By KJ MUSHUNG and URIAH KISER
STAFFORD, Va. — Daniel Ringler, 19, was arraigned in Stafford County General District Court Thursday on charges of reckless driving, possession of alcohol and driving while intoxicated with a minor in the car – all misdemeanors. He appeared before the Honorable J. Ventura with his left arm in a sling underneath a mushroom-colored button down shirt.
The possession of alcohol charge was added just last week. Ringler told the judge he plans to hire his own attorney. The judge then set the trial for Oct. 11 at 10 a.m.
Ringler, of Aquia Harbour, is charged in connection to a July 26 crash in the same neighborhood that left him and three others injured. Two female passengers in the car reportedly suffered broken backs, while another male passenger and Ringler, who was driving, suffered injures such as broken noses, hands, arms and ribs, the Stafford sheriff’s Major David Decatur told PotomacLocal.com.
The crash comes as police have been working to curb speeding in the neighborhood. However, when someone has decided to mix alcohol, driving and speed in the same equation, there’s little police can do to prevent a crash.
“There’s no speed control strategy on the planet that going to stop something like this from happening,” said Aquia Harbour Police Department Chief Patricia S. Harman.
But that doesn’t mean the department doesn’t try to prevent speeding on the Harbour’s narrow streets, most of which have a posted speed limit of 25 mph or lower.
A new tool for the department, the Traxpro speed analysis computer, has been deployed to some sections of the community after residents complained of speeding. The computer uses a radar system that tracks when and how often cars speed and can help officers better understand when and where to watch for speeders.
When the computer was set up on at the intersection of Columbus Cove and Columbus Drive where the speed limit is posted at 25 mph, it counted 597 cars traveling at an average speed of 29 mph over the course of seven days, between noon and 3 p.m.
“That’s surprising. I would have never thought that would be a peak time for speeding in that area, but this shows how helpful this tool can be to helping us to deter speeding,” said Harman.
She added that most drivers are distracted and many times are not trying to speed. Harman’s working to allocate funds for the installation of new solar panel speed limit signs that flash to alert drivers when they’re exceeding the posted speed limit on a street.
