Jun 13, 2008 6:20 am US/Eastern
Teen Killed By Alleged Repeat Drunk Driver
CHRISTIANA, Del. (CBS 3) ―
A Delaware teen was killed returning home from senior week when his car was struck by an alleged drunk
driver who has previously been convicted in another deadly crash.
When Denise and Bill Wilson said goodbye to their 17-year-old son Brian for his
senior week trip to Ocean City,
Maryland, they had no idea they
would not see him again.
"I'm still trying to realize that I'm not going to have that beautiful
face coming through my door anymore and walking up the steps to go to his
bedroom at night," Denise Wilson said.
Delaware State Police said Wilson was riding in
car with a friend, 18-year-old Nathan Flanery, on northbound Route 1 in Dover when the hood of
the car ahead of them flew off.
When Flanery slowed down, his car was rear-ended by a Mercedes sedan driven by
28-year-old Andrew Rankin who police suspect was drunk.
Wilson was flown to Christiana Trauma
Center in Newark where he later succumbed to his
injuries.
Rankin was taken to an area hospital with unknown injures.
Police said he faces charges of vehicular manslaughter, vehicular assault and
driving under the influence.
In 2005, Rankin was charged following a deadly crash on I-95
that claimed the life of Cynthia Boone.
Boone was riding in a car driven by Rankin when he slammed
into a box truck on I-95.
Rankin was driving under the influence and he was sentenced to one year in
prison and probation.
"This family, this poor family has got to deal with this," Boone's
mother Denise said.
She believes the drunk-driving penalties are not stiff enough and change is
needed.
"I know what's it like to bury my daughter and you can't live, part of you
just dies and it never comes back," Denise said.
A memorial service for Brian Wilson will be held Friday morning. A scholarship
fund has been established in Wilson's
name by his family.
Brian Anthony Wilson Memorial Scholarship Fund
Care of:
APGFCU
P.O. Box 1176
Aberdeen, Md. 21001
Briananthonywilson.org
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
