From the Albuquerque Tribune, a depressing story with a tragic ending.
1986: Lloyd Larson involved in crash where alcohol suspected. Hired by Bureau of Indian Affairs as civil engineer technician.
June 26, 1986: Arrested on DWI charge by Navajo police.
1987-88: Prohibited from using BIA vehicle because of driving history and suspended license.
June 10, 1990: Arrested on DWI charge by Navajo police. Convicted.
March 20, 1993: Arrested on DWI charge by Navajo police. Sentence deferred, sent to DWI school. Larson tells BIA supervisor.
April 3, 1993: Missing from work without excuse, or AWOL, four hours. Supervisors exchange memos.
Oct. 4-7, 1993: AWOL four days. Supervisor sends letter.
Nov. 13, 1993: AWOL 24 hours. Supervisors exchange notes.
Jan. 1, 1994: Arrested on DWI charge in McKinley County. Convicted.
Jan. 18, 1994: Supervisor reports seeing Larson drunk at Kachina Trading, sends memo.
Jan. 24, 1994: Larson sends letter to supervisor admitting alcohol problem, DWI, loss of driver’s license.
Feb. 15, 1994: Memo between supervisors asks Larson to seek help; Larson refuses.
Feb. 21, 1994: Arrested on DWI charge in McKinley County. Convicted. Driver’s license revoked one year.
March 11, 1994: Supervisor secures limited driver’s license for Larson, saying his services are needed.
March 28, 1994: Suspended from job five days for being AWOL in November 1993.
July 18-20, 1994: AWOL three days.
Aug. 1-4, 1994: AWOL four days.
Sept. 21, 1994: Suspended 14 days for various AWOLs.
March 20-21, 1995: AWOL two days.
March 22, 1995: Calls supervisor, says he is “recovering” and won’t be at work.
April 16, 1995: Rolls own pickup truck on I-40, leaves crash scene. Empty beer containers found at site.
April 20, 1995: Arrested on DWI charge and other charges for rollover. Notifies supervisors. Driver’s license revoked until May 1996.
May 29, 1995: Suspended from work 30 days because of AWOLs.
July 13, 1997: Arrested on DWI charge in Sanders, Ariz. Convicted. Larson notifies supervisor.
May 15-16, 2001: AWOL two days.
May 16, 2001: Arrested on DWI charge by Navajo police. Charges dismissed on technicality. Notifies supervisor.
May 24, 2001: Navajo Times reports Larson’s May 16 arrest.
May 31, 2001: Supervisor sees newspaper article, sends letter.
June 4, 2001: Larson responds to letter, saying his driver’s license is still valid.
Aug. 11, 2001: Arrested on DWI charge by Navajo police. Convicted, sentence deferred, ordered to DWI school. Supervisor notified.
Aug. 16, 2001: Navajo Times reports Aug. 11 DWI arrest.
Jan. 17, 2002: BIA check shows Larson driver’s license valid.
Jan. 25, 2002: Drives BIA truck wrong way on I-40, slams head-on into Cadillac, killing Nebraskans Edward and Alice Ramaekers and Larry and Rita Beller. Admits to drinking nine beers.
April 23, 2002: Pleads guilty to four counts of second-degree murder. Sentenced to 20 years.
Source: Testimony, court documents from both plaintiff and defendant [in current wrongful-death case being tried in Federal court].
He’s going to have to take taxi’s from now on,
Actually, he’ll be walking along a yellow line from now on. And I can only hope that enforced sobriety will make him reflect on what he did….and keep him from ever having a good night’s sleep again.