In the News

Daily Herald, February 19, 2007

SPRINGFIELD — Spurred by stories of teens dying in drunken driving crashes, state lawmakers are preparing to crack down on adults who provide not only the alcohol, but also the place to drink it.

“It’s not acceptable for parents to allow teenagers to break the law in their own homes,” said state Sen. Susan Garrett, a Lake Forest Democrat and mother of two. “Parents might think that as long as teenagers are at home, they’re in a safe environment. But there’s nothing to keep those teens from leaving, there’s nothing to keep them off the roads.”

Today in Waukegan, Garrett and representatives of suburban police agencies will propose substantially toughening penalties for such parents, raising the possibility they could go to prison and forever have felony records.

Spurring her proposal is the case of two Lake County parents who face misdemeanor charges stemming from a fatal crash involving two teens who left their home after drinking last fall.

Garrett’s proposal would up the ante, giving prosecutors the option of charging parents who allow underage drinking in their homes with a Class 4 felony instead of a misdemeanor if anyone is harmed.

They could face fines of up to $25,000, one to three years in prison and two years probation. Garrett helped pass a 2004 law that opened the door for people victimized by underage drinkers to sue adults who provided the alcohol.

Over the years, suburban officials, police and alcohol awareness groups have launched myriad educational programs. Recently, advocacy groups attempted to go after the makers of candy-flavored malt liquor “alcopops,” claiming they were being marketed to teens.

The prospect of felony charges offers a far more significant deterrent, supporters said.

“Yes, some people might be unhappy about it,” said former Round Lake Park-Hainesville police chief Bruce Johnson, now an executive at Nicasa, a renowned Lake County substance abuse treatment and prevention agency. “The fact is that every time laws are tightened up, lives are saved. We have to be vigilant. It’s not OK at prom time, it’s not OK at sleepovers, it’s not OK to see any more kids die like this.”

Talk of toughening the penalties for parents who allow underage drinking began anew last fall after two teens died after attending a homecoming party in Deerfield.

Police allege that Jeffrey and Sara Hutsell allowed underage drinking at a party last October. That night, two teens died after their car slammed into a tree near the Hutsells’ home. Officers say the couple tried to remove beer cans and hide evidence showing that drinking took place that night. The Hutsells, who face misdemeanor charges, have denied any wrongdoing.

A number of other high profile alcohol-related incidents involving suburban teenagers have brought the issue to the forefront in the last decade.

• In 2005, a 16-year-old Glenview boy fell into a pond and drowned after drinking with friends. The group scattered, thinking the police were following them. His mother sued the storeowner who provided the alcohol. The owner lost his liquor license, and a judge ordered him to pay a $900 fine and complete community service.
• The infamous 2003 “powder puff” game at Glenbrook North High School exposed incidents of hazing and alcohol abuse. Caught on tape, the school ritual showed senior girls pummeling their junior counterparts, smearing feces and pig intestines on them. Two moms were charged with providing the teens with beer kegs. One woman was sentenced to a year of court supervision and 40 hours of community service; the other received a year of probation and 14 days of community service.
• In 1997, a 16-year-old Orland Park girl died after drinking a quart of Goldschlager. The Illinois Supreme Court ruled that her mother could not sue the two South suburban men who provided the alcohol, sparking legislators to change the law.

In recent weeks, officials in several suburban communities including Mundelein, Round Lake, Lake Bluff, Highland Park and Deerfield have voiced support for tougher state laws.

Placing more accountability on the parents won’t end the teenage drinking “epidemic,” but it reminds parents that their primary job is to be an authority figure, not a friend, said Mundelein Police Chief Ray Rose.

“Would there be an outcry if that parent had given a gun to the kid and he shot somebody? I think so,” Rose said. “Then, why are we saying that it’s OK for (teens) to drink, leave these parties and put themselves and others at risk? We need to ask ourselves why one deadly decision is OK, and the other isn’t.”