Viewpoints
Upsetting Halloween Experience
By Amy Schmitt
November 07, 2006
Tuesday AM
I would like to express my frustration and sadness regarding
an incident that happened at mile 14 N Tongass Hwy, on Halloween.
My husband and I took our two little boys out to trick or treat
down N. Pt. Higgins road (on foot) with our neighbors and their
two little guys, and we were turning onto our road (across from
Clover Pass Church) off N. Tongass Hwy when a big SUV made a
horrible loud popping noise just as it passed our families.
We thought this vehicle had blown a tire, and watched as they
slowed down and hit the brakes. We were sure they had blown
a tire or something and they would not be able to continue, and
when they started to accelerate again we were stunned. With
this knowledge, we decided to check the ditch "just in case,"
and our husbands crossed the highway to survey the situation.
Lying in the ditch was a dog, and our children all started screaming
and asking if it was any of their dogs or others in the neighborhood.
Had the people in the SUV (large,
dark colored Ford Explorer type or big Truck with camper on back)
stopped to check the damage, done the humane thing, I think this
event would not still be weighing so heavily on two North Tongass
families. In trying to do the right thing, it was necessary
to remove the dog's collar and call his owner. We then made
a report to the troopers and my husband met the lady to help
her at the crash site. We recovered a piece of the vehicle at
the crash site 9 inches long, and discovered pieces of the car
as far as 75 feet away. According to the AK State Troopers,
it is apparently not required to stop if you hit an animal in
AK, but we keep wondering -- how could they be sure this was
a dog???? It was Halloween, and many of our kids were out there
in the dark.
My nine year old has decided
to boycott Halloween due to this tragedy, and I just wanted to
say thanks to the uncaring person who did not "do the right
thing." Our boys are still asking why you did not stop?
My sincere sadness goes out to the owner of this dog, and would
like to ask that people "do the right thing" if you
happen to strike an animal on the road.
Amy Schmitt
Ketchikan, AK
Received November 06, 2006 - Published November 07, 2006
About: "14 year resident of Ketchikan, and concerned mother
of three boys."
Note: Comments published
on Viewpoints are the opinions of the writer
and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sitnews.
Send A Letter -------Read
Letters
E-mail the Editor at
editor@sitnews.us
Sitnews
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska
|