By Libby Cluett
lcluett@mineralwellsindex.com
For most Mineral Wells residents, Thursday morning offered business as usual. The wind was strong and the sun was out.
However, emotions were high at Mineral Wells High School.
In a staged car wreck, students lost two classmates, three more were taken to Palo Pinto General Hospital and treated for injuries and one was taken to jail.
These students were part of the “Every 15 Minutes” program. In addition to the six involved in the car wreck, a person posed as the “Grim Reaper” pulled one student out of class every 15 minutes throughout the school day.
Thursday’s simulated events symbolized the loss of life every 15 minutes from car accidents involving drunken drivers.
“If we can save one kid from a drinking and driving accident, then it’s worth it,” said project coordinator Vicki Bowman, Human Resources Manager at Corrections Corporation of America.
Bowman along with students, MWHS faculty and well over 20 emergency personnel from the fire department, EMS, highway patrol and law enforcement orchestrated Thursday’s re-enactment. She first saw the event acted out at a CCA facility in Idaho with the intention of bringing it to Mineral Wells.
It had such an affect on her that she brought together a team of students, parents, teachers and emergency professionals to hold this program in 2005 and brought the two-day program back this year.
“In the beginning, everyone is taking it lightly,” said Bowman about the morning of the first day. “They don’t see the importance of the program.”
“By the time the program is over, reality sets in. When they see their parents breaking down, that seems to make a difference [to the students]. It doesn’t just affect them, it affects their parents, classmates and the whole community,” she added.
At the mock crash scene, two cars collided head-on. One contained three senior female cheerleaders, returning from a competition and trying to reach their male buddies by cell phone. Another car had three young drunken males, who just left a party, looking for the cheerleaders and for more alcohol.
Shortly after the crash, fire trucks arrived, followed by ambulances, state troopers and many other emergency and law enforcement personnel.
Emergency crews worked quickly to stabilize the cars and cut passengers out with hydraulic equipment such as saws and the Jaws of Life.
“Don’t be scared. You’re going to hear a lot of noises. That’s just the rescue squad stabilizing the car,” said one female emergency crew member who wore a microphone.
Students watched as their classmates were pulled from the vehicles and taken away by ambulance. One was flown away by an Air Evac Lifeteam helicopter.
Air Evac light nurse Kevin Kinder and paramedic Eddie Smith said they had to mock-intubate cheerleader Alyssa Youngblood. To do so, they “administered” an analgesic, sedatative and medication to paralyze her so she would not have a severe gag reflex that might endanger the flight and crew.
At the hospital, Youngblood was given Epinephrine and Atropine to jolt her system out of cardiac arrest. She coded and was declared “dead” at 10:47 a.m.
The “drunken driver,” Bryce Harrington, was eager to see his girlfriend Alyssa Youngblood. Not only did he kill her, but he also “killed” his good friend Nathan Blakley and injured classmates Dillon Hickey, Sharee Beck and Courtney Shelton.
Harrington was “booked” for two counts of intoxicated manslaughter and appeared before a judge who set his bond at $75,000.
His girlfriend, Youngblood, was looking forward to, “Graduating, going to college, having a family and becoming a pediatrician.” She just finished cheerleading and was eager to plan a date with Blakley for the weekend.
“It’s a life-changing experience,” Youngblood said about the “Every 15 Minutes” program and mock car crash.
The sounds made an indelible impression on Youngblood and her friend Shelton. Shelton had a protruding compound fracture on her forearm made of chicken bones, fake skin and blood. She was trapped in the back seat and emergency crews sawed off the car roof to remove her.
“It’s really scary, especially when they were sawing the vehicle.” said Shelton.
As she “recovered” in the hospital ER, Shelton, who competes in powerlifting, said that if this was reality she would be upset that she broke her arm and could not lift at state competition on March 16.
Dillon Hickey said of the crash scenario, “I didn’t feel good about it. I was doing fine [as he sat in the back seat of the car] and then Bryce came over to the window and touched my arm and was crying. Then I started crying.”
Parents arrived at the hospital not long after the crash. Diana Miller, Dillon Hickey’s mother was glad her son was alive. Hickey, who was a back seat passenger in the drunk driver’s car, suffered a compound fracture on his knee. According to Miller, a nurse, her son’s knee injury – and the hangover he would suffer – would be the least of his worries.
“Whatever is broken, we can fix it. At least he’s alive,” said Miller who thought she would be very upset if this was a real situation.
Kathy and Hoss Blakley met with Dr. John Jones, Emergency Room Director and a counselor to hear the news that their son Nathan “died” at the scene.
Jones walked the parents back to the hospital “morgue” where Rual Perkins from Baum-Carlock-Bumgardner Funeral Home unzipped a body bag enough to uncover Nathan Blakley’s face so his parents could say “goodbye.”
His mother lovingly touched her son and kissed his forehead as real tears ran down her face.
Kathy Blakley said she felt like she was in denial with the thought that her son “died” in this accident. Hoss Blakley said, if this was a true incident, he would miss, “Getting to see [Nathan] play baseball this evening and hear his voice.”
“We just went through this with some real close friends and it hits home,” said Kathy Blakley.
According to Bowman, the students involved in the crash and those taken by the Grim Reaper went to Southside Church of Christ where they developed team-building skills on the ropes course. Later, they heard a spokesperson from MADD and wrote goodbye letters to their parents.
“Every 15 Minutes” concluded this morning with a video of Thursday’s events and a “memorial service” at the MWHS auditorium.
Homepage
Every 15 Minutes
Emotions run deep as Mineral Wells High School students, parents and faculty take part in program that aims to show teens the grim possibilities of driving under the influence of alcohol
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In North Texas, drought is out
The U.S. Drought Monitor has reclassified the North Texas area as being not in drought for the first time since July, making it the first major area in Texas to emerge from the most severe one-year drought in state history.
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Texas primary elections date still uncertain
There will be a Texas primary election and a second filing period, according to Palo Pinto County Republican Chair Barbara Upham, but “when?” remains the question.
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According to crime reports for the past three years, Mineral Wells police responded to fewer violent crimes in 2011 than in the preceding two years.
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Rams to compete in District 6-3A next year: Santo, Millsap and Perrin-Whitt land in new, realigned districts

Mineral Wells will move to District 6-3A beginning Fall 2012 with Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis, Kennedale, Lake Worth, Castleberry and Springtown. Millsap, Santo and Perrin-Whitt also find themselves in new, realigned districts.
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Educators speak of budget-cutting consequences
Results from a recent survey conducted by the Texas American Federation of Teachers forecast significant changes based on the state’s $5.4 billion cut to education for the current biennium.
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SLIDESHOW: 'Horns hook Colbert
A Ram became a Longhorn shortly after 8 a.m. Wednesday morning when Mineral Wells Rams senior athlete Adrian Colbert signed a football letter of intent to play next fall at the University of Texas. Colbert, the defending Class 3A state 400-meter dash champion who earned two spots on the 2011 All-District 7-3A football team, will also run track at Texas. The defensive back/tight end/return specialist and National Honor Society student, chose Texas over TCU, Baylor and Texas A&M. Read the full story in today's Index, including the eEdition at http://mineralwellsindex.newspaperdirect.com.
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In North Texas, drought is out
- Local News
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Police Beat: Thefts, burglaries reported
According to Mineral Wells police reports, there were a number of property crimes reported over the past few days.
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Thursday Blotter
The following people were processed through the Palo Pinto County Jail.
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Driver killed in rollover wreck
The driver of a vehicle involved in a rollover crash just south of Mineral Wells Tuesday night died at the scene, according to authorities.
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Local farmers hoping to hang on to crop insurance in next farm bill
Last year, farmers in Palo Pinto County saw drought and record heat take their toll on their crops.
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Police Beat: Thefts, burglaries reported
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Rams stay atop district with road win
BURLESON -- Led by Mikevin Singletary's 20 points, the Mineral Wells Rams maintained their lead atop District 7-3A with a 60-41 win over host Centennial here Friday night.
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Three Rams in double figures in JV win over Bridgeport
Biren Clardy scored 14 points, Ty Ashley added 12 and Chris Valdez finished with 11 to lead the Mineral Wells Rams junior varsity to a 55-50 win over Bridgeport in a District 7-3A game Tuesday at the MWHS gym.
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Heading east
The University Interscholastic League has spoken, and it has instructed Mineral Wells to head east.
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Lady Rams, Rams win soccer tilts
Molly Clarke sored two goals from 20 yards out and added an assist to lead the Mineral Wells Lady Rams soccer team to a 4-2 victory over Fort Worth Diamond Hill Tuesday in a non-district match at Ram Stadium.
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Rams stay atop district with road win
- Education
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Lamar Elementary School Principal Parisa Lerma is pictured with Jordan Pierce, the most recent winner of the school's Box Tops for Education drawing. Jordan won a bag of books.
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Box tops raising money for Lamar Elementary
Parisa Lerma, Lamar Elementary School principal, recently presented a bag of books to the most recent winner of the Box Tops for Education drawing.
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Dads, father figures taking part in Houston's WATCH D.O.G.S. program
According to Tymmie Boyd, Houston Elementary School counselor, approximately 350 dads or other father figures and students attended a kick off pizza party to begin a new national program called WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) on Jan. 19.
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JUNIOR ACHIEVERS- Max Grider
On Fridays during the school year, the Mineral Wells Index and Mineral Wells Junior High will spotlight a student based on his or her achievements both in and out of the classroom.
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Travis Elementary School Honor Roll
Third six weeks
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Box tops raising money for Lamar Elementary






