JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – A Jacksonville Beach woman said she is haunted every day by the night she struck and killed a 24-year-old tourist while driving under the influence in 2015, and she is urging others to learn from her mistake.
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About 34 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes each day — about one person every 42 minutes, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.
Deborah Brewer said she had gone out to dinner and drinks with friends in May 2015. On the drive home, investigators said she struck Michael Gunderson, 24, who was walking on a sidewalk on Fourth Avenue North near Third Street North. Gunderson, who had been visiting from Wisconsin and was preparing to return home the next day, died at the scene.
“As I was standing there and they pulled out the sheet and put it over his body,” Brewer said. “All I could think about is the mother then telling her that her son is gone, and she won’t be able to talk to him anymore. And I decided that all I could do at that moment is pray.”
Her blood-alcohol concentration was measured at 0.165 and 0.167, records show. Brewer spent more than a year in the Duval County jail before taking a plea deal in 2018. She served about 6 1/2 years in state prison and was released early for good behavior to serve three years of probation. Her driver’s license has been permanently revoked.
“It was very shocking, and it was a pain that I never expected to feel in my whole entire life,” Brewer said.
Brewer described how her daily life has changed. “I live with my sister. I haven’t lived with my family in that sense of needing them to support me since I was 18 years old. I have to rely on people’s rights. Grocery store. I ride a bike, and, I have 1100 miles on my bicycle in one year now,” she said.
Those changes, she added, do not compare with the loss suffered by Gunderson’s family.
“You feel guilty for living your life and being with your family, or going out laughing or having a normal life that you used to have. And they don’t. And you carry that burden as well,” Brewer said.
Brewer showed the spot where the crash occurred and described the lasting effect.
“This is the spot where it happened. It’s very emotional. And so my body remembers the whole situation. So I feel I’m in a lot of anxiety,” she said.
Each year near the crash site, Brewer and her family place a yellow ribbon on a tree to honor Gunderson. Since her release, she has volunteered with Mothers Against Drunk Driving and warned others about the dangers of drinking and driving.
“I don’t want him to be forgotten, and I want the family to know that I am truly forever sorry,” Brewer said. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to feel that forgiveness for myself, but I know that if I continue moving forward with bringing awareness that I can be a positive member of society again.”
Brewer urged drivers to make a safe plan before going out. “Don’t drink and drive, not even one. Have zero,” she said.
Safety advocates say the safest choice is to arrange a ride before going out, whether a designated driver, a rideshare service or public transportation.