Eligible For Parole After One-Year On 10th DWI
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Updated: 12:01 PM Jan 7, 2009
Eligible For Parole After One-Year On 10th DWI
It's been six-years since Dale Beller was woken-up by a late night phone call from his brother.
Posted: 9:27 PM Jan 6, 2009
Reporter: Justin Joseph
Email Address: sixonline@wowt.com
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It's been six-years since Dale Beller was woken-up by a late night phone call from his brother.

Dale Beller says, "You don't usually like to get those phone calls late at night. Usually when someone calls late at night it's obviously not something good happening. He had to break the news to me that my parents were killed."

Beller recalls that night in vivid detail. A man drove the wrong way, drunk, down a highway in New Mexico. He collided head-on into a car carrying Beller's parents and their friends. The crash killed all of them.

That's why people like Dale Beller are shocked that even though last December Russell McCormick was sentenced to 30-60 months for his tenth D.U.I. conviction, he will be eligible for parole in two weeks.

Dale Beller says more must be done. "I think our judges, our court system, whomever is making the judgments on these laws needs to be harsher on these guys," says Beller.

The problem isn't going anywhere. Over the past month, in its "you drink, you drive, you lose, campaign" law enforcement agencies made many drunk-driving arrests.

The Nebraska State Patrol nabbed 193 drunk drivers.
The City of Omaha made 112 arrests.
The Sarpy County Sheriff arrested 24 drunk drivers.
La Vista arrested 9 people under the influence.

To be eligible for parole, McCormick has specific treatment issues he must address by the parole hearing on January 20. That will be just one factor the board reviews. When he was convicted the judge also suspended McCormick's license for 15-years.


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