Today, the family of Benjamin Edward Beary released the following statement after receiving information from the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s accident investigation:

Our family is deeply saddened by the circumstances surrounding the accident that took the lives of Carlos Puente-Morales, Susan Farrell, Tosha Nicole Hyatt, and Ben Beary himself. In our hearts we had hoped for a different explanation for the night’s events. But the reality is that Ben’s level of intoxication led a good person to make a choice that left a wake of grief for our family and, unforgivably, three others as well. Nothing can excuse the mistakes Ben made that night and our hearts are broken with the knowledge that he caused so much sorrow. To love, we must love the whole person, not just what is easy or convenient. Our family will always love and remember Ben, but it is difficult to accept that the person we will remember is also the one who caused this heartache to our community.

No one will ever count the number of times he made the safe choice, because this time he didn’t, and that’s all that matters now. It only takes one time, one mistake, to change the course of your life. Please protect yourself, protect your loved ones and those who could be left in your wake; make a plan before you drink so you are never in a situation where you might drive. No one wishes more than we do that Ben had done that on March 26th.