Sue's Crash Information
Sue was killed by a drunk driver; Richard Sugden Fields of St. Louis. He had left the "School House Bar" in Chesterfield, just shortly before he drove his car and crossed the center line, going onto the shoulder and striking Sue's car doing speeds in excess of 80 mph, head on. He basically got away with murder, a Judge of the courts in St. Louis Missouri, stated, "The courts felt my sister Sue was not considered a loss to society, as she was not a Doctor or Lawyer." The Judge further more stated that had her death impacted society, ( charges were filed by the State of Missouri, he was charged with reckless driving, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol & Manslaughter) Mr. Fields would have served time for her senseless death. Instead he served no time, and was free to repeat his drunken crime of vehicular homicide, due to the negligence of Judge William H. Crandall, JR. &Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Craig Ellis unwilling of upholding the laws to put this "murderer" in Jail! The records I received from the courts show that Prosecuting Attorney Courtney Goodman, JR had charged Richard with Manslaughter in September 1978, and requested bond be paid by Richard. On November 20, 1978 yet another Assistant Prosecuting Attorney John F. White endorses several witness and upholds the charge of Manslaughter. Sadly as you can tell there were a total of 3 different Prosecuting Attorney's handling this case, and sadly the last one Craig Ellis plea bargained with the murderer's attorney of my sister, I am very outraged at the outcome of SUE'S KILLER getting away with murder!!!!!! 2 years probation and only having to pay $150.00 to the courts!!! Is that all my sister's life was worth and meant to these people????
My Parents Attorney Ellsworth Cundiff, JR. felt that my parents and I did not need to attend any of the multiple trial dates. So we didn't go to the court for the trial dates, later however, thru our participation in MADD we learned that we SHOULD have been at all trial dates, and we should have had the opportunity of addressing the court with our impact statements. All I can think now is, we were not at any of the court dates, and here my sister's killer is there along with the judges and attorney's, but we were not there; had we been there it would have showed the judge, attorney's and my sister's killer; that we loved Sue so very much and her loss impacted our lives and multiple lives! This is extremely negligent on my parents attorney part. My parents attorney was able to locate the rental car that Richard was driving when he killed my sister. We went to the salvage yard to collect my sister's personal belongings out of her car, and found that the rental car Richard was driving had been there, however, once whomever found out we were coming to the salvage yard, his rental car was moved out of state and was located near Chicago Illinois. We called the salvage yard a couple day's after Sue was Killed to make sure they had her car there, and my Dad also asked if the other person's (Richard's) car was there, and the man at the salvage yard advised my Dad that both cars were there, however when we arrived at the salvage yard a couple hours later, Richards rental car was no longer there.
Here is the final outcome of what the courts have:
State of Missouri In the Circuit Court Of St. Louis County,
County Of St. Louis Missouri. Division Number 1
State of Missouri Tuesday, June 19, 1979
vs 415572 Plaintiff (PROBATION)
Richard Sugden Fields Defendant
Now at this day come the Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Craig Ellis, for and on behalf of the State, and the Defendant, Richard Sugden Fields, appears in his own proper person, as well as with his attorney, Alan Kimbrell; and said Defendant having been heretofore formally arraigned in open Court on November 15, 1978, and entered his peal of "NOT GUILTY," and on May 9, 1979, withdrew his former pleas of not guilty and entered his plea of GUILTY to the amended charge, Careless and Imprudent Driving by Improper Lane Usage, a misdemeanor, comes now before the Court for sentencing. Report of Pre-Sentence Investigation by the State Board of Probation and Parole received and examined by the Court; and said Defendant having no legal cause to show why judgment and sentence of this Court should not now be pronounced upon him, accordingly, the Court doth suspend the imposition of sentence.
HOWEVER, it is ordered and adjudged by the Court that said Defendant, Richard Sugden Fields, be and he is hereby placed on probation for a period of Two (2) Years, subject to the rules and provisions of the State Board of Probation and Parole. Special conditions of probation by Court: Defendant to seek psychiatric counseling. Defendant is granted Sixty (60) Days to pay Court Costs.
Signed by Judge William H. Crandall, JR.
Unfortunately I don't have any photo's of Sue's wreck, as the attorney had all that information, which he destroyed 5 years after the statue of limitations ran out.
It's time that the law's change, to which people who carelessly choose to drive under the influence and injure or kill someone are held accountable and serve serious time! A DUI driver is no different than a first degree murderer, it's time that DUI driver's serve a life sentence, when they take a life that is NOT theirs to take! Most DUI drivers don't care that they have changed the victim's families life forever! To date, most DUI drivers are free to repeat their crimes over and over without regard to their actions. First time offenders in most states are allowed to plea "nolo", even those DUI driver's who kill even repeatedly serve minimal sentences.
This is what I would have told the Judge, attorney's and Richard had I been given the opportunity to address them with an impact statement:
My life changed forever on July 19, 1978. This is the date my sweet sister Susan Rae Shy was killed. My sister was killed due the negligence of a drunk driver who had no value for her life or anyone's life. Sue never got the chance to live her life to the fullest, as she was killed just as she was starting her young adult life. I want to tell you all just what has been taken all too soon from this world, and just what type of person my sister was, I want you all to know her! Sue was always an honor roll student in school and in college, she completed her first year of college and was excited to be going back for her second year in a couple weeks prior to her death. She planned to major in a career field that would focus on people. She loved everyone so much and would only see the good in everyone. She truly believed that every person had good qualities and that they had much to offer this world. Not many people I know would seek out only the good qualities in a person the way Sue did. Sue had so many talents that brightened the day's of our lives.
Sue was such a sweet person, she had a very tender heart and would do anything she could to ensure those around her were happy. Her tender heart caused her great pain also as she would allow herself to be the one hurt to spare other's pain and hurt. Sue was a good Christian, she never drank, smoked, or abused any of our household rules. She truly enjoyed life and brought happiness to me and others around her. I miss her laughter so much, knowing I'll never hear her voice, or see her again is too much pain to bear. My memories of my sister will begin to fade over the years, but all I have now is memories, how am I and my family suppose to hug a memory?? Sue would still be here creating new memories for my family and I if the careless drunk wouldn't have driven that night. The nightmares of her death sadly will haunt me forever. And sadly the last memory I have of Sue is her in the casket. I will never see my sister again on earth. Sue and I should be growing in our adult years together, I miss the talks I had with her, the jokes we use to share, the shoulders we gave each other to cry on when we were hurt. Sue and I would play music together, which we both enjoyed, Sue played the flute and piccolo and I would play my clarinet. Sue often talked about how she wanted to have children and all she would do with her children and husband when she would marry and have children, now she'll never be able to accomplish her dream. We use to go to the mall and shop and have lunch together, we did so much together now I do things alone, with just the memory of my sister. The tears flow so greatly, because everywhere I look I remember how Sue was, and have to face the horrible fact that now she's not here. My family and I have been given a life sentence of grief and pain. All I see in our home is an empty place Sue once occupied, she should still be here!
Sue would have given anyone her last breath of air, if she had a choice she would give her life for others, and ultimately that is what she did. You see she died in the crash and the drunk lived, I can't help but wonder if making that choice to drive drunk was worth killing my sister?? Does her life mean nothing to a careless drunk? Sue meant the world to me, how do I go on after loosing her in such a tragic way? Why did she have to die, I want her here so badly, she should be here! Sue loved and enjoyed life so much, I never seen a person so full of life and happiness and love like my sister was. Now my life is forever altered, a part of me is gone forever also, as that part of me belonged to Sue, she holds a part of my heart and a part of my life that will never live again. How my sister lived and her life is now tarnished by how she died, the horrible way she had to die at the choice and hands of a drunk. This is not right! I will forever love my sister and treasure the memories I have of her very short life here on earth. I will never understand why a drunk thinks it is ok for them to drive, and why a drunk thinks it's ok that they have killed an very innocent person, but most of all I guess I just don't know why the drunk who causes the horrible crashes don't die! The drunks who choose to drive and place everyone on the roads at risk are the ones who should be killed and not our loved ones. I hope that the drunk who killed my sister will forever live with the memory and thought of how he killed my sister, he don't deserve any less, I truly hope his life is altered as much as my life and my families life is, however, I don't think that is possible, we are the one's who have been handed a life sentence of grieving and suffering. I am the one who will go thru my life without my sister here adding to my daily life. I am the one who will love my sister as only a sister could. Sue will forever be in my heart, daily thoughts and life, it's just now she'll be a memory in all those aspects of my life.
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