue of our state highway patrol not carrying a field breathalyzer-- to no avail. 

I have been ignored by every senator in this state and every agency.

Not even MADD had been very helpful in this state. 

We couldn't even get victims assistance to get Kelli a headstone because of no charges being filed.   PRICELESS!

Yes, I am still bitter.  I do know that I am accomplishing what my state has failed to do- through Kelli's web site www.myspace.com/kelli_laine_doa  many drunk drivers are off the road and many that use to ride with people that drink & drive no longer do. 

Through myspace I am making sure that Kelli's life & death matter in the world.

A banner I had made up at the scene- I got approval from the zoning commission to get this made into a billboard- the Highway Patrol said they would see about funding it- if I hold my breath much longer I will be with kelli.