Second DUI Angers Mother of Boy Killed by First

As reported by the Fairbanks Daily News Miner, 35 year-old Faith A. Derendoff is in  court for charges of a second DUI. Jan Coker, the mother of her first victim, is both appalled and angered.

A state trooper arrested Derendoff for driving drunk on College Road, during the second weekend of August; she is currently serving 120 days in jail, with 100 days suspended.

Coker's 18-year-old son, Andrew, ran a stop sign and drove into Derendoff's path on Danby Road in May of 2005.  Derendoff, both drunk and high, killed Andrew when she crashed into the driver's side of his Saturn.

In commenting on Derendoff's second time driving drunk, Coker stated, "What will it take to get her off the streets before someone else has to deal with what my family has had to deal with? The fact that she was drinking and killed somebody then went to rehab and did it again and got a lighter sentence is just mindboggling."

After Derendoff spent several months in jail before the trial, the jury deadlocked on the criminally negligent homicide charge and acquitted her of manslaughter.  At the end she was only found guilty of driving under the influence, a misdemeanor charge.

This time, through tears, Derendoff pleaded guilty to her new charge of driving under the influence, and told magistrate Alicemary Rasley that she was aware she had made another error, and that she is trying to get her life in order.  To which Rasley replied, "If you continue to drink, I feel confident that I will see you again, I just hope you don't kill someone again."

Coker, now living in Texas, understands that recovering for an addiction is difficult, but also sees that Derendoff's jail time and rehabilitation hasn't made a difference. 

Five years after loosing Andrew, the eldest of her three boys, Coker is still struggling with the loss of "one of her best friends".  She said, "Life never goes on without thinking about it every day. You learn to be happy again. It's what he would have wanted, but it's never the same."

Andrew had lived an exemplary life abstaining from drugs and alcohol, as well as avoiding friends that did not. His death has now influenced his former friends to make changes in their own lifestyles. 

A video shown of Andrew putting himself in Deffendorf's way, as he ran a stop sign that had been partially obstructed by trees, caused a judge to dismiss the case in 2005.  Prosecutors had also decided to not pursue the case.

Coker, seeing the video herself, contends that Derendoff would have been able to stop her own car if she were not driving under the influence.  Coker said, "She had her day in court and she was acquitted.  What's really important is that people have a duty when they have a driver's license to be cognizant of their surroundings."

If you are facing DUI, DWI, OUI, or OWI charges, contact a DUI Attorney to help you with your case.