In Loving Memory of Jonathan Howard Kamp

 SADD- Students against destructive decisions

Drinking and Driving Mock Accident at Tippecanoe Valley High School

The Mentone Emergency services and Tippecanoe Valley High School has been asked by Chris Jones (who lost her son John Kamp) to take part in a Drinking and Driving mock accident and anti-drinking presentation.  Kamp was killed by a drunk driver on November 30, 2007.            

This mock accident scene is being staged by multi jurisdiction law enforcement and emergency service agencies to create awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving.  It will take place the morning of March 12, 2009 at Tippecanoe Valley High School  from 9:45 to 11:15 AM.  The mock DUI accident will be followed by a presentation for TVHS students in the main gym by Chris Jones. 

It is hoped that this realistic presentation will promote smart choices within the target audience, juniors and seniors at TVHS.  The following agencies will be involved with the presentation:

Indiana State Police

Mentone, IN Police Department

Kosciusko County Sheriffs Department

Mentone, IN Fire Department

Mentone, IN EMS

Akron, IN Fire Department

Parkview Samaritan Ambulance

Tippecanoe Valley High School SADD Chapter

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Victim’s mother pleads with

 teens: don’t drink and drive

By Ann Allen of the Rochester Sentinel

It’s been more than a year since Jonathan Howard Kamp died when his Chevy truck was hit by a drunk driver, but the memory of that night is still raw for his mother, Chris Jones.

“You have no idea what it feels like to be awakened at midnight to learn your son is dead,” she told students at Tippecanoe Valley High School. “I kept saying, ‘you have to be kidding,’ but the person calling wasn’t joking. John was dead. Alcohol was to blame.”

Her voice choking with emotion, Jones, a Kissimmee, FL, resident, pleaded with students, “If you drink, don’t drive.”

It was the same message TVHS Principal Kirk Doehrmann sounded a few minutes later. “You can’t imagine how hard it is to have a student killed in an accident involving alcohol.”

Also speaking were State Trooper Mike Meiser, Terry Engstrand of the Mentone Police Department and Howard’s sister, Jada Hooker.

“Let’s take the drinking out of driving,” they said while urging everyone to support an amendment to HB 1020 that would require ignition interlocks for all first time convicted drunk drivers. As the bill now stands, the interlocks are required after the second conviction. “That could be one death too many,” Jones said. Eight states now require the interlocks on first conviction.

Jones’ stance is backed by Laura Dean-Mooney, national president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Dean-Mooney and other members of MADD, who want the interlocks required after license suspension periods for those who refuse to submit to a field sobriety test.

Trooper Meiser said Jones offered to speak at area high schools but Valley was the only one to invite her.

Kamp attended Rochester schools before transferring to Valley where he graduated in 1997. His sister, Jada Hooker, has created a website in his memory that can be accessed at www.jonathanhowardkamp.com. In addition, decals on dozens of vehicles pay tribute to a young man whose life ended at 28.

“That drunk driver took 44 years from my son’s life,” Jones said. “He received a 25-year sentence—that’s almost half of what he took from John.”

Her presentation, coordinated by members of the TVHS Students Against Drunk Driving chapter, is the first of two pre-prom events. The second, originally scheduled for last week, will be April 30 with a mock accident. Participating will be the Indiana State Police, Mentone and Henry Township fire departments, Mentone police, Kosciusko Co. sheriff’s department and Parkview Hospital’s Samaritan helicopter.