As I posted on this blog last week, Brian Love, a longtime SPLAB volunteer and all-around handyman, was killed by a drunk driver on July 5th. The man accused of the crime, Floyd Gonzales, will be arraigned on the 22nd. Brian Whale writes in the Auburn Reporter of the criminal record of Gonzales:
According to court papers, Gonzalez is a convicted felon, who was sentenced to more than 10 years in Thurston County for assault 2 and kidnapping 1 in 2001. He was released last December but is on active community custody for those crimes.
Among his juvenile convictions are escape 1 (Grant County, Nov. 2000), assault 3 (Grays Harbor, 1999), vehicle prowl-robbery 1 (Grays Harbor, 1999), assault 4 (1996 and 1998), theft 2 (1997) residential burglary (1997), two counts of vehicle prowl (1997), two counts of theft (1996) and using a cellphone while driving (April 2013).
You can read Robert’s hard news piece here: http://www.auburn-reporter.com/news/215001881.html
& his more lifestyle piece, including a quote from me, here: http://www.auburn-reporter.com/news/214987231.html
As if the story were not sad enough, Brian’s earthly remains are in limbo because all those close to him are not blood relatives and lack the financial means to hire attorneys to fight to have the body released to his fiancee.
I have written two elegies for Brian: http://paulenelson.com/2013/07/06/elegy-for-brian-love/
& http://paulenelson.com/2013/07/07/90-slow-down-tahoe-driver-for-brian-love/
Auburn is fortunate to have such a good local paper and a remarkable, dedicated reporter like Robert Whale who always works hard to get the story right.
New item:
I received a positive response from the WSDOT rep for those DUI signs. You know the ones: ‘Don’t Drink and Drive in Memory of…’
I’ve put Pete Lewis, the WSDOT rep, and the person who handles this for the city of Auburn all together on this. I’ve requested one of these signs be placed at the corner of Auburn Way and Main Street. I’ve asked it be done before the Auburn Days parade on August 10. The city DOES have a contract with the state to provide these signs when necessary.
His remains are no longer in limbo. I am his sister and will be taking over possession. He will be in good hands.
Would it be possible for some who has the program from Brian’s memorial to post the poem that was inside, by Tagore?
I do not have a program but I did read a copy of one and have been looking for the poem ever since.
Many thanks in advance. <3