Cast a vote for local 'Every 15 Minutes' video

(File photo)

A local video dramatizing the dangers of drinking and driving has been named one of 13 top entries in a national contest.

The just over 31-minute video, which was produced by Spencer Municipal Utilities staff this past spring, features Clay Central-Everly students and other area representatives who'd been involved in a local drunk driving accident, as well as ensuing court and funeral scenarios.

Students and community members worked behind the scenes shooting the video for one month before hosting an afternoon assembly at the high school, which was held two days before CCE's prom. During the communitywide gathering, students enacted a party situation, which led into the video being shown.

The video portrays two CCE students dying from a mock drunk driving accident and their peer being sentenced to serve two 25-year terms concurrently for vehicular homicide.

* To watch CCE's video, enter the Every 15 Minutes Web site, at www.every15minutes.com, and click on the school's entry, which shows a still image of District Court Judge Patrick Carr reading his mock verdict. In order to cast a vote, register or login.

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CCE's "Every 15 Minutes" mock accident, as reported by Clay County Deputy Sheriff Dennis Linn:

"A one-vehicle accident took place at Scharnberg Park on March 28, 2009. The vehicle was traveling in excess of the speed limit. The driver, portrayed by Clay Central-Everly High School student Nate Drees, lost control and struck a tree next to the roadway. The male front seat passenger, depicted by CCE student Mitch Maurer, was thrown through the windshield and lay extended on the hood of the vehicle. Drees, the driver, had minor injuries and seemed to be in shock at the time, but appeared in pretty good shape. The rear seat passenger, portrayed by CCE student Tasia Nielsen, had extensive injuries and was unconscious at the scene. The rear seat passenger behind the driver, who was portrayed by CCE student Carly Scott, experienced neck and back injuries and was in quite a bit of pain.

"The responding ambulance crews -- the Everly Fire Department and Rescue, the Royal Fire Department and Rescue, along with the Spencer Hospital Ambulance -- arrived at the scene. Extrication of the individuals from the car was done by removing the roof and doors of the vehicle. Dead at the scene was the young man in the front passenger seat. Warner Funeral Home responded and removed the young man after he was identified by his parents, Jeff and Lori Maurer. The injured people were taken to Spencer Hospital for treatment. One of the female passengers, Tasia Nielsen, was pronounced dead at the hospital. The other female individual, Carly Scott, was flown out to a different hospital for neck and back injuries received in the accident."