Isaac Robert Longo, the Face of Marijuana Manslaughter?

By Matt Coker Wed., Aug. 4 2010 at 11:40 AM

Categories: Cannabis Chronicles, Crime & Sex, OC Media, Politics

Don't be surprised if Isaac Robert Longo becomes a poster child for the evils of driving while high by forces girding to defeat marijuana legalization in California this November.

After all, the 33-year-old Placentia man smoked pot before causing a five-car pileup on the 55 freeway in November 2007 that killed an 82-year-old woman and injured four others.

But there is more to consider here before spooking voters with this tragic tale.

Fox and Friends fear mongers.

Longo, who had prior DUI convictions in 1998 and 2000, pleaded guilty last week to one felony count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and he admitted to sentencing enhancements and allegations for causing great bodily injury and causing bodily injury to multiple victims. He could get 15 years to life in state prison at his Sept. 10 sentencing in Santa Ana.

Seems like the makings of a pot bogeyman, but one must also consider Longo also tested positive for the prescription medications Clonazepam, a strong medication that controls seizures and relieves panic attacks, and Gabapentin, another anti-seizure drug that also relieves pain from shingles.

I just checked, and there are no voter initiatives on the November ballot seeking to make Clonazepam and Gabapentin legal because they already are--with a physician's script.

Public Safety First, a group composed of law enforcement and MADD types mounting opposition to Prop 219, ignores the prescription menace and instead points to an unpublished report by Al Crancer, a retired National Highway Traffic Safety Administration researcher who famously authored a 1969 study showing that marijuana had no evident effect on driving performance.

Crancer, who now runs his own stats-for-hire business, finds in his new report that legalization could cause a tripling in marijuana-caused accidents.

Fox News' Fox and Friends program and its dead-behind-the-eyes anchorbots recently hosted a police chief pointing to the Crancer study as evidence that pot legalization will spill buckets and buckets of more blood on California asphalt.

However, the Fox report failed to note that Crancer still believes that marijuana is safer than alcohol. And, while pointing to a recent doubling in the incidence of marijuana in fatal drivers in California, he noted alcohol was present in about half of those cases.

I just checked, and there is no voter initiative on the November ballot seeking to make alcohol legal because it already is--if you're over 21.

What about the other half of those pot-related fatalities? Tellingly--well, un-tellingly--Crancer does not say whether other impairing substances were also in the blood of those drivers.

Remember, this is a state where Twinkies have been found to be an impairing substance.

Crancer asserts that the significant jump in pot-related fatals accompanies the legalization of medical marijuana in the Golden State. (Wonder if he issues similar reports every time a new prescription drug is released on the market?)

Dale Gieringer at California's National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) does a great job of swatting Crancer's study aside like it's a blind gnat.

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Minime, what a name to put on this site. I knew you. You never knew him. NEVER. You were always so jealous of him, though. You are mini, that's for sure. You're NOTHIN' and it bugs you. Why don't you just tell everyone here exactly what YOU did. Or shall Jeannie write a little note about YOU.
He is an intellectually gifted and extremely liked young man and always has been. You obviously did NOT know him at all Minime. Matter of fact, I KNOW that you didn't know him. What's your name? IDIOT!
Highly political case, as Proposition 19 was soon to be on the ballot. This young man was a sacrificial lamb in order to keep prop 19 from passing. He was not high on cannibus as it does not last 12 hours. It lasts 2 hours at most. There is no scientic proof that marijuana causes impairment of driving said the D.A.'s specialist in the field. Matter of fact, it appears to improve driving. Clonazepam (Klonopin) develops a tolerance quickly. He had lowered the dose emmencely, therefore, Clonazepam had no effect on his driving since he was immune to it's effects, nor did Gabapentin (Neurontin-non addictive). His doctor told him that he may drive on all medications and agreed with the medical cannibus as it helped greatly in lowering Clonazepam (Klonopin) since no doctor would help him to lower it, as he went to many for help. The cross over off ramp is extremely dangerous and the city of Anaheim, should be held responsible for this accident. There is construction there, as I write, however, they still are doing nothing for the cross over portion. The off ramp should be closed. The sentence was unbelievably severe. There was not a drop of alcohol involved. There was no intoxication. You'd be shocked at the D.A.'s submittal of a report from 11 years ago and not a report of 2007, the time of the accident. This would make the submittal of such a report, a false submittal of a report. This young man has a heart of gold and has taken the heat so that the family of the 83 year old would not have to go to trial. His heart goes out to them, as he has a heart. This young man deserves a much lesser sentence such as the original sentence, at the first portion of the preliminary hearing of a 6 year sentence. In addition, the city must take responsibility for a cross over off ramp that people avoid like the plague. There is no justice when a decent young life is stolen. The family of this young man suffers minute by minute. Can you imagine his mother's pain? Can you? His 83 year old grandfather whom was like a father to this young man, died less than a month prior to his turning himself over to the court. Free this young man. Someone must be out there who can take this case. As Enough is Enough!
He's an idiot completely. I knew him, I grew up with him. Sad story, but he got what he deserved.
Isaac was a good friend back in high school. I agree he would never have hurt anyone. However, I remember him well. I used to hide his keys when he drank to much. I am so sad for him and hope he get his life together
I just read the little voters handbook that California mails out every year around this time. MAAD is saying that the new MJ initiative will now allow drivers to smoke weed right up until they get behind the wheel. Wait... So people don't do that already? At all? NO ONE drives high yet? Are you kidding me? Give me a break. I would say that 90% of the people who smoke MJ don't even think twice before driving on it. Put some clear eyes in so you can see and you're on you're way. Let's not forget about how with alcohol you can drink right up until you get behind a wheel too... Right before you smash into a pole and kill yourself because your vision is SPINNING. Studies have shown there is no correlation between legalization of controlled substances and any increase in usage of said substance. So what makes you think that driving issues will TRIPLE? Get your damn facts straight, because you are putting out false information. Hater.
By the way, in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, the attendanct was asked by Isaac Longo, if he could take his meds and she said "yes, just don't choke and die". So how unfair is this case to Isaac Longo? totally political, biased and Wrong. Set him free.
Isac Longo, absolutely had prescriptions for Klonopin and any med, He is being set up and it is all political. The reports were absurd, totally untrue, and I have them. I just couldn't believe what incredible lies were in there. Shame on the D.A.'s. Lets get together and save this young man.
Oh come on. How many peple are driving on meds? Lets get off this hypocritical mindset. Medical cannabus is the safest of all meds and should be legal accross the board. This young man was only 30 years old when the accident occurred and he felt such remorse, in spite of the many, many holes in the case. Mad Mothers is just that, MAD. no one can tell me they don't drink and drive. isaac doesn't drink at all. And he TOOK medical cannabus at home, at night to sleep. That's it. The so called experts, made a complete false report. I have that report. He was not on any 20mg of Klonopin while driving. Ask his Dr., And Kawakaka lied, and Bias, the D.A. was very misinformed by stating that Isaac took 8mg at one time a few hours prior to accident. How insane is that? It was a biased case and being used to stop the marijuana proposition in November 2010. Personally, alcohol should be illegal, not marijuana. This young man, Isaac, is being set up! He needs to be protected against the political system. He is caucasion, a great person and worked hard at a job even under the hardest of circumstances. The D.A. Bias should be ashamed of himself and so should Ms. Price, another D.A. This is not just my opinion. This is fact.
FACT IS THAT ISAAC HAD A HIGH TOLERANCE FOR CHLONAZEPAN (KLONOPIN) AND WAS ON A RELATIVELY LOW DOSE, AND THEREFORE, IT HAD NO AFFECT ON HIS DRIVING AT ALL. IT WAS STATED IN THE PRELIMINARY HEARING. THIS WAS STATED BY HIS ATTORNEY AND IT IS UNFAIR TO TAKE A YOUNG MAN, WHO WAS 30 YEARS OLD WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURED. ONCE AGAIN, THE 82 YEAR OLD WOMAN WHO'S 63 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, SAID THAT SHE WAS ON HER WAY TO A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT FOR HER MOTHER. AT 5PM? PERHAPS SHE WAS ON HER WAY TO KAISER HOSPITAL OFF OF LAKEVIEW. BIG DIFFERENCE. ISAAC'S ATTORNEY STATED THAT CYCILLIA'S HEALTH WAS IN VERY POOR CONDITION. ISAAC STILL FEELS SO SAD AND REMORSEFUL,HE IS SUFFERING TREMENDOUSLY, HOWEVER, I BELIEVE HE WAS SET UP IN ORDER TO KEEP THE MARIJUANA LAW FROM BEING ACCEPTED. NOT FAIR. HE IS A WONDERFUL, YOUNG MAN AND THE D.A.S UNFAIR JUDGEMENT WAS HORRENDOUS! THEY KNOW THAT!
TOTALLY AGREE: MARIJUANA HAS NO SCIENTIC PROOF WHATSOEVER OF CAUSING IMPAIRMENT OF DRIVING. MATTER OF FACT, IT IS STATED THAT THOSE ON MARIJUANA DRIVE BETTER ON THE SUBSTANCE AS THEY ARE MORE CAREFUL. LET THE POOR YOUNG GUY GO!!! IT'S A POLITICAL ISSUE TO TRY TO KEEP MARIJUANA OFF THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER. SO I HAVE TO AGREE WITH: Anonymous says: People feed too much into Gov't controlled studies and the media they feed to you. It's yellow journalism. What other substance are they on at the time? Do they already have a health problem that could complicate driving? Honestly, I have driven high on marijuana. It's nothing like being drunk. You can actually function a lot better on Marijuana than you can on being drunk by consumption of alcohol. It's all about mentality, not the drug. If you're an idiot who isn't observant or aware of your surroundings while on marijuana. You shouldn't be driving at all. Don't blame it on the drug, blame it on the person. Posted On: Sunday, Aug. 8 2010 @ 10:47AM
The accident occured when Isaac was 30 years old and there are so many holes in the case that I find this to be horrific for him. He suffered so much, much, his grandfather who was like a father to him, recently died, and Isaac has such kindness in his heart. He is American, caucasion and fact is that it was proven by the D.A.'s witness in the priliminary hearing, that THERE IS NO SCIENTIC PROOF FOR IMPAIRED DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF MARIJUANA AS FAR AS DRIVING. MATTER OF FACT, IT WAS PROVEN THAT PEOPLE DRIVE BETTER UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF CANNABUS, AS THEY ARE QUITE AWARE AND EXTREMELY CAREFUL. IT WAS STATED! ESPCIALLY HOURS LATER. ISAAC WAS NO WAY HIGH ON MEDICAL CANNABUS HOURS AFTER PICKING UP HIS TRUCK. FACT IS, THE MECHANIC DID DAMAGE TO ISAAC'S TRUCK AS ISAAC WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH HIS TRUCK AND 20/20 EVEN HAD A PROGRAM REGARDING SUCH ISSUES. EVEN THE OWNER SAID THAT ISAAC WAS CLEAR MINDED AND QUICK MINDED. AND HE WAS. EVERYONE WHO CAME IN CONTACT WITH HIM ATTESTED TO THAT. So I think that this attractive young man is being used by THE MAD MOTHERS OF DUI AND HE WAS NO WAY DRUNK. THE TEST WAS 0.0 AND HE HAD THE TEST DONE TWICE. HE WAS ABUSED MENTALLY BY THE ARRESTING CHP OFFICER FOR 6 HOURS. PERSONALLY, I THINK THIS YOUNG MAN WAS SET UP AND SHOULD BE FREED! He obviously felt such remorse for a tragic accident AND SUFFERED ENOUGH! HE FELT SUCH REMORSE, POOR GUY. THE 82 1/2 YEAR OLD WOMAN COULD NO WAY BE GOING TO A DOCTOR'S VISIT AT 5PM, AND SHE VERY WELL MAY HAVE BEEN GOING TO KAISER HOSPITAL AND MAY, POOR LADY, BE DYING. NEVERTHELESS, ISAAC FEELS SO MUCH REMORSE AND SUFFERS MORE THAN A HUMAN SHOULD. AMERICA? IS THIS AMERICA? But there are so many holes in this accident that this young man is being used and this is so unfair. This is AMERICA. THOSE AGAINST CANNABUS, ARE USING HIM AGAINST THE NOVEMBER BALLOT IN ORDER TO KEEP MARIJUANA ILLEGAL. YET PEOPLE DRINK, AND COME ON, THOSE WOMEN IN MAD MOTHERS DON'T DRINK? I JUST DON'T BELIEVE THAT. THEY WOULD BE BETTER OFF TO USE MARIJUANA, LEGALLY, OF COURSE, AS ISAAC ALWAYS USED IT NIGHTLY FOR SLEEP, LEGALLY. HE HAD A PRESCRIPTION. HE NEVER EVEN USED IT IN THE DAY. The reason that Isaac was used, was due to an illegal allien from Mexico, that was in a car accident a couple of months after the November 7 accident.That's when the illegal alien ran into our AMERICAN baseball player. Isaac didn't even know this drunken man. The illegal man was from Mexico and drunker than heck! Isaac was not a drinker. For him to have things put on his record when he was only a baby of 21 years old, IS NOT FAIR! Let's save Americans! Slam the borders shut! For heaven's sakes, send Mexican illegals back to Mexico. Let's help Americans. Isaac is caucasion American for heaven's sakes. I did much study on his case. I am in the legal system. Therefore, I have knowledge that many others do not. Isaac should not serve such a horrific sentence. Thank you, Suzi
ISAAC WAS NOT HIGH WHEN HE DROVE HIS CAR FROM THE MECHANICS COMPANY. I KNOW, BECAUSE I WAS WITH HIM. HE HAS BEEN SET UP! CAT
FACT IS THAT IT WAS STATED AT THE PRELIMINARY HEARING THAT THERE IS NO PROOF WHATSOEVER THAT MARIJUANA CAUSES ANY PROBLEMS WITH DRIVING. MATTER OF FACT, ONE USES MUCH CARE WHEN DRIVING ON MEDICAL CANNIBUS. ISAAC WAS NOT ON ALCOHOL NOR WAS HE ON ANY ILLEGAL DRUGS.KLONOPIN? WELL, HE WAS SO IMMUNED TO IT, THAT HE COULD NOT EVEN FEEL IT. HE IS A DECENT, GREAT HUMAN BEING AND HE ALSO WORKED HARD AT A JOB, EVEN UNDER HORRENDOUS CIRCUMSTANCES, AND IS BRILLIANT AS A HUMAN. HE DID NOTHING ILLEGAL. HE JUST DIDN'T DO THAT KIND OF THING. HE DID NOT DRINK. I BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT HE HAS BEEN SET UP. HE HAS A GREAT ATTORNEY AND THAT ATTORNEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE UTILIZED. THE MAD MOTHERS MAKE ME WANT TO SAY, HEY, HAVE THEY NOT DRANK AND DRIVEN? HARDLY. I JUST DON'T BELIEVE THAT THOSE WOMEN DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE. ISAAC DID NOT DRINK AND DRIVE! AT LEAST ISAAC NEVER DRANK AS HE GREW OLDER AT NOW 33. HE WAS 21 WHEN HE GOT A DUI. A BABY. ON NOVEMBER 7, 2007 I TOOK HIM TO PICK UP HIS CAR AND HIS CAR WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AS MANY MECHANICS DO THAT SO THAT THEY WILL HAVE THEIR CUSTOMERS RETURN. ISAAC WAS PERFECTLY CLEAR HEADED AND SO CLEAR HEADED THAT I REMEMBER THINKING THAT HE WAS CLEAR MINDED MORE THAN ANYONE ON THE STREET. OH MY GOD. HOW COULD THOSE PEOPLE AGAINST LEGAL CANNABUS BE SO CRUEL AND STATE SUCH AWFUL THINGS, AND THEY DRINK. ISAAC DID NOT DRINK. NOT AT ALL. A DUI? AT 21 YEARS OLD FOR HEAVENS SAKES. A CHILD. HAVE MERCY ON HIM. OH GOD, WHY WOULD ANYONE BE SO CRUEL AS TO SENTENCE HIM TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS? HE FELT SUCH REMORSE. SO MUCH REMORSE. THE 82 YEAR OLD WOMAN WAS ON HER WAY TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, LIKELY KAISER. SHE MAY HAVE BEEN DYING AT THE TIME. IT'S SO SAD, BUT ISAAC FELT SO VERY SAD ABOUT IT ANYWAY. ISAAC IS A GREAT AND WONDERFUL HUMAN BEING. HE CARES SO MUCH ABOUT PEOPLE AND ANIMALS AND HIS NEPHEW. HIS FIRST WORD WAS ISAAC. OH, GOD WHY. WHY DID THIS HAPPEN? ISAAC FEELS SUCH REMORSE BUT FROM ME, THERE WERE SO MANY HOLES IN THAT CASE. THIS IS A HIGHLY POLITICAL CASE DUE TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND LIES BY THE OFFICER KAWANADA. BY THE WAY, ISAAC WAS NO WAY HIGH WHEN HE DROVE HOME. OR TRIED TO GET HOME. THE FREEWAY THERE WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND REMAINS SO. PEOPLE AVOID GETTING OFF THERE. LAKEVIEW/55. IN ADDITION, FACT IS, THERE ARE SO MANY GREEN TRUCKS, AS I SEE THEM ALL THE TIME, SO THAT IS SIMPLY INADMISSABLE! CAT
I descovered while enjoying my favorite T.V. program that (4) of the the leading (5) anti-depressants prescribed under a physician's care and accepted by FDA regulators can cause heart failure or thoughts of suicide. If either accures on a state highway or local intersection w/school bus stops would there be a fight to take these knowingly harmful drugs off the market, much less declaring them illegal substances.
If you sit at a stop sign waiting for it to turn green, you're to high to drive pal. hahaha
Albert DeSalvo, I think you missed Glenda's sarcasm. Alfred you are scum, twisting facts and stats to fit the needs of the person signing your check. As long as you dont over do it, smoking a small amount can make you a better driver. From personal... tests, as long as its a small amount, small enough that I still have my wits about, my driving improves. I drive slower, I am more aware of speed limits and things of that nature for one reason. That reason is paranoia. Weed makes me very paranoid. Due to this, I am very weary of breaking the law and getting pulled over. I constantly check all of my mirrors, my speed limit, checking the cars around me, and everthing else involved with being a safe driver. But there is a very fine line of over doing it. Lets be real, it makes you high, and it makes you do stupid stuff. I have definitly sat at an intersection waiting for the STOP SIGN to turn green....
People feed too much into Gov't controlled studies and the media they feed to you. It's yellow journalism. What other substance are they on at the time? Do they already have a health problem that could complicate driving? Honestly, I have driven high on marijuana. It's nothing like being drunk. You can actually function a lot better on Marijuana than you can on being drunk by consumption of alcohol. It's all about mentality, not the drug. If you're an idiot who isn't observant or aware of your surroundings while on marijuana. You shouldn't be driving at all. Don't blame it on the drug, blame it on the person.
Wrong. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/03/990325110700.htm
Let's not forget that this should be a debate about the abuse of substance, not the substance itself. As said above, there are thousands of chemicals people use everyday, whether not they choose to drive impaired, or do anything else legitimately stupid is another story. This chap will get what he deserves for driving impaired and risking lives of others. Whether it be with Alcohol, Marijuana, Prescription drugs, or worse..
Here in Florida statistics show that nearly 100% of people who test positive for marijuana have used marijuana within the last month. Yes, I know this is frightening, children, but think of the millions of beeraholics wandering our streets and sidewalks -- and additional millions of Citizens Band radio users and spendthrift sailboat owners, two groups that are allowed to drive after dark without a note from their doctors. How DARE these marijuana addicts?! How DARE they??!!! I am appalled!
Alfred Crancer is a retard.
Well said Albert DeSalvo.
Glenda Beck, please tell you you do not have children, it would be a travesty if you reproduced. Morons tend to moronic babies. You moron.
the word "bullshit" comes to mind.
Mr Crancer, I was writing a response to your analysis before reading the comments and then noticed Chip had written almost the same thing I was writting. Either you have horrible analysis skills or you have a specific viewpoint you are pushing. The facts show that marijuana cannot be the primary cause of the increase.
"For the five years following establishment of the Medical Marijuana Program, there were 1240 fatalities in fatal crashes, compared to the 631 fatalities for the five years prior, for an increase of almost 100%. In 2008 there were 8 counties where more than 16% of the drivers in fatal crashes tested positive for Marijuana. Five of the 8 counties had rates over 20%." I shouldn't have to tell a "professional" statistician that correlation does not equal causation. If pot is the sole reason for the marked increase in fatalities, shouldn't over 50% of dead drivers have tested positive? Since someone can test positive for weeks after the mental effects of pot have worn off, the number would have to be much higher to say with any certainty that the increase of deaths COULD be pot-related. But by the numbers, a large part of the increase CAN'T have been caused by pot, because pot wasn't involved in that many fatalities. You break pot incidence down by county to show some big numbers, but you don't say whether the big-number counties had a bigger or lower increase in total deaths compared to the low number counties. If one county found 20% of drivers with pot in their system, and another found only 2%, and the percentage increase in traffic fatalities in those two counties was roughly the same, then you can say that it is extremely unlikely that pot had anything to do with it. Where are those numbers? You say the "facts" speak for themselves, yet what you present are not facts. You present statistics, spun to fit the desires of whatever company is signing your paycheck this week.
@alfred crancer "In 2008 there were 8 counties where more than 16% of the drivers in fatal crashes tested positive for Marijuana. Five of the 8 counties had rates over 20%. The facts speak for themselves." Yes, they do but unfortunately you omit one very compelling fact: That testing positive for marijuana in no way whatsoever implies drivers were under the influence of it at the time they crashed.
What a load of crap. "16% of the drivers in fatal crashes tested positive for Marijuana" All this means is that 16% of people smoke marijuana. That's it. Infer whatver you wish, but the fact remains that marijuana stays in your system for many weeks or even months after you've ingested it. Just because someone may have smoked marijuana a month ago does not mean that they are high while driving today. The tests don't differentiate between someone who smoked last month or 10 minutes ago. How do we know that these drivers were (1) at fault, and (2) high at the time of the accident? Can we know? Statistics are like... oh never mind. Continue with your witch hunt.
Thank you, Fox & Friends, for making America safe! Yes, we should all be very afraid of weed. The devil put it here, as we learned from the anti-marijuana propaganda films of the 1930's. As the oil and paper companies have proved, marijuana makes people question the ruling establishment and even the church! It also makes people play the piano much faster than should be allowed. Forgetting these lessons will lead to inter-racial marriages and a nation of drug-crazed zombies that vote democrat and eat organic food. Ignore the fact that the driver was also on (at least) 2 different mind-altering prescriptions... and has a history of ignoring sobriety as a precondition of driving. ONLY ALCOHOL SHOULD BE ALLOWED ON AMERICAS ROADS!
"Facts: [...] In 2008 there were 8 counties where more than 16% of the drivers in fatal crashes tested positive for Marijuana. Five of the 8 counties had rates over 20%" Drug tests for marijuana can come up positive for weeks to months after consumption. Maybe the high rates of positive tests in these counties are due to a growing percentage of cannabis users in California.
This is such an irrisponsible headline. Blame the weed, yet he was hyped up on pills. Because weed is in the headlines, the author wanted people to click on this story and read this rubbish.
I dont think that the dangers of driving while under the influence of Marijuana should have any impact whatsoever on whether or not it is legal. There are far more *legal* substances widely available, which are much more dangerous all around than good ol' Mary Jane. People just need to stop being idiots and driving when they are forked up.
The author never states whether Mr Longo had a doctor's prescription for the Clonazepam and Gabapentin. I wonder why?
Fine. Then let's prohibit alcohol. We can't have it both ways. Either marijuana intoxication is dangerous or it is not. If it is, it certainly isn't anywhere near as fatal as alcohol DUI. Prohibition has never worked in this country or any other. We are being comically naive if we think prohibiting marijuana use is preventing intoxication fatalities. And while we're at it, let's ban the most addictive, fatal substance of all - nicotine.
You would have to be stoned to imagine that being hight doesn't impair driving.
I just checked, this author is a twat
But Al what you aren't being told here and what you don't know is that Isaac was NOT under the influence of Mariajuana. So the CA DA just put another Innocent person behind bars only to satisfy a big wig politician that wants to stop the legalization of mariajuana.
Matt, the problem with the case surrounding Isaac is that he was not under the influence of Mariajuana! I know as a witness because I was with him previous to the accident for the whole of the day. He may had used it the day before but not the day of. He was working for me at my office in Orange. There is alot more that the DA isn't telling people about this. Isaac was only on prescription drugs which his Doctor had given him permission to use during the day and during his daily functions. Because of his days when he was young and he partied too much and the trouble he had gotten into he is now being used as an example in the wrong light. He was forced by the DA to plead guilty because some politician wanted to use him to stop the legalization of Mariajuana! So now he has to spend the next 15 years or more behind bars to satisfy some politicians itch to stop the legalization of Mariajuana? At most he is guilty of reckless driving and may deserve some discipline of some kind but not 15 to life! He is a good person and would never ever want to hurt a soul. He had no choice but to plead guilty to spare himself from spending the rest of his life behind bars!
Yes, I am a statistician available for hire. However I did the marijuana study on my own because I was concerned about how much things have changed since I did a government approved marijuana study in a U. of Washington laboratory using a driver simulator in 1970. Also, I was concerned that many would say, and have said, that the study was supported by those opposed to marijuana. It wasn't! I wondered if my 1970 study published in Science was still valid today. Things have changed since then. The marijuana today is significantly more potent than that used and supplied by the government in 1970. Further the real world driving environment today is infinitely more complex than the rudimentary driving environment simulated in that era. Using the Fatality Analysis Reporting System jointly developed by CA and the NHTSA, I analyzed the data concerning known driver use of marijuana in fatal crashes. The data was very clear that the magnitude of the problem was increasing in fatal crashes. In the five years after the Medical Marijuana Program was legalized in 2004 (Not the 1996 law which legalized marijuana for seriously ill persons) fatalities in CA nearly doubled. Facts: For the five years following establishment of the Medical Marijuana Program, there were 1240 fatalities in fatal crashes, compared to the 631 fatalities for the five years prior, for an increase of almost 100%. In 2008 there were 8 counties where more than 16% of the drivers in fatal crashes tested positive for Marijuana. Five of the 8 counties had rates over 20%. The facts speak for themselves. They speak loudly that marijuana is and will become a major driving problem.