By Anne Eggebroten Santa Monica
Russell Weller’s jurors reported that they tried very hard not to let his age enter into their deliberations, whether to question his driving ability or to have sympathy for him. Nevertheless, the accident might have had a lot to do with changes in his brain related to aging and disease — that is, senile dementia. Often the diagnosis comes several years after these changes begin.
We all need to recognize that more than just memory can be affected if the frontal temporal lobe is damaged. It’s common to see anger and irritability, loss of impulse control and inability to plan a series of actions.
Weller’s ill health now, including his inability to attend the announcement of the verdict, suggests that his mind may be failing. He needs to be in a care facility, not prison.
But we all needed the verdict he got so that we will deal with the impaired drivers in our families and demand mandatory yearly driving tests for everyone 75 years or older.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 26, 2006. Read the original PDF.