Helix Charter High School in La Mesa hosted a simulated drunk driving collision Wednesday as part of the nationally recognized "Every 15 Minutes" program, giving students a visceral look at the consequences of impaired driving.
The staged crash took place shortly before 10:30 a.m. on Highlander Way and featured a full emergency response including police, fire, ambulance crews, a medical helicopter from Reach Air Medical Services, the coroner's office, and tow truck operators. The California Highway Patrol coordinated the two-day event, which concluded Thursday with a mock funeral and school-wide assembly.
"During the mock crash, there will be a high concentration of emergency vehicles in the area," CHP officials said in advance of the event. "We would like to ensure that the public is aware this is a mock emergency incident, and that no real emergency exists."
The program is particularly timely for East County families. Just days earlier, a real suspected DUI head-on crash on La Cresta Road killed a 72-year-old Ramona woman โ a stark reminder that the scenarios depicted in the simulation play out on local roads. Helix High serves students from La Mesa, Spring Valley, and surrounding communities, many of whom will soon be driving on the same East County roads.
The event was supported by the La Mesa Police Department, Heartland Fire Department, the San Diego District Attorney's Office, Sharp Memorial Hospital, Featheringill Mortuary, and others. Funding came from a grant through the California Office of Traffic Safety.
*Originally reported by [Patch Santee](https://patch.com/california/santee/authorities-simulate-dui-crash-east-county-high-school).*