Telegraph Herald of Dubuque, Iowa
May 11, 2010
Chief Knows Heartbreak of Texting and Driving
Elizabeth police chief shares his personal tragedy -- his teenage daughter's fatal accident -- with hundreds of students in the area.
By BEKAH PORTER contact info at contact
GALENA, IL. -- Scott Toot struggled to squelch his tears.
"I have a hard time controlling my emotions when it comes to my daughter," he told the 300-plus middle school students.
Behind him stood an enlarged photo of his teenage daughter.
"Chelsea loved life," he said. "That's the only way I can describe her."
The picture showed a beaming brunette wearing a pink prom dress.
"The car accident last summer changed my whole world ... in the most horrible way," he said.
***
On Monday, Toot -- Elizabeth's police chief -- addressed hundreds of Jo Daviess County middle school students from Warren, East Dubuque, Scales Mound, Galena and River Ridge schools. His presentation was part of a larger performance by the not-for-profit ensemble, MWAH! (Messages Which Are Hopeful!) troupe.
The traveling group is comprised of 12 Illinois teenagers who use song, dance and acting to teach students about various social topics, including cyber bullying, racism, suicide, respect and school shootings.
But the topic that had the most impact was texting and driving, as Toot shared his family's story:
***
"Chelsea had just turned 17 and was on the brink of adulthood. She was turning into an ... adult with a bright future ahead of her.
Monday, July 27 of last year was the afternoon that the bottom dropped out of our world.
Earlier that afternoon, I saw her trying to parallel park. I pulled up alongside her and she smiled and waved. I waved back at her, and that's the last time I saw her alive. Later that afternoon, (another law enforcement official) called me to tell me to meet him at the police station. He asked me to sit down, and I knew from the look on his face that something was wrong.
He said there was an accident outside Savanna, and that Chelsea was in it and that she did not survive.
I just wanted to get to my other daughters. I had to tell them their sister was dead. I had to tell Chelsea's mother that our daughter was dead. I had to tell my parents that their granddaughter was dead.
(When I got the police report), there was no denying that she had been texting and driving and that it caused the accident.
We will never be able to talk to Chelsea again. I will never get to walk her down the aisle or see her children. Instead of watching her graduate on Sunday, May 30, I will be going to visit her grave.
Life can change in an instant."
***
Toot ended his speech with a plea.
"When you start driving, please be careful," he said. "Stay off the cell phone, period."
And then he wiped away his tears, and the audience responded with a standing ovation.
For the next hour, the assembly continued, with police officials and peers alike asking the students to make the right decisions in the future.
Then at the end of the program, Toot walked out of the school with his two living daughters.
"I would not wish what happened to Chelsea or my family on anyone," he said.
