Associate
Grief fuels her to strive,
In Olympia, alive,
For safe roads, we thrive.
Cammryn Gadd, the widow of Washington State Patrol Trooper Christopher Gadd (Chris), has turned her heartbreaking loss into a mission to save lives. Chris was killed on March 2, 2024, when an impaired driver slammed into his patrol car on Interstate 5 near Marysville. Less than a year later, Cammryn found herself in Olympia, standing before lawmakers to push for a change that could prevent other families from experiencing the same pain.
She spoke passionately about Senate Bill 5067, a proposal to lower the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for drivers from .08% to .05%. The bill, sponsored by Senator John Lovick, aims to reduce drunk driving fatalities in Washington. Cammryn shared her personal story, describing how her husband was on a DUI patrol when he was killed by a driver who had been drinking and using marijuana. Her words were raw but stoic and direct, putting a human face on the devastating consequences of impaired driving.
The bill has already gained momentum in the state Senate. If it passes, Washington will join Utah as the only states with a .05% BAC limit. Supporters of the legislation, including Cammryn, point to research showing that drivers with BACs between .05% and .079% are at least seven times more likely to be involved in fatal crashes than sober drivers. They argue that this small change could save countless lives.
Cammryn’s advocacy couldn’t come at a more urgent time. Traffic deaths in Washington are at their highest levels since 1990, and more than half of these involve impaired drivers, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. By sharing Chris’s story, Cammryn hopes to sway lawmakers who might still be undecided, showing them the real-life impact of their decisions.