What was she thinking?

Laura Mackie

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Recent headlines in the Modesto Bee brought to mind that eternal question "What was this person thinking?" It's a fair question (considering the circumstances), and in actual fact, an experienced litigator should probably ask themselves this question on a fairly regular basis. The incident currently under consideration is a perfect example of tragic results in a situation where poor judgment prevailed. Such lapses in judgment are often the "stuff" of which lawsuits are made.

Anna J. Walker-Vogt stands accused of six misdemeanor charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, twelve felony counts of child endangerment and two counts of unlawful sex with a minor.

The charges stem from an incident on January 20, 2007. According to witnesses, Mrs. Walker-Vogt purchased alcohol for a party she was throwing at her Grayson home on behalf of her teenage son. It is alleged that after the teens partied and drank the alcohol, Mrs. Walker-Vogt paid one teenager $50 to drive 12 other teenagers home in his sport utility. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle was involved in an accident wherein all occupants were injured. CHP and state Alcoholic Beverage Control officials investigated the crash, which led to the subsequent arrest and charges against Mrs. Walker-Vogt.