Family Remembers Man Killed In Hit-And-Run Crash
ROCHESTER, Minn. (AP) -- The family of a 23-year-old Rochester, Minn. man killed in a hit-and-run accident wants to keep their son's memory alive.
Austin Melville was run down as he crossed a street in downtown Rochester Saturday. Police said Christopher Trautman, 32, of Oronoco, Minn. was driving drunk when police said he hit Melville and three other people. Melville died from his injuries.
"I think we've all agreed that we want to do this because we need to give this visibility," said Austin Melville's mother, Sandy Melville.
The Melville family wants people to understand there are consequences for bad choices and most of the time, they impact the families of the victims.
"Austin brought joy to everybody," said Sandy Melville.
"The most stressful days that I ever had in Austin's 23 years were the day he was born and the day he died," said Austin Melville's father, Hilary Melville.
For the family, it still hasn't sunk in that Austin is gone.
"He was crossing the street in downtown Rochester and lost his life and it's because someone made a wrong decision of drinking and driving," said Hilary Melville.
Although it's painful, the Melville family agreed to share their grief to express their concern about drinking and driving.
"Everything is geared to, 'Let's drink, let's have a good time,' and the whole culture is, 'Let's drink to get drunk,' and we need to stop this," said Sandy Melville.
Austin Melville's best friend, Don Richardson, was with Austin Melville when he was hit. Richardson now lives with a tragic scene etched in his memory.
"Every time I shut my eyes during the day or at night when I'm trying to fall asleep all I can think about and all I can imagine is still Austin flying through the air to his death," Richardson said.
His family knows nothing can bring back the die-hard Green Bay Packers fan who loved family and friends, astrophysics and music. What they can do is remember the good times.
"As he's grown up to be a man, he became one of my best friends. We did an awful lot together. We appreciate the time we had with him so much," said Hilary Melville.
Austin wanted to become a sports broadcaster. His memorial service is set for Thursday. In lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to Mothers Against Drunk Drivers.
Trautman was in court Monday and is facing 14 criminal charges, ranging from vehicular homicide to failure to stop. A breath test given to Trautman showed he had a blood alcohol level of .18, more than twice the legal limit.
WCCO-TV's Reg Chapman Reports
