St. Clair Shores man warns against drunk driving after losing family in crash during holidays

ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. (FOX 2) - A St. Clair Shores man lost his whole family in a drunk driving accident the day after Thanksgiving 43 years ago. Today, he is an advocate for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Jason Waldron –who owns the Time Warp antique store in St Clair Shores–  was only 10 years old, riding with his family at night near Fermont, on the west side of the state, when a drunk driver crashed into them and killed his entire family. 

"The driver who hit us died. My father Dean, my stepmother Sherri, my four-year-old brother Shane and my 12-year-old brother Adrian died in the crash," Waldron said. "It also put me in the hospital for four and a half months."

Waldron was the only one who survived. He said the driver had a blood alcohol level of 0.328.

In Michigan, drivers who have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher can face charges for Operating While Intoxicated (OWI).

"I actually flew out of the car. That's one of the reasons I lived," Waldron said. "My story now, on the anniversary, is this: We live in a society where we all think it won’t happen to us, until it does. Well, I’m living proof that it will happen to you."

As bars fill up during the holiday season, Waldron is advising the public to stay safe and avoid driving drunk.

He said it's OK to drink and have fun, but make sure you plan ahead.

"I just beg you to please make better decisions on how you’re going to get home," Waldron stressed.