Pubdate: Mon, 14 Jan 2008
Source: Wisconsin State Journal (WI)
Copyright: 2008 Madison Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.madison.com/wsj/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/506
Authors: Barry Adams, and Gena Kittner Wisconsin State Journal
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?224 (Cannabis and Driving)

DEAD GIRL'S FATHER OPPOSES CHARGES

The father of a 17-year-old Spring Green girl killed in a car crash 
Thursday calls the tentative charges against the driver, his daughter 
's boyfriend, a "tragic mistake. "

John H. Harrison, 17, of Madison, was arrested on suspicion of 
homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle and causing injury by 
intoxicated use of a motor vehicle in the crash, which killed 
Courtney Anna Marie Kuenzi Kessenich.

"They were questioning him when he was sedated and apparently he said 
he smoked a little pot earlier in the day but I doubt that had 
anything to do with it, " said Gary Kessenich, Courtney 's father. 
"It was just a tragic crash. "

Dane County deputies announced the tentative charges after finding 
what they believe to be marijuana in Harrison 's vehicle at the scene 
of the crash, said Sgt. R.J. Lurquin.

While usually associated with alcohol, "intoxicated " can refer to 
being under the influence of some other type of controlled substance, he said.

The Sheriff 's Office will forward its reports to the Dane County 
district attorney 's office, where any decision on formal charges 
will await a blood toxicology report from the state Crime Laboratory.

A hospital toxicology report, provided by Harrison to Kessenich and 
shared with the State Journal, shows no drugs or alcohol were in his 
system. However, that report included no specific test for THC -- the 
active ingredient in marijuana -- while the state 's report does test 
for the presence of THC among other drugs.

Courtney was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash around 10:30 
p.m. Thursday on Highway 14 in the town of Cross Plains. She was a 
passenger in Harrison 's car, which crossed the center line near the 
intersection with Cleveland Road and collided with an eastbound 
vehicle driven by Susan D. Vondra, 49, of Mazomanie.

Harrison is recovering at UW Hospital from a broken arm, internal 
injuries and broken ribs, Gary Kessenich said. Vondra was taken to a 
local hospital with serious injuries, a press release said, but her 
condition is not known.

Kessenich said his daughter and Harrison had been together for more 
than a year and they planned to get engaged June 8 on Harrison 's 
18th birthday. Courtney would have graduated from River Valley High 
School this spring, Kessenich said.

She worked at Panera Bread on Mineral Point Road in Madison and after 
work on the night of the crash drove to Harrison 's sister 's house 
nearby. She didn 't want to drive to Spring Green in the snow that 
night, which caused a handful of minor slide-offs, so Harrison 
offered to drive her, her father said.

On the way home, Kessenich said, Harrison lost control, the Ford 
Taurus went sideways and was hit broadside.

"It was an accident. It wasn 't his fault, " Kessenich said. "The 
road conditions were terrible and he lost control of the car and my 
daughter died. It was an accident. Why do I want to live with 
bitterness? I 'm supporting him and his family. "

He said he wants Harrison to attend Courtney 's funeral today in Spring Green.

"John was like a son to me, " Kessenich said. "I 've been agonizing 
over this. It 's going to be my mission to straighten it out. I don 
't want her going down as a statistic from a drunk driver
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom