North Dakota: Judge Steve Dawson allows DUI offenders to lessen jail time by attending funeral of drunk driving victims

From Jamestown Sun
FARGO — As part of his punishment for drinking and driving, the Fargo man was given a choice: attend the funeral of a West Fargo family killed by a drunken driver heading the wrong way on Interstate 94 or serve five more days in jail.
He chose the funeral, and the next day he penned a letter to the court describing its effect on him.
“It made me sick to my stomach 4 lives were taken when they had a lifetime they never got,” he wrote.
The author, Allan Bakkerud, 55, was among three DUI offenders to whom Fargo Municipal Judge Steve Dawson gave the option of
attending the funeral of Aaron and Allison Deutscher and their 18-month-old daughter, Brielle, in lieu of jail time.
“I think it’s useful for people to realize just what kind of tragedy can result from their behavior, and how it affects real lives and
real families,” Dawson said ….MORE
Titanic 1912