A two-car, DUI-related accident causing two deaths, one arrest and several injuries was staged near the Carroll Avenue crosswalk late Wednesday morning as part of National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week.

The accident had all the trappings of a real head-on collision, including twisted cars, shattered glass, and bloody victims.

Within minutes, the University Police arrived and arrested one of the drivers after finding empty beer cans and administering roadside sobriety tests.

After the arrest, the DeKalb Fire Department arrived and performed mock rescue efforts. Rescuers placed neck braces on the victims and hauled them away on strecthers after freeing them from the wreckage with the powerful, hydraulic “jaws of life.”

When the rescuers were finished with their job, DeKalb County Coroner Dennis Miller pronounced the remaining two victims dead, signaling tow trucks to remove the wreckage.

The mock accident, sponsored by Boost Alcohol Consciousness Concerning the Health of University Students, (BACCHUS) was intended to raise awareness of the consequences of alcohol abuse.

NIU BACCHUS President Bill Sheidhauer said the event has an impact on people despite its theatrics. “Most people notice the accident is fake, but realize those (crushed) cars had to get that way somehow,” said Sheidhauer.

Miller said it is not uncommon for him to pronounce the victims of real accidents dead on the scene. However, he said awareness efforts might be paying off, noting an overall decrease in the number of alcohol-related fatalities in DeKalb County.

Joanna Deuth, Health Enhancement Services adviser for BACCHUS, said DUI-related accidents are not a large problem at NIU because many students walk to bars and parties. However, she said several NIU students have died this year in off-campus accidents.

Sheidhauer said BACCHUS is a nationwide organization of students working to educate people on the dangers of alcohol abuse. Scheidhauer said a similar event last year received positive feedback from students, and BACCHUS will probably repeat the event next year because of the number of people it draws.

Sheidhauer said he wants to stress that BACCHUS is not a radical organization opposed to drinking. However, he feels people should learn to limit their consumption to avoid injury to themselves or others. “One out of 10 college students is an alcoholic by the time they graduate.” “We’d like to reduce that to zero out of 10,” Sheidhauer said.