Assault on drunken driving
Dec. 4 crash motivates victims to take a stand

Toby, Beverly and Lemuel Begay were victims of a drunken driver who killed two family members. Courtesy photo

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Karen Francis
Diné Bureau

SHIPROCK — With the holiday season often comes an increase in drunken driving, and a Shiprock family wants to remind people to think about the choices they make and how they can affect others before making the choice to drink and drive.

Two boys lost a champion and supporter when their father Raynard Begay and uncle Rio Begay were killed when the automobile they were in was struck by an alleged drunken driver near Tuba City on Dec. 4. They were on their way to Walnut, Calif., taking Raynard’s son to a track meet sponsored by Footlocker.

The Navajo Nation Police in Tuba City could not release the police report regarding the incident because it is still under investigation because of the fatalities involved. The criminal investigator assigned to the case was also not available to comment on it, but Raynard Begay’s family, including his wife Beverly Begay and sons Toby and Lemuel, spoke about the incident that took the lives of their loved ones.

Toby, 17, and Lemuel, 12, were also in the vehicle when the crash occurred. Toby and his friend, who was accompanying the family to also take part in the track meet, were selected to compete in the track meet. Rio Begay, the boys’ uncle, went because as a frequent traveler, he knew the area where the competition was being held.

The group left early from Shiprock on Dec. 4 so they could visit Las Vegas on the way. They traveled through the northern part of the Navajo Nation. Less than 10 miles west of Tuba City, tragedy struck and Raynard and Rio Begay were killed.

The family wants to let others know that making the decision to drink and drive has a high price for the people who lose their loved ones.

“Think about the lives you’re going to take (before drinking and driving),” Toby said when asked what message he wanted to share with drivers.

While the lives are irreplaceable, the impact is also taking a financial toll on the family members as they must pay for funeral expenses, lost time at work and trips to Flagstaff for the boys’ medical care.

Beverly Begay doesn’t know when she will be able to return to work. On Wednesday, she and her sister-in-law drove through snow-packed roads to take the boys to Flagstaff for a medical appointment to see how they are healing.

The boys are hopeful that they will return to their sports very soon — Toby runs and Lemuel plays basketball. But even when they return, one of their greatest supporters will not be there for them.

Their father was the one to take them to practice and games and to help them fund raise. He had big dreams for his sons, Joe Ben, brother of Beverly Begay, said.

Beverly Begay said that her husband’s plans with his sons included traveling to Italy and Australia next summer.

For Toby, he will not have his father and uncle at a major milestone of his life when he graduates high school in the coming year.

It isn’t only the family that has suffered a loss, but the community as well, since Raynard Begay was active in the community and schools, Ben said.

Ben has set up a Wells Fargo account for people who want to donate to the Begay family. Anyone wishing to give the family some funds can go to Wells Fargo and donate to the account under Beverly Begay, he said.
Since the deaths of Raynard and Rio Begay, the family has noticed other DUI incidents around the Navajo Nation and they want to bring attention to the issue.

The family wants the Navajo Nation Police and government to step up action to prevent drunken driving and to remind everyone not to drink and drive this holiday season.

“They should enforce the law on the Indian reservation.

They shouldn’t get away with things,” Toby said.

When asked what she would like to see, Beverly Begay said, “More enforcement, more roadblocks ... something to keep these drunk drivers off the highway.”

The Navajo Nation Police began conducting saturation patrols throughout Navajo Dec. 20 and continuing through New Year’s, Capt. Ronnie Wauneka said Friday afternoon. The tribal police recently received a grant to make the extra patrols possible.

As for enhancing Navajo Nation law, George Hardeen, communications director for the office of the president, said that first lady Vikki Shirley works with the Navajo Nation’s DUI Task Force on the problem, but there is currently no legislation for her to support coming from the Navajo Nation.

Shirley does support the DUI initiatives of New Mexico, Hardeen said.

The first lady and President Joe Shirley Jr. are no strangers to the effects of drinking and driving. The Shirleys lost a daughter, Tona Vee Shirley-Paymella, to a drunken driver two days after Thanksgiving 2001.