An Ol' Broad's Ramblings
Rest In Peace
Yesterday, I posted about my friend’s niece. Today, I received this:
Madison man faces charge in fatal Stoughton Road crash
A 29-year-old Madison man is tentatively being charged with homicide by drunken driving following a crash that claimed the life of a Madison woman early Sunday morning.
Jennifer Jastrow, 21, Madison, was killed when her car was hit broadside by a pickup truck driven by Jesse R. Ruegsegger.
The crash happened about 12:45 a.m. Sunday at Stoughton Road and Hanson Road on the city’s far northeast side.
According to police reports, Ruegsegger was west on Hanson Road when he allegedly failed to stop at a stop sign and hit Jastrow’s Pontiac Grand Am, which was southbound on Stoughton Road.
Jastrow was pronounced dead at the scene.
Ruegsegger was previously convicted of drunken driving in Dane County in 2002, court records show.
At this point, I have to ask….does he have convictions in other counties? Or states? Do people not learn? Do they not understand the consequences of their actions? Do they not care?
Chronic alcoholics do not learn, and they do not care. Oh, sure, when he’s sobered up and being arraigned he’ll put on the appearance of being sorrowful, but when he’s drunk, he hasn’t a care in the world, except maybe not getting stopped, or buying more booze.
My heart goes out to you and your friend’s family. I lost a dear friend to a drunk driver 14 years ago. It wised me up, and sobered me up for good.
My cousin was killed in the same manner 28 years ago by a man who had been convicted multiple times of driving drunk……… Nothing has changed.
My thoughts and prayers are with you and Jennifer’s family and friends.
My heart and prayers go out to all families that have innocent members hurt by these drivers. The same thing can be said about people in general too. When crime happens rarely do other bystanders call 911. They choose not to get involved. Perhaps that is one problem. Our not wanting to get involved – or maybe we have made our system an inconvenience to our own citizens.
Drunk drivers are all about themselves. We need to seek more criminal responsibility for DWI and DWU habitual people.
Get involved – write your representatives to solve this problem. We are in charge last I checked the Constitution. However, as with most government regulation some one has to die or get hurt prior to getting things fixed. This is sad too. There is no proactive action.
God bless you and all. I just hope that we can make it better in the future.
I’ve known a few people who thought they “were in control”, even though they barely stand up.
Because of complete selfishness, parents lose their children, husbands lose their wives, and the cycle never ends. Letting these people off with a slap on the hand, isn’t working. There have always been, and will always be, irresponsible people. It just seems like there are more these days.
First, please accept my condolences for the family’s loss. Words just don’t seem to convey all the feelings that rush through at times like this.
Second, as far as whether or not people learn – not by choice. If the record in Maricopa County, Arizona is any indication of the national trend, the clueless drunk who caused the grief and devastation will, as drjim pointed out, express sorrow and remorse while in court. However, unless the law allows the people to take away everything except their life, the perps will not learn. And as long as these types of people have the freedom to wander and to make their own choices (even after demonstrating they can only make bad choices) then these types of tragedies will continue.
Again, I am so sorry to hear about Jennifer. Know that you and her family will be in our prayers.
There are always more people hurt than just the innocent victim. My prayers of condolences for the extended family and friends of this young woman and of the family of the driver.
The laws towards convicted Drunk Drivers like Jesse R. Ruegsegger will never change. We have way to many liberals in this country that feel these individuals deserve to have more rights than the victims and the victims families.
I know someone who was killed by a 3 time convicted offender who had no drivers license or insurance on the vehicle that killed the one I loved.
This person committed suicide before the trial ever started.
Was put in jail after the accident and released 3 days later on bail.
Thoughts and prayers with you, family, friends and all involved.
The state of Wisonsin is partially to blame for the death of Jennifer Jastrow as well as the thousands of other people killed by people driving under the influence.
Unfortunately, the tavern leagues have more control with our liberal politicians in this state. It’s all about the mighty doller. The bars would lose money if people were actually punished for their actions. I’m from another state and the laws are much stricter and costly. Very rarely will you read about someone charged with 2+ incidents. Reason being the person would be in jail. The penalties tend to scare the drunks into being more responsible. They also have something called “Tipsy Taxi”. Local cab companies offer safe rides home to those who’ve had to much to drink.
It’s time the citizens had more control and say than the tavern league. If more people would join MADD and fight for tougher laws we’d have less victims of this selfish horrible tragedy.
@Sheri
Personal responsibility is something that has been lost. It’s not uncommon to read in a WI newspaper about a driver who was arrested on their 5th, 7th, or 10th offense. Until the legislators actually decide to do something besides scratch their butts, and increase taxes, nothing will ever change.
Jenny was my dad’s best friend’s daughter. She was my age. I just can’t get over the fact that the guy was drunk, didnt wear a seatbelt and disobeyed traffic signs and he walks away with non life threatening injuries. Yet, Jenny was wearing her seatbelt, airbags deployed, obeyed traffics signs and was sober and she died instantly.
how is it that the drunk drivers seem to walk away without a scratch after killing innocent victims?
I just hope he receives his justice.
We all miss Jenny very much, but rejoice for her now that she is with Jesus.
megan – please accept my condolences for your loss; I join you in rejoicing that she will be with the Lord.
I know it’s not going to help, but the physical explanation for your question is: he was so drunk that his body did not tense up for the crash, so there was no resistance for the forces of the crash to act against. Jenny tensed up – it’s a normal reaction to her circumstances.
I worked with Jenny, she was my manager, I actually talked to her 15 minutes before she died – I closed with her that night. I didn’t find out until Monday and I was in shock because of the fact that it happened so fast and random. She was only 21, had a boyfriend and planned on marrying, she was a happy person and made everybody else around her happy. I feel so bad for her family and boyfriend.
We’ll miss ya Jenny!
@eazyEEE
I know how difficult it is to come to the realization that someone you just saw, or spoke to, is now gone, in the blink of an eye. It’s all so unreal.
I personally know Jesse and I have been hit by drunk drivers twice in my life. The drunk driver that hit me the first time was on his 8th offense of driving drunk while on a suspended license for drunk driving. He finally received a harsh sentence as I almost did not make it and my two friends in the car were severely injured. This was not in WI so the laws don’t apply.
Jesse has no excuse for his actions and nothing he is sentenced to can change that he chose to drive that night. There are many factors to what happened but those of us who wish to judge are wrong. Everything happens for a reason and God does not make mistakes, we do. Healing for Jenny’s family and friends, I pray. And healing for Jesse’s family, I pray.
Remember that although his actions caused the death of a young woman, the rest of us have a life to live and we can not hold anger against Jesse as it will destroy us inside. Forgiveness is a gift – but you never have to forget. Just live with the understanding that there is no human who can say that he/she is perfect or without errors in judgment. We all fail daily and I thank God that I can be forgiven by those around me. Jesse will forever live with his part in the accident and the heart-wrenching reality that Jenny is dead.
@madisonLady
You should never have had to go through such an ordeal, much less a second time.
Jesse evidently did not learn from his previous actions, so yes, his punishment will be lifelong. It should have never happened, but it did, and not only is a young woman dead, and her family torn apart, but he destroyed his own life, and caused great pain to his own family.
It’s a cliche’, “Don’t drink and drive!”, but there’s a darn good reason for heeding the warning.
There is only one real Judge, and Jesse will have to answer to Him. I am not his judge, I can only express my opinion.
I know Jesse personally as well. We gradutated in the same class, had the same circle of friends, and same value system. I am shocked to learn of this tragic event, and send my condolences to the family of Jenny as well as Jesse.
@madison Lady- thank you for your your reflection on forgiveness, and the human side of life. In knowing Jesse, his sentence has already begun, and will be lifelong regardless of what the court imposes.
I write this, not to mimick other comments, but rather to illustrate that although not officially documented, many of us have driven a vehicle under the influence. I know for myself, the legal limit is much lower than my tolerence, and it is put in place for a reason. I work long hours, and sometimes even that has the same effect as drinking. I notice often that I am not as sharp as I should be, from being tired and overworked. I certainly count my blessings that no one has been tragically effected by my “work-a-holism”.
This event has no reconciliation for me. Given my experience with Jesse, it is hard for me not to mourne his loss at the same time as women I have never met. That woman is my mother, my sister, my daughter, my best friend, and any loved one who could be affected by drunk driving. I will get off of my soap box now, but want to send my prayers to both families in their time of grief.
@deforest native
We’ve all done things in our lives that we regret. Hopefully, we learn from our mistakes so that something like this can be avoided.