Justice not served for Bryce

LANCASTER- Lancaster resident Michael Ettipio, 23, who struck 14-year-old Bryce Buchholz of Elma while riding his bicycle home on Lake Avenue in May, was sentenced in early September.

Ettipio was sentenced to one to three years in prison for the hit and run crash and he did plead guilty to vehicular manslaughter. I can’t wrap my head around this sentence because it is not a fair sentence; it is not justice at all for someone who took the life of a young boy.

Even before the verdict came out, I was thinking 20 years to life, maybe? Something definitely went wrong here. I just don’t think it sets an example for someone who drinks and drives and kills someone. What is one to three years?

According to reports, it was found that Ettipio was three times over the legal blood alcohol limit for drivers when his vehicle collided and killed Bryce. Apparently, prosecutors said Ettipio was drinking for five hours at a local bar before he got behind the wheel of his car. His blood alcohol level was .24 percent.

Even though, Ettipio apologized for what he did and he feels remorse now, why did he leave the scene in the first place? He took no responsibility for what he did. He left the scene and killed an innocent child? I don’t care how many times he apologizes, this sentence is a joke. Erie County needs to enforce stricter penalties for drunk drivers.

It is really sad and I hope that when Ettipio does get out of prison this haunts him forever.

As far as the judge saying he believes the bar, Forestview Restaurant, should be responsible for serving Ettipio, I do agree with that. Bartenders/bars should be expected to know how much they have served a customer and instead of feeding them drinks to make a profit, they should stop serving them.

It is not that difficult to notice when someone is intoxicated. Why wasn’t Ettipio called a cab?

The Buchholz family has filed a civil lawsuit against Ettipio and the bar.