On late Friday afternoon, August 2, 2002, Daryl Dorn, a 46 year old man from Rochester, Washington, just a few days shy of his 47th birthday, was killed on the side of a freeway in the act of being a Good Samaritan by a fatigued driver who fell asleep at the wheel.

Daryl had stopped to help two stranded motorists on Interstate 5 near Castlerock, Washington. Daryl helped a woman and her young daughter change a flat tire on their horsetrailer, which was holding two horses at the time. The women told Daryl he was an angel sent from God. They said 50 cars must have gone by before he stopped. Daryl was glad to help.

After he fixed the tire, he got back in his Hyundai. The women that he stopped to help got back in their truck that was pulling the horsetrailer. Daryl was parked quite a distance behind the back of the horsetrailer. All the vehicles were at least eight feet off the freeway.

An 18 year old woman, and her 8-month old daughter, were taking a trip to Seattle from Susanville, California driving a Ford Econoline van. She had had her license only eight weeks. From the point they left their hometown in California to Washington state, she claims she had slept less than five hours in the previous 24 hour period. This "sleep" consisted of two separate naps in two separate towns in Oregon. Having just stopped in a nearby town and declaring to an individual that she was too tired to be driving, she got back behind the wheel of her van. She began driving again in the middle lane of the freeway. She fell asleep shortly thereafter.

Her van drifted from the middle lane at 70 miles an hour and struck the back of Daryl's small car, just as he sat down and buckled his seat belt. He did not have time to even shut his door. The van crushed Daryl's car 75 feet into the back of the horsetrailer and he was killed instantly. There were no skid marks. There is nothing in Washington state's Vehicular Homicide statute to support the prosecution of an individual who falls asleep at the wheel and kills another person.

The 18 year old driver did appear in Court in November 2002. Daryl's wife appeared in Court that day and pleaded for justice. Daryl's mother, sister and brother also pleaded for justice for the loss of their brother. The Judge sentenced her to 15 days in jail and 80 hours of community service. He awarded Daryl's wife $2,000 to help pay for funeral costs for her husband's death. The 18 year old, to her credit, stood before the Judge that day and faced the penalty placed before her. She was remorseful and apologized to the entire family. However, the fact that Washington state law does not specifically punish those who fall asleep at the wheel and take the life of another is incomprehensible and unacceptable.

Daryl was a wonderful man. Daryl and his wife were just married in January. They had so many hopes and desires for themselves and their future together. Daryl had an incredible relationship with God. He reached out to many people and gave unconditionally to family, friends, his church and community. He will always be loved and missed greatly.

Because of the 18 year old's irresponsibility as a driver and not heeding her body's and her own verbal warnings that she was too tired to be driving, she got behind the wheel of her vehicle and took Daryl's life. She also risked her life, her baby's life, and the lives of drivers around her.

The Vehicular Homicide statute needs to be changed to include an amendment for "sleeping-driver homicide." Such an amendment was introduced into Washington legislation in 1997-1998, but failed to move forward. Perhaps with a law in existence to enforce those who drive while knowingly fatigued, and with education and awareness programs, drivers who cause fatalities from falling asleep at the wheel will receive the same justice as those who drive intoxicated.

Also see Daryls' memorial page at DrowsyDriving.Org