MADD Virginia E-newsletter April 2024
Carter Hill, Sr.
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It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share the news that MADD Mid-Atlantic Board member and longtime volunteer Carter Hill, passed away on Sunday, March 17, 2024.
Carter became involved with MADD after his son, Carter Hill Jr., died in an alcohol-related crash in 1997. Carter was one of the last remaining active volunteers from the late 90’s who, along with his wife Linda, built MADD in Virginia. As a trained Victim Advocate, he assisted countless victims. He and Linda held Law Enforcement Awards ceremonies and candlelight vigils every year before there was staff to do so. He established and spoke before Victim Impact Panels at VASAPs across the state and spoke anywhere and everywhere we asked him to. He traveled to every law enforcement award ceremony in Virginia every year for at least 13 years to say thank you to the officers and hand out the awards. He had a soft spot for law enforcement and felt strongly about recognizing and showing appreciation for their efforts to stop impaired driving. Carter was also a generous donor to MADD VA, sponsoring the Richmond WALK and the Richmond Law Enforcement Awards ceremony for many years. At the 2021 Tie One on For Safety kick-off, Carter was presented with a plaque commemorating 25 years of service to MADD in Virginia. Carter was an active MADD Mid-Atlantic Board member.
Carter always came to the table to assist MADD Virginia with being the best the organization could be. During good, bad, and challenging times through MADD’s history in Virginia, you could count on Carter to be the consensus builder that brought victims, volunteers, state agency leaders, law enforcement, the judiciary, the media, business leaders, and many others together. He stepped back when appropriate and always fostered new leaders within the organization. He was beloved and will be so greatly missed.
Carter’s obituary can be viewed here. Our prayers are with Linda, Amanda, Megan, and the rest of the Hill family.
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MADD National Officer of the Month for March 2024.
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Officer Thomas Jones of the Hopewell Police Department (shown here with Police Chief Greg Taylor, MADD VA PR Specialist Ashley Francis, and Deputy Chief Donald Reid) was recognized as MADD National Officer of the Month for March 2024. The MADD National Officer of the Month Award is selected by a committee affiliated with the MADD National Office. MADD Virginia nominated Officer Jones when we became aware he has been the recipient of the MADD Virginia Law Enforcement Award 17 times in his career.
In nominating Jones for the 2023 MADD VA Law Enforcement Award, Hopewell Police Captain Trevor Terry wrote “Each year, Officer Jones leads the department in DUI arrests and investigations. Officer Jones has received training in SFST and advanced accident reconstruction. He is committed to mentoring other officers in these disciplines. He often conducts training in these areas for members of his squad and facilitates scenario-based training for newly hired officers as their Field Training Officer." CONGRATULATIONS Officer Jones! Thank you for keeping our roads safer.
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April is National Volunteer Month! Volunteers are the backbone of MADD. In 2023, our Virginia volunteers completed over 2000 hours and shared MADD’s message with over 6000 people. Volunteers serve as Board members, fundraisers, Walk coordinators, and court monitors. They also share their stories in all kinds of venues; military bases, criminal justice academies, colleges, community events, media interviews, and sobriety checkpoint briefings just to name a few. Volunteers don’t care if they are speaking to huge audiences on military bases to 10 students in a classroom; they are anxious to share their stories, remember their loved ones, and stop impaired driving.
Are you interested in volunteering for MADD in Virginia? Email us at [email protected]!
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Impaired Driving Stories in the News
3/2/24 Clair Caruso, Passenger of an Impaired Driver, Dies in Crash, 50, Fauquier
3/3/24 Experts Urge Feds to Get Impaired Driving Tech Right
3/10/24 Driver Charged with DUI, Manslaughter After Fatal Pedestrian Crash on Beltway, Fairfax
3/10/24 Gregory Bruington Struck and Killed by Impaired Driver, 30, Fairfax
3/15/24 Woman Killed in DUI Crash. Subjects Attempt to Flee.
3/17/24 Wyatt Newman Dies in Crash, Alcohol Suspected to be a Factor, 19, Bedford
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MADD VA PR Specialist, Ashley Francis, with Wyatt Anderson of VA ABC Education and Prevention, promoting our underage drinking prevention programs at the VA DCJS Strengthening Connections Conference.
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MADD VA Volunteer and MADD National Ambassador, Tammy Duffy, shared her story with Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin.
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MADD volunteer, Debbie Sausville, shared her story at a NHTSA Press event in Washington, DC.
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MADD volunteer, Mary Mitchell, shares her story with Drug Court participants in Suffolk.
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MADD volunteer, Latoya, shared her story with criminal justice students at Southside Virginia Community College.
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MADD volunteer and Mid-Atlantic board member, Lisa Black, shares her story with students at Fluvanna High School
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MADD volunteer, Jeremy, shares his story with criminal justice students in Henrico County.
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Staff attended a March Checkpoint briefing in Henrico County to thank officers.
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NHTSA 420 Drug Impaired Driving Campaign Materials
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Although impaired driving is a concern year-around, April 20th is a particularly risky day on the roads due to the number 420 being associated with marijuana. It is important for anyone who chooses to observe this day to make a plan before consuming marijuana. Call a sober friend, use a ride share app, call a taxi, or take public transportation to get home safely.
A study was conducted by NHTSA from 2019-2021 at trauma centers and medical examiner officers involving injured or killed drivers. This study found 26% of drivers who caused those crashes had active THC in their system. Source Do your part and choose not to drive after partaking in marijuana. If You Feel Different, You Drive Different.
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This newsletter is supported by a federal highway safety grant administered by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.
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Subscribe to our blog to hear from victims, advocates and people fighting for justice.
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The 2023 Walk Like MADD season won’t be complete without you.
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Stay up-to-date on new laws, read inspiring victim stories and more when you connect with MADD.
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Mothers Against Drunk Driving
5310 Markel Rd #101 Richmond, VA 23230
madd.org/va | 877.ASK.MADD
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24-Hour Victim Help Line 877.MADD.HELP
© 2024 Mothers Against Drunk Driving
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