The Pi Beta Phi Sorority, in conjunction with The University of Toledo Counseling Center, will host a mock crash and trial Wednesday, April 15, as part of Greek Week.
“People don’t typically think, especially when you are at a bar close to home, that getting into a car is drinking and driving,” said Dr. Will Pecsok, associate director and clinical counselor in the UT Counseling Center. “They try and rationalize or justify their actions thinking, ‘It’s just down the block or around the corner.’
“The reality of the situation is that there are a lot of people that put themselves in dangerous situations, and we want to raise people’s awareness and have them really think before they go out and drink,” he said.
The event will occur in two parts: a driving-under-the-influence mock crash and a mock trial. The crash will be staged from 6 to 7 p.m. in Carter Field, located off East Rocket Drive by the Student Recreation Center near the Douglas Road entrance to Main Campus, and the trial will take place from 7:15 to 7:45 p.m. in the Law Center McQuade Law Auditorium.
“Over the course of the mock crash, we will be narrating the events as they unfold talking about the dangers of DUIs — the things that can happen in a split second,” Pecsok said. “The fact is you could be out on a Friday night driving one minute and the next you’re in a life flight worrying about your life.”
Emergency medical services, the Toledo Fire Department, and the UT Police Department will be at the event performing the same actions they would as if it was a real crash.
“A life flight is planning to come in and take care of one or two of the severely injured, and then the remaining will be taken out by EMS and the fire department,” Pecsok said.
“After the crash, the UT Police Department is going to take the person that was the mock offender, the person that actually caused the accident, over to the law school,” Pecsok said. “We will have Judge [M. Scott] Ramey from Sylvania preside over the mock trial, which will include a prosecutor, defense attorney, and someone playing the part of a victim’s advocate. We are working with the Paralegal Studies Program and the College of Law to get people to come volunteer and play those roles.”
Pizza and pop will be provided during the mock trial.
In addition, the first 100 people who attend the trial will receive a free T-shirt. Gift cards and additional giveaways will be raffled off.
For more information, contact Pecsok at will.pecsok@utoledo.edu.
