Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Quite possibly the most tragic story I've ever read

And it happened here in town. I don't mean to bring you down, but I think it's a story that should be shared.

FOUR MILES FROM HOME

NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. - An Iraqi War hero comes home to Cape Coral for the holidays but on his way to surprise his family, he's killed by a suspected drunk driver.

The accident happened Saturday night in North Fort Myers.The soldier's wife was also in the car and now she's fighting for her life. 23-year-old Lauren Beougher was in serious condition Sunday night at Lee Memorial Hospital. It was in her hospital bed, she learned her husband 23-year-old Danny Beougher was killed in the accident that nearly took her life as well.

Their family is comforting each other, by celebrating Danny's life as a War Hero."He gave himself to anybody; whether family, friends, or this country. He just was always giving," said Brother Tony Beougher.

Giving was part of Danny Beougher's motto.The Southwest Florida man spent the last few years fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq."We couldn't be more proud," said Tony.

A Staff Sergeant in the 82nd Airborne, Danny came home last month.This Christmas was going to be one of the first with his family in years.He was supposed to come to Fort Myers later this week, but came early for his brother's birthday."He was coming down as a surprise for me," said Tony.

On Saturday morning, he and his wife Lauren drove from their home at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. By 9 o'clock Saturday night, and less than 4 miles left in the 700-mile trip, they were hit by a suspected drunk driver on Hancock Bridge Parkway in North Fort Myers.

Immediately after the accident, police say the suspected drunk driver took off on foot. But a passenger was still in the truck. Though she was in the truck, she hasn't been able to identify the driver.

"It's senseless and there's no reason for it," said Tony.

Update: the passenger has now apparently given up the name of the driver; police are looking for him.

8 comments:

Nik said...

I hope the driver of the truck rots in hell.

How incredibly sad. I'm honestly at a loss for words.

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness, that is one of the most terrible things I've ever heard. That poor family and wife. And all because of a drunk driver at 9:00am! It's so senseless. Too terrible.

keesh said...

That is absolutly horrible!!

Have you been reading about what has been going on here in big "a" town? It is a sick and sad world is all I can say.

You can read more here...this murder happend in my Mom's trailer park and we know the guy...it is terrible!

http://www.wwmt.com/news/tyo_1345470___article.html/charged_murder.html

Anonymous said...

That's so terrible, Kish!

Jen said...

K, I had been following the general disappearance and then discovery of the body, but I hadn't heard the latest (who was involved, etc).

Anonymous said...

I'm gonna go out on a limb here, take a stand and say: Killing your former spouse is realy not the best way to get full custody of your kids.

keesh said...

Yeah, it is a mess...they really were deranged. they hid behind a dumpster noticable from a main highway. how no one saw anything i will never know. how they were able to go on about their lives after murdering him I will never know either. the lady was arrested while doing some last minute Christmas shopping with her Mom...HELLO!

Anonymous said...

OMG