Simone Martin Obituary

Simone Martin attended Hudson's Bay High School in Vancouver, WA. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Simone Martin.

Graduation Year	Class of 1968
Date of Passing	Nov 02, 1999
About	Simone Martin Arnold (1950 - 11/2/1999) Survivors include her husband, Paul F., at home; her mother, Dorothy Martin of Battle Ground; two daughters, Michelle Splaver of Camas and Karen Wright of Vancouver; one sister, Paulette Davies of Brush Prairie; and two brothers, Ronnie Martin and Rene Martin, both of Battle Ground. Columbian Newspaper Article Regarding Simone’s Death: As a popular health teacher at Fort Vancouver High School, Dennis Meade lectured students on the danger of driving drunk. If only he'd been able to listen. Meade, 50, was sentenced Tuesday to serve six years in prison for killing Simone Arnold, a 49-year old Hazel Dell woman he hit with his truck while driving drunk on Nov. 2, 1999. "I believe you were an exceptional teacher. And for the next six years, I hope you'll be an exceptional learner," said Clark County Superior Court Judge Edwin Poyfair. "I'm certain that every day of your life you'll reflect on what you've done, and what you've taken." According to state sentencing guidelines, Meade faced between 31 to 41 months in prison. But Poyfair agreed with senior deputy prosecutor Mike Kinnie, who said there was an aggravating factor to merit the "exceptional" sentence. That factor, Kinnie said, was the vulnerability of the victim. "There's nothing a pedestrian on a sidewalk can do to protect herself," Kinnie said. "And we are not talking about strange hours of the night. It was 4 or 5 p.m." Arnold, who worked at a crafts store, was on one of her routine walks around her neighborhood. "These are freak tragedies that can happen at any time," Kinnie said. "And they don't make any sense because alcoholics, drunks behind a wheel, don't make any sense." Kinnie, referencing a pre-sentence report prepared by the Department of Corrections, said Meade had been drinking since he was 19. He sought help in 1990, then dropped out of the treatment program. In 1996, he entered another treatment program and stayed sober for three years. In April 1999, after a relapse, he took a leave of absence from teaching and entered another treatment program. On Nov. 2, Meade finished mowing his in-laws' lawn and broke into their liquor cabinet, Kinnie said. He drank for "about an hour" and then decided to drive home. Meade also was taking Zoloft, a prescription anti-depressant. On his way home, the mix of medication and alcohol caused him to black out. He lost control of his truck and struck Arnold. The victim, described by her sister as "beautiful, caring, friendly, happy, helpful, kind and considerate," died at the scene. Meade's blood-alcohol level was 0.25, three times above the legal limit. "He said he did not remember getting in the vehicle, but he did remember driving," Kinnie said. "For 28 years, he taught students about the seriousness of drinking alcohol and driving. And all the time, he was a hypocrite. He had been living a second life. "For all the letters of support (for Meade) you received, you know he does a great job of educating students," Kinnie told Poyfair. "The problem is, he doesn't walk the talk." Kinnie asked for a 10-year sentence. One of Arnold's two daughters, 26-year-old Karen Wright, addressed Poyfair. She once had Meade as a teacher. "I want him to remember me," she said, crying. "And the fact that my mother has two grandchildren that she never saw because he killed her while her two daughters were still pregnant." Wright has a 5 1/2-month-old son. Her older sister has a 2-month- old son. Defense attorney Steve Thayer told Poyfair his client was unable to stay sober because he never dealt with the underlying problem years of physical abuse by his father. Meade had tried to stay sober, "but he failed. Not because he didn't try, but because he had an addiction and an underlying problem that was aggravating it but was never addressed." Over the years, Meade the father of two sons has volunteered as a youth sports coach and with the Salvation Army, Thayer said. "He has clearly been an outstanding citizen all of his life," Thayer said. He asked Poyfair to impose a five-year sentence. Finally, Meade rose. Behind him, on one side of the courtroom, his wife and in-laws sat quietly. On the other side of the aisle came muffled sobs from Arnold's family. "There's not a whole lot of stuff I can say," Meade said softly, then apologized to the Arnold family. "I can't change places. If I could, I would." He paused. "I'm sorry to my family. I'm sorry, God, I didn't listen sooner. I'm sorry to my community." He started to cry. "I'm sorry to the students I've had over the years and hope they understand this is my final lesson. "Karen, I'm sorry," he said, addressing his former student. "It's impossible to explain how shamed I am," he said, looking back at the judge. "All I can promise is every day of my life I'll suffer. Everything I'll do will be an act of contrition in Mrs. Arnold's honor. "One of the things that made me a good teacher is I knew the kids' pain," he said quietly. "It also destroyed me."