My colleague Donita Naylor has already told the story of 28-year-old Joseph Hunt, a grill and sauté cook who was killed by an allegedly drunken driver, 23 year-old Matthew J. Sullivan.

But because the issue of drunk driving makes my blood boil, I think it bears repeating.
In this case, not only did Sullivan allegedly hit and kill Hunt, he drove away. Hunt was found lying in the street near Rockwell Elementary School in Bristol.

If Sullivan did hit Hunt, did he not stop because he thought he could get away with it or because he too drunk to know what had happened?

Certainly the evidence is stacked against him. Police found a license plate at the scene belonging to a Ford Explorer owned by Sullivan's mother.

And the Barrington police found Sullivan with "bloodshot eyes and alcohol on his breath" in the Explorer which had "front-end damage that would have been consistent with the accident," according to Naylor's story.

He also failed the field sobriety test and refused to take a chemical test for alcohol.
Sullivan was subsequently charged with driving under the influence, death resulting, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.

He appeared in District Court, Providence on Monday and walked out after posting $5,000 in cash against $50,000 surety bail.

"We're shocked that they let him out for just $5,000," Hunt's aunt Cheryl Arsenault told Naylor.

She said she had tried to stop Hunt's father, Roy, from leaping to his feet in the courtroom and glaring as Sullivan was led past in handcuffs.

My question is this: If someone is charged with killing another, whether by intent or accident, in hot or cold blood, would he or she be allowed to post bail?

All too often, it seems that those who kill while driving intoxicated are held to a different, and lesser, standard of responsibility.

- Peter C.T. Elsworth