An emotional Jerrold Mason told the Sun Journal Thursday he hoped some good would come from the manslaughter conviction of Kristina Lowe, and from the deaths of two young people, including his daughter.
Rebecca Mason, 16, and Logan Dam, 19, were killed Jan. 7, 2012, on Route 219 in West Paris when the car Lowe was driving left the road at high speed and struck some trees.
Lowe now faces up to 30 years in prison on each of two manslaughter convictions.
Testimony during last week’s trial showed Lowe had been drinking and smoking marijuana shortly before the accident, was speeding and had received a text message minutes before the car went off the road.
“Maybe some kids will learn. Maybe they’ll pay attention to what they’re doing,” Mason said after the trial ended. “They’re going to end up paying, and it’s not worth taking that risk.”
That, of course, is the hope: That young people will see, in bitter detail, that even a single evening of reckless behavior and a split second of inattention can have tragic consequences.
Two promising young people are gone as a result of Lowe’s mistakes, and the tragedy will forever haunt multiple families.
Parents can warn children over and over, but we can hope the heart-wrenching reality of this trial leaves a lifelong impression.
Another lesson from the trial is that young people must chose their friends carefully and have the strength of character to recognize basic right from wrong.
Testimony showed that the actions of Lowe and many — but not all — of the other party-goers before and after this accident were despicable and self-serving, considering the gravity of the situation.
First, of course, was the indefensible behavior of a young adult at the party who allegedly supplied alcohol to underage drinkers, and another man who apparently provided them a place to drink.
If they had behaved appropriately, this tragedy might never have happened.
Then there were the others at the party who clearly recognized that Lowe appeared to be intoxicated and who briefly prevented her from driving. Ultimately, however, they watched as she got behind the wheel of a borrowed car and drove away with three young lives in her hands.
Better to incur hard feelings by preventing a drinker from driving than to attend funerals and live forever with the guilt of knowing you might have prevented a fatal accident.
Lowe’s behavior after the deadly accident showed an especially chilling lack of remorse for her actions and lack of compassion for the other victims of the accident.
First, she showed far more interest in fleeing the scene than in seeking help for the severely injured back-seat passengers of the wrecked car.
She could have gone straight to a nearby residence after the wreck and summoned help. Instead, she walked past two dozen homes to return to the party.
Upon returning to her friends, Lowe was more concerned about evading responsibility than in getting help for the crash victims.
Lowe even told a man at the party not to call the police because she “didn’t want to go to jail.”
And what had become of her friends left behind in the cold, dark wreck? Again, Lowe’s primary concern was dodging police and evading responsibility.
After the accident, and after Lowe walked back to safety, many of those at the scene seemed more concerned about fleeing or covering up what had happened.
Fortunately, two people at the party, one a 14-year-old, had the presence of mind to call for help.
The younger caller said Lowe “was telling me not to call. She said, ‘No, no, no, don’t call.’”
The other said that when Lowe learned the girl had called 911, Lowe “asked if we were leaving and, if we were, could we take her with us.”
Even after being told at the hospital that her two friends had died, Lowe tried to blame another injured passenger, Jacob Skaff, for the crash by claiming he was behind the wheel.
In a tape-recorded interview, Lowe asked a police officer, “What if this is all my fault and I get nailed for, like, manslaughter and stuff?”
Again, Lowe’s primary concern seemed to be not “getting nailed” and saving her own skin.
Sadly, hindsight cannot erase this tragedy.
But young people can clearly see how important it is to choose their friends carefully. Some people recognize basic right from wrong; some people have genuine concern for their friends and others do not.
Often these traits quickly become apparent, well before something bad happens.
Clearly, Kristina Lowe was not a friend. For two young people and their families, that knowledge came too late.
The opinions expressed in this column reflect the views of the ownership and the editorial board.
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