Captain Jason Berry
Government and Media Relations
(360) 596-4010 – office
(360) 596-4015 – fax
http://www.wsp.wa.gov
*** For Immediate Release***
Date:
February 17, 2011
Contact:
Julie Startup
Phone:
(425) 766-0812
E-mail:
Julie.Startup@wsp.wa.gov
Fatal Collision Used to Educate Others
On the one year anniversary of her death, Heather Mae Learch’s crashed car will be on display at Lake Washington High School to remind students not to text and drive.
While traveling home from work on February 23, 2010 at 10pm, 19 year old Heather’s vehicle was severely damaged when the driver’s side of her vehicle crashed into the guardrail. Heather died at the scene that night. After checking her phone messages Heathers parents determined Heather had been reading and sending text messages right up to the time of her fatal crash.
Heathers parents have made her crashed car available as a tool in educating others by sending the message, “Don’t Text and Drive. It’s not worth your life”. The Chevrolet Cobalt Heather was driving when she died is stored by the Washington State Patrol and taken to schools and events like the Puyallup Fair to spread the message about the dangers of texting while driving.
Lake Washington High School student Shannon Bebee requested the vehicle be displayed in front of the school for her senior project through the DECA project “Don’t Let an LOL Become an OMG: Don’t Text and Drive." Shannon feels, “Heathers story is a huge eye-opener. Most teens don’t realize the risks they pose to themselves and others when they take their eyes off the road for even a millisecond.”