Facts surrounding the March 21, 1999 crash and deaths of Sarah and Chip

Sarah Towery and Chip Smith were killed in Lafayette, Indiana, on March 21, 1999, while visiting Sarah's parents. Dan and Margie Towery, Sarah's parents, witnessed the horrific head-on collision in their rearview mirrors. Even though Sarah and Chip were wearing their seatbelts and the airbags in their Camry deployed, both suffered severe brain damage.

The drunk driver, Jeffrey A. Pedone Trout, had a blood alcohol content of .27 (legal limit in Indiana is .10) when the crash occurred. He died in the crash. He had been arrested on four prior occasions for driving while intoxicated. He had also changed his name and had two active social security numbers. Trout had been arrested more then 19 times on over 44 charges in California, Arizona, and Indiana. His driver's license was suspended, and there was a waiver stating that his auto insurance was not valid if he was the driver.

The bartender, James Irwin, is a convicted habitual substance offender having 4 counts of driving while intoxicated and 4 counts of marijuana possession, as well as public indecency and resisting arrest. He did not have a valid Indiana bartender's permit on March 21, 1999. Irwin is on social security disability but was working for cash at the Mirage nightclub.

Roger Heer owns the Mirage nightclub. He has a prior conviction for illegal gambling occurring at the Mirage.