Mom of son killed in drunk driving crash honors him by fighting for change

Some North Carolinians are pushing the state Senate to pass a bill they say will make the roads safer from drunk drivers. It would get ignition interlock devices into more drunk drivers' cars earlier in the legal process.
Posted 6/10/2025, 9:21:00 PM Updated 6/11/2025, 12:58:09 AM

HAS OFFERED VIDEO PODCAST, AN

AUDIO BOOKS ON AIRLINE.

>> SOME FIRST TIME DRUNK

DRIVERS COULD GET A SECOND

CHANCE TO DO THE RIGHT THING

PROPOSAL AT THE STATE

LEGISLATURE WOULD ALLOW AN

OFFENDER TO INSTALL AN IGNITION

INTERLOCK DEVICE ON THEIR

VEHICLE BEFORE TRIAL TO GET A

CHANCE AT A LIGHTER SENTENCE.

SPONSORS SAY THIS IS INTENDED

TO SAVE LIVES. HOWEVER, THE

SENATE HAS NOT GIVEN IT A

HEARING. WRAL CAPITOL BUREAU

CHIEF LAURA LESLIE TALKED TO A

GRIEVING MOTHER WHO'S HELPING

TO CHANGE THAT.

>> ACCORDING TO MOTHERS AGAINST

DRUNK DRIVING IGNITION

INTERLOCK DEVICES CAN REDUCE

REPEAT DRUNK DRIVING BY UP TO

70% ADVOCATES HERE AT THE

LEGISLATURE ARE URGING STATE

LAWMAKERS TO GET MORE THOSE

DEVICES INTO MORE DRUNK

DRIVERS. CARS EARLIER IN THE

PROCESS. SEAN KITTENS LIFE

CHANGED FOREVER, JULY 11TH 2024

EVERY DAY. MY LIFE IS

DIFFERENT. I AM TRYING TO JUST

WORD. AND THAT'S THE NIGHT.

SHE SAYS HER SON, PICASSO

KITTEN WAS KILLED BY A DRUNK

DRIVER. HE TALKED TO HIS SISTER

AT 10 30 AND SAID PLEASE LET

MOM AND DAD KNOW I'M ON THE WAY

HOME. I'LL BE THERE IN 20

MINUTES.

>> KITTEN TAUGHT AT LYONS FARM

ELEMENTARY AND DURHAM AND HE

COACHED FOOTBALL AT HIS ALMA

MATER. JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL.

HE PLAYED FOR WINSTON SALEM

STATE WHERE HE GRADUATED WITH

3 DEGREES. HE HAD BIG PLANS.

HE WAS 27. HE'S ALWAYS GOING TO

BE REMEMBERED THAT THE THAT

GOLDEN CHILD WHO ALWAYS SOME

OUT AND WILL BE ONE IT TO GIVE

ALL HE COULD TO KIDS. KEATON IS

ONE OF MANY FAMILY MEMBERS OF

VICTIMS OF DRUNK DRIVERS WHO

ARE CALLING ON STATE LAWMAKERS

TO PASS A BILL THAT COULD

REDUCE THE PROBLEM. THE BILL

WOULD ALLOW A FIRST TIME DRUNK

DRIVER WHO DID NOT HAVE A VERY

HIGH B A C AND WHO DID NOT

INJURE ANYONE TO VOLUNTARILY

INSTALL AN IGNITION INTERLOCK

DEVICE ON THEIR CAR WHILE THEY

WAIT FOR TRIAL, WHICH CAN TAKE

MONTHS IN RETURN FOR A LIGHTER

SENTENCE. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE

SHEETS. SO IS THE SPONSOR

GIVING PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY

TO OWN UP TO THEIR MISTAKES

AND TO RECEIVE A LESSER

SENTENCE TO RECEIVE A LESSER

PUNISHMENT.

>> FOR THOSE MISTAKES, THE BILL

ALREADY PASSED. THE HOUSE WAS

STRONG, BIPARTISAN SUPPORT,

BUT THE SENATE HAS NOT GIVEN

A HEARING. SEAN PAYTON IS

HOPING TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS.

I AM TRULY TRULY CRUSH WHAT I

KNOW. MY PURPOSE AND I KNOW

WHAT GOD IS ASKING ME TO DO SO

I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE

STRONG, RESILIENT AND CONTINUE

TO SMALLAND AND MAKE SURE THAT

THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ANYBODY