Diversion program targets first-time DWI offenders

• By JOE GYAN JR.
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Nov 8, 2009

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Holding a photograph of his deceased 2-year-old son, Dewayne Curney Sr. stood before a packed Baton Rouge courtroom and said he is serving a life sentence because a drunken driver robbed him of his “best friend’’ in 2004.

The driver is serving 15 years in prison.

“Don’t do this to your family. Don’t do this to yourself,’’ Curney recently implored more than 100 DWI offenders at a Mothers Against Drunk Driving victim impact panel at the Governmental Building.

“There’s a lot of us that’s hurting. A lot,’’ Curney added.

Attendance at a MADD victim impact panel is one part of a voluntary pretrial intervention — or diversion — program for first-time DWI and underage DUI offenders that East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore III kicked off June 1.

Five months later, there are more than 200 people navigating their way through the stringent one-year program, which also mandates a minimum six-week assessment and education program at O’Brien House and use of a vehicle ignition interlock device for at least the first six months of the program.

Moore’s longtime predecessor, Doug Moreau, did not have such a program.

Successful completion of the program will result in either no filing of a formal DWI or underage DUI charge with the court, or a dismissal if such a charge has been filed.

The program costs about $2,400, which includes a $1,000 enrollment fee, but Moore said his office is willing to work with participants who are struggling financially, and fees have been reduced for a couple of people in the program.

Moore, who says it is far too early to grade the program, hopes it will reduce the drunken driving recidivism rate and save lives and careers.

The program’s written guidelines say “the public will be protected through random alcohol and drug testing, close supervision by case managers’’ and electronic monitoring. Moore and program director Dusty Guidry readily acknowledge the program is not for everyone.

“They have to toe the line. The defendant has to be dedicated to this thing,’’ Guidry said. “It’s not a baby-sitting program.”

Moore said a few people have dropped out of the program, mostly young adults who object to the six-month interlock device requirement.