An open letter from WWAY to Judge Ola Lewis regarding DWI dismissal

June 11, 2010

The Honorable Ola M. Lewis
Senior Resident Superior Court Judge
Judicial District 13B
310 Government Center Drive
Bolivia, NC 28422

RE: An open letter request for interview

Dear Judge Lewis:

Over the past three months, this TV station has had to cover a multitude of wrecks involving DWI charges. For instance:

> In March, Thomas Paradise allegedly drove through the yard of a mobile home located in Columbus County, hit two men and killed one. Paradise is charged with DWI – and had five prior drunk driving convictions.

> In May, Isaisas Martinez-Garcia crashed into a Dairy Queen in Wilmington. He had four DWI convictions and was an illegal immigrant.

> Also in May, 38-year-old Satu Harris was killed when investigators say 22-year-old Daniel Brennick hit her head on in your own county. The wreck killed the mother. Brennick’s record included reckless driving and driving while consuming a controlled substance under the age of 21 in 2007, along with assault of an officer in 2006.

> In May, Randi Petrolino crashes her car at Wrightsville Beach. Investigators say the 19-year-old blew a point .04 and had been huffing.

> Also in May and also again in your home county, investigators say Richard Constantineau crossed the center line and hit 23-year-old Stephanie Heath head-on. That wreck killed her as well. Constantineau has an extensive record of reckless driving. He has been charged five times. His offenses also include a hit and run and failure to reduce speed. Constantineau has also been charged with fraudulently attempting to obtain a controlled substance, but all of those charges were dismissed.

> And in June, Wrightsville Beach Police say 32-year-old Jedadiah Woodcock hit two people walking in the 500 block of Causeway Drive. Woodcock is charged with DWI and aggravated assault with a motor vehicle. He’s also charged with driving while having his license revoked and is in the New Hanover County Jail. He plead guilty in January to another DWI charge. According to court documents related to that case, his license was revoked at that time.

In 2008 – statistics showed New Hanover and Brunswick Counties had more drunk driving arrests than any other county in the state. That year, more than 1,500 people were arrested.

Then this week, we learned that you dismissed a DWI conviction appeal from Oak Island Fire Chief John House. The Highway Patrol says House blew a .14 at a checkpoint, almost twice the legal limit of .08. We also learned that you dismissed the case because a trooper was delayed getting to your courtroom. You also dismissed the case “with prejudice” which, as we understand it, means House can never be tried on the charge again – a move a legal expert we talked with says is very rare.

Judge Lewis, we don’t understand. After all of the wrecks attributed to DWI’s these past 90 days – two of which resulted in the deaths of a mother and a daughter, how can a case like this be dismissed? You told us Thursday you wouldn’t comment on your ruling due to “judicial law.” However, since you dismissed it with prejudice, we don’t understand why you can’t discuss a case that will never be tried again.

We ask that you not hide behind your bench on this ruling. Our viewers and the people who voted you to that position want answers. Please accept this letter as a formal request for you to sit down with us and help us understand your decision to dismiss the DWI charge against Oak Island Fire Chief John House.

Sincerely,

Scott Pickey
News Director
WWAY-TV
spickey@wwaytv3.com