BHS: Last Stop for Booze, Cruise, You Lose Program

By Lisa Gallagher, Barnesville Area News

(GKT Facebook photo)

BHS Junior Addison Carpenter won a 2024-25 Nailers team-signed hockey stick and tickets to a game. Photo left to right: Trooper Dan Moran, Sgt. Scott Moore, Addison Carpenter, Christian Turak of Gold Khourey and Turak, along Peter Laviolette and D.J. Abisalih of the Wheeling Nailers.

On Wednesday, April 2, 2025, the Booze, Cruise, You Lose Program made its last presentation for the year at Barnesville High School. The Principal’s Student Advisory Committee assisted with planning the event. Students completed a survey before the presentation to see what they already knew about driving under the influence. Guests included Christian Turak, a member of Gold, Khourey and Turak personal injury law firm in Moundsville, WV. His firm has been speaking to high school students since the 1990s. The message about the dangers of driving under the influence is a timely topic with local prom and graduation seasons upon us.

The presentation started with an interactive Kahoot! quiz. Juniors and seniors answered the questions using their iPads. The “Voice of the Wheeling Nailers” D.J. Abisalih and Nailers’ forward Peter Laviolette III, a Wheeling native, asked students to explain their answers. Students received T-shirts, hats, and Wheeling Nailer tickets as prizes. 

Guests from the Ohio State Highway Patrol included Trooper Ava Doyle, Sergeant Scott Moore, and Trooper Dan Moran, who received the 2024 Trooper of the Year. The troopers helped with explaining the laws involving OVI. Students were surprised to learn that an OVI offense as a juvenile is not sealed after they turn 18. Another surprise was that people can be charged for operating other vehicles besides a car while impaired, even riding a horse while intoxicated.

(GKT Facebook photo)

Trooper Dan Moran and Jace Winland

The program’s highlight was Trooper Moran and junior Jace Winland, wearing goggles to simulate the effects of impairment on vision and balance. They demonstrated the field sobriety tests. Trooper Moran even mock-arrested Jace by placing the handcuffs on him. Trooper Moran stated that even though we were laughing, he had seen “grown men cry when the cuffs go on.” He added that being arrested is a serious matter. 

Trooper Dan Moran said that the hardest part of his job is telling a family their loved one has been killed in an accident. Nailers Laviolette added, “Keep your friend groups accountable.” Christian Torak concluded that you are “in it together…take care of each other.”

(GKT Facebook photo)

Wheeling Nailer forward Peter Laviolette III, a Wheeling native, interacted with students asking them to explain their answers on the student surveys.

Based on the students’ survey answers, junior Addison Carpenter won a 2024-25 Nailers team-signed hockey stick and tickets to a game. Students were excited about using their prize tickets, and for many, it would be the first hockey game that they experience in person.