This is a recent incident that happened in the Jackson area -- Pretty horrible, isn't it? An 82 year-old man drives by a school bus, hits a 10 year-old and drives off. There's more -- Watts was taking his wife to the hospital for outpatient treatment for terminal bone cancer. The appointment was postponed until that afternoon, and while they were returning home Watts struck the boy. Watts didn't turn himself in because he knew if he did, he wouldn't be able to take his wife to her afternoon chemotherapy appointment. Does the state incur the expense of a trial and incarceration of an 82 year-old man? Justice must be served, but how? What is appropriate justice for an 82 year-old man who accidentally kills a 10 year-old boy while taking his terminally ill wife to and from her chemotherapy treatment? Is it punishment? Is it leniency? You're the judge - what do you do?
If you go easy on him you have to go easy on everyone who had the same sob story. He was driving dangerously, he left the scene of an accident (a crime) he didn't care about the boys welfare, he acted selfishly. Whether he was worried about his wife is irrelevant. I won't even consider that. He killed a little boy. Take away his license and jail him. Someone else can take the wife to treatment, and the man can be released and allowed to visit her while she has her treatment, and can then return to jail.
