Take it from one who knows: In drunk driving, ‘there are no do-overs’

On Nov. 23, 1991, promising young baseball player Layne Sinks’ life changed permanently at the hands of a drunken driver.

The athletic career of the former All-City pitcher and second baseman at Wichita South High School ended that fall evening when the car he was riding in rolled and crashed, killing another passenger and causing permanent damage to Sinks’ brain.

Sinks, now 44, spoke last week about his accident and its aftermath at West Haysville Baptist Church, part of his effort to let others know about the dangers of drunk driving..

“When you stop thinking, you lose, and there are no do-overs,” Sinks told a group of about 25 people as pictures from his high school baseball career played behind him. “I have this injury for the rest of my life.”

Sinks, the driver and the other passenger had been drinking at a friend’s house before driving around to parties in the Wichita area, he said. They were leaving their third party and driving to a fourth in Derby when the driver, traveling at about 120 mph, swerved slightly because he thought he saw headlights coming toward him, causing the car to roll for nearly 600 feet, Sinks said.

Sinks, a sophomore at Butler Community College at the time, was thrown from the car. He spent six months in the hospital – three of them in a coma – as a result of damage to his cerebellum, which interfered with his balance and coordination, and his brain stem, which affected his breathing and speech.

“The doctors told my mother and father, ‘He’ll never come out of his coma.’ When I woke up, they said, ‘He’ll never walk and talk,’ ” said Sinks, a Wichita resident.

Sinks credited West Haysville pastor David Vetter, a frequent visitor while he was in the hospital, with helping him get through his recovery.

During his months in the hospital, Sinks said, he had nothing but time to think about what he wanted to do with his life because he would no longer be able to play professional baseball.

“I thought, ‘I’ll go out and speak to the youth, tell them about all the risky behavior I did that led up to the crash,’ ” he said.

He went on to speak at high schools across Kansas, giving talks several times per month. He has worked with organizations including the Wichita Police Department and Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department to spread awareness about the dangers of drunk driving. When he is not speaking, he cares for his elderly father.

Sherri Woods said she attended the event in the hope that her son Noah, 15, would learn something from Sinks’ story.

“I wanted my son to be able to hear Layne speak and maybe get a little perspective and encouragement – perspective about how his actions have consequences and affect those around him, and encouragement that things aren’t always all bad in a situation,” she said.

Noah asked Sinks after his speech what advice he would give to young people.

“Think before you do,” Sinks responded. “Just take five seconds to think about the consequences of your actions.”

This story was originally published June 19, 2016 at 2:22 PM with the headline "Take it from one who knows: In drunk driving, ‘there are no do-overs’."