FAMILY OF TEEN KILLED BY DRUNK DRIVER RAISES AWARENESS AGAINST DRUNK & DRUGGED DRIVING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Bree Ann Camacho, 19, sister of Kaely Camacho, killed by a drunk driver in 2012; Dr. Nicholas Namias, medical director of Ryder Trauma Center; Dr. Gabriel Ruiz, UM/Jackson trauma surgeon; Helen Witty, Program Specialist/Victim Advocate, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD); Joe Sanchez, Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson

In April 2012, 13-year-old Kaely Ann Camacho, her sister, 16-year-old Bree Ann Camacho, and their father were driving in a minivan when they were struck by a drunk driver – traveling more than 100 miles per hour in a south Miami-Dade County bus lane. The impact cut the Camacho’s minivan in half. Kaely, who was sleeping in the backseat, was rushed to Ryder Trauma Center at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center, where she was later pronounced dead.

“As I sat in the hospital, I held my 13-year-old sister’s hand – kissing my best friend goodbye because I would never see her again,” Bree Ann recalls. “Someone – a drunk driver – took her from me.  But with that heartbreaking kiss I also made a promise: a promise to be a lifelong advocate in raising awareness about drunk driving.”

Ryder Trauma Center has partnered with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the Miami Dade Police Department, Florida Highway Patrol, and the American Automobile Association (AAA) to raise awareness about drunk and drugged driving in hopes of preventing another tragedy on the roads this holiday season.. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, three in every 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some point in their lives. In the last year, over 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.

On Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, AAA will offer its Tow-to-Go Program to members and non-members for free. Intoxicated drivers can call AAA at 855-2-TOW-2-GO  to have an AAA tow truck take them and their vehicle home for free, within a 10-mile radius. MADD is also asking drivers to display your red ribbon in a visible location in your vehicle to remind others to always designate a non-drinking driver.

During a news conference at 10 a.m. Tuesday, December 23, FHP will conduct demonstrations of their rollover crash simulator. Media is invited to participate and to tour Miami-Dade Police’s DUI bus, wear alcohol impairment goggle, and play with AAA’s computerized drunk driving simulator.

December

23, 2014, 10:00 a.m.

Miami-Dade College – Medical Campus
Student Parking Lot – Across the Street from Medical Campus (next to Ryder Trauma Center)
950 N.W. 20th Street
Miami, FL 33127

Media, including live trucks, can park in the student lot of the medical campus.