Have you heard the one about the Evangelical Movie Star that walked into the bar?
Well the story goes something like this, as taken from CNN.com:
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Actor and director Mel Gibson issued a statement on Saturday, apologizing to deputies for his "belligerent behavior" when he was arrested on suspicion of DUI in Malibu the day before.
Gibson said that he has "battled the disease of alcoholism for all of my adult life and profoundly regret my horrific relapse," according to the statement.
Gibson, 50, was pulled over Friday on the scenic Pacific Coast Highway after "deputies were alerted by their radar that his speed was above the posted limit," according to a news release from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. (Watch how the arrest casts a different spotlight on Gibson -- 1:28)
When officers approached Gibson they smelled alcohol on his breath, and a Breathalyzer test showed that his blood-alcohol content was 0.12, the sheriff's department release said. The California legal limit is 0.08.
An entertainment news Web site, TMZ.com, alleges in a report posted Saturday that Gibson launched into a profanity-laced tirade at the time of his arrest, hurling anti-Semitic and sexist statements at authorities. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office has not confirmed that report.
After being taken into custody, Gibson posted $5,000 bond for his release, said sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore.
The police did not charge him with driving under the influence because it's the district attorney's duty to decide if the arrest merits charges.
In his statement, Gibson acknowledges that he had been drinking Thursday night and that "I did a number of things that were very wrong and for which I am ashamed. I drove a car when I should not have. ... I feel fortunate that I was apprehended before I caused injury to any other person." (Read the full statement)
"I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable," the statement said. "I am deeply ashamed of everything I said."
He added: "Also, I take this opportunity to apologize to the deputies involved for my belligerent behavior. They have always been there for me in my community and indeed probably saved me from myself. I disgraced myself and my family with my behavior and for that I am truly sorry."
Gibson further said he has long battled alcoholism, and "I apologize for any behavior unbecoming of me in my inebriated state and have already taken necessary steps to ensure my return to health."
Gibson, who acted in the "Lethal Weapon" and "Mad Max" movie series, won an Oscar for directing 1995's Oscar-winning best picture "Braveheart."
He reportedly financed the controversial movie "The Passion of the Christ" (2004), which he also directed, with $25 million of his own money.
The film made $370 million at the domestic box office and ranks No. 10 on the all-time box office list. "The Passion of the Christ" was nominated for three Academy Awards.
Gibson's latest movie, "Apocalypto," set in the Mayan civilization of several centuries ago, is due in December.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Coors Pleads Not Guilty to DUI Charge
Ironic? You bet! The head of the Coors brewing empire and a former candidate for senate gets a DUI. I found this article at the Washington Post:
Beer company executive Pete Coors has pleaded not guilty to charges of driving under the influence and failing to stop at a stop sign.
His attorney entered the pleas for him Tuesday and Coors did not appear in court, said Jefferson County district attorney's spokeswoman Pam Russell.
Peter Coors, head of Coors Brewing company in Golden, Colo., is shown in this, July 1, 2004, file photo. Coors driver's license has been revoked by a hearing officer who ruled the executive had been driving under the influence of alcohol, officials said. Hearing officer Scott Garber ruled Friday, July 14, 2006, that Coors did not stop at a stop sign on May 28 and was driving intoxicated.
Coors, 59, vice chairman and a director of Molson Coors Brewing Co., was pulled over by the state patrol May 28 after he left a friend's wedding celebration.
Company spokeswoman Kabira Hatland has said Coors rolled through a stop sign a block from his Golden home and was stopped by the officer in his driveway. She said a breath test showed his blood-alcohol content was 0.088. The legal limit is 0.08.
Hatland said Wednesday the not guilty plea was part of the procedure of Coors' attorney asking for a pretrial hearing. She declined to say whether the plea indicated Coors was disputing the allegation.
"What I can say is he's sorry to be involved in this situation at all, including the court process, but like any citizen, he has rights now that he's here," she said.
Coors often appears in television ads for the company and ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as a Republican in 2004. He apologized last week for not following his own advice to drink responsibly.
Coors lives just west of Denver in Golden, the longtime hometown of the Adolph Coors Co. until it became Molson Coors Brewing Co. after a 2005 merger.
Beer company executive Pete Coors has pleaded not guilty to charges of driving under the influence and failing to stop at a stop sign.
His attorney entered the pleas for him Tuesday and Coors did not appear in court, said Jefferson County district attorney's spokeswoman Pam Russell.
Peter Coors, head of Coors Brewing company in Golden, Colo., is shown in this, July 1, 2004, file photo. Coors driver's license has been revoked by a hearing officer who ruled the executive had been driving under the influence of alcohol, officials said. Hearing officer Scott Garber ruled Friday, July 14, 2006, that Coors did not stop at a stop sign on May 28 and was driving intoxicated.
Coors, 59, vice chairman and a director of Molson Coors Brewing Co., was pulled over by the state patrol May 28 after he left a friend's wedding celebration.
Company spokeswoman Kabira Hatland has said Coors rolled through a stop sign a block from his Golden home and was stopped by the officer in his driveway. She said a breath test showed his blood-alcohol content was 0.088. The legal limit is 0.08.
Hatland said Wednesday the not guilty plea was part of the procedure of Coors' attorney asking for a pretrial hearing. She declined to say whether the plea indicated Coors was disputing the allegation.
"What I can say is he's sorry to be involved in this situation at all, including the court process, but like any citizen, he has rights now that he's here," she said.
Coors often appears in television ads for the company and ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as a Republican in 2004. He apologized last week for not following his own advice to drink responsibly.
Coors lives just west of Denver in Golden, the longtime hometown of the Adolph Coors Co. until it became Molson Coors Brewing Co. after a 2005 merger.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Southwest pilot, accused of intoxication, charged in federal court
It is a serious crime to get behind the wheel intoxicated and that is why the penalties for a DUI is so serious, now imagine the serious nature of an airline pilot flying a crowded flight under the influence of alchol. I have included the full text of the article found at the seattle times.
SALT LAKE CITY – A Southwest Airlines co-pilot accused of being intoxicated just minutes before takeoff was charged in federal court here Monday.
Prosecutors have charged Carl Fulton, 41, with one count of operation of a common carrier under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.
Fulton made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court on Monday, but did not enter a plea to the charge.
A preliminary hearing date was set for July 28, although Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Kennedy said he intends to take the case to a grand jury, so the hearing may not be necessary.
Fulton was arrested Sunday morning after a Transportation Security Administration screener reported smelling alcohol on Fulton's breath at a security check point. That was about 30 minutes before Southwest Flight 136, on which Fulton was the first officer, was set to depart from Salt Lake City International Airport for Phoenix.
Court documents say Fulton told federal air marshals and police he had consumed two "large beers" at a local movie house that serves food and beer, and a third drink — vodka — at a bar in the hotel where Fulton was staying.
Fulton said he stopped drinking at 10 p.m. Saturday, according to court documents.
Airport police administered two breathalyzer tests on Fulton.
In the first test, taken one hour after Fulton was removed from the plane's cockpit and detained, his blood-alcohol level was .039 percent, court documents said. In a second test, taken six minutes later, Fulton's blood-alcohol level was .038 percent.
Daniel Love, an air marshal with the U.S. Marshal Service, said it was "mathematically not possible to have a BAC of .039 the following day if Fulton had only consumed three drinks," the documents said.
Federal Aviation Administration guidelines say a pilot is prohibited from flying within eight hours of consuming alcohol.
The FAA sets the blood-alcohol limit at .04 percent, although regulations state that if a pilot tests between .02 percent and .039 percent, he or she is not allowed to work. Regulations also call for a second blood-alcohol test within 30 minutes of the first test, and say that if the blood-alcohol range remains the same, the pilot can't work for another eight hours, or until the level drops below .02 percent.
Federal law provides a presumption of impairment at .10 percent, although federal prosecutors say that other forms of evidence can be used to prove impairment in court.
Dallas-based Southwest Airlines spokesman Ed Stewart said the company subscribes to all FAA regulations regarding alcohol consumption. Fulton flies for Southwest out of Dallas and has been employed with the airline for two years.
He has "a perfectly clear record," Stewart said.
Southwest has placed Fulton on paid leave — which prohibits him from flying — pending the outcome on an internal investigation. What action the airline may take does not necessarily depend on the criminal proceedings, Stewart said.
Fulton, of Fort Worth, Texas, spent Sunday night in the Salt Lake County Jail. U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Warner released Fulton from custody Monday, on the condition that he not use drugs or alcohol while the case is being adjudicated. Warner also ordered Fulton to undergo random drug and alcohol testing.
FAA officials are also investigating the allegations and interviewed Fulton on Sunday.
The agency regularly matches pilot's names against DUI data in the national driver's licenses registry, FAA Northwest Region spokesman Allen Kenitizer said. The agency also requires airlines to have random testing programs in place. Between 2000 and 2003, more than 10,200 pilots were tested, FAA data show.
This item was originally posted at Washington DUI News.
SALT LAKE CITY – A Southwest Airlines co-pilot accused of being intoxicated just minutes before takeoff was charged in federal court here Monday.
Prosecutors have charged Carl Fulton, 41, with one count of operation of a common carrier under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.
Fulton made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court on Monday, but did not enter a plea to the charge.
A preliminary hearing date was set for July 28, although Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Kennedy said he intends to take the case to a grand jury, so the hearing may not be necessary.
Fulton was arrested Sunday morning after a Transportation Security Administration screener reported smelling alcohol on Fulton's breath at a security check point. That was about 30 minutes before Southwest Flight 136, on which Fulton was the first officer, was set to depart from Salt Lake City International Airport for Phoenix.
Court documents say Fulton told federal air marshals and police he had consumed two "large beers" at a local movie house that serves food and beer, and a third drink — vodka — at a bar in the hotel where Fulton was staying.
Fulton said he stopped drinking at 10 p.m. Saturday, according to court documents.
Airport police administered two breathalyzer tests on Fulton.
In the first test, taken one hour after Fulton was removed from the plane's cockpit and detained, his blood-alcohol level was .039 percent, court documents said. In a second test, taken six minutes later, Fulton's blood-alcohol level was .038 percent.
Daniel Love, an air marshal with the U.S. Marshal Service, said it was "mathematically not possible to have a BAC of .039 the following day if Fulton had only consumed three drinks," the documents said.
Federal Aviation Administration guidelines say a pilot is prohibited from flying within eight hours of consuming alcohol.
The FAA sets the blood-alcohol limit at .04 percent, although regulations state that if a pilot tests between .02 percent and .039 percent, he or she is not allowed to work. Regulations also call for a second blood-alcohol test within 30 minutes of the first test, and say that if the blood-alcohol range remains the same, the pilot can't work for another eight hours, or until the level drops below .02 percent.
Federal law provides a presumption of impairment at .10 percent, although federal prosecutors say that other forms of evidence can be used to prove impairment in court.
Dallas-based Southwest Airlines spokesman Ed Stewart said the company subscribes to all FAA regulations regarding alcohol consumption. Fulton flies for Southwest out of Dallas and has been employed with the airline for two years.
He has "a perfectly clear record," Stewart said.
Southwest has placed Fulton on paid leave — which prohibits him from flying — pending the outcome on an internal investigation. What action the airline may take does not necessarily depend on the criminal proceedings, Stewart said.
Fulton, of Fort Worth, Texas, spent Sunday night in the Salt Lake County Jail. U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Warner released Fulton from custody Monday, on the condition that he not use drugs or alcohol while the case is being adjudicated. Warner also ordered Fulton to undergo random drug and alcohol testing.
FAA officials are also investigating the allegations and interviewed Fulton on Sunday.
The agency regularly matches pilot's names against DUI data in the national driver's licenses registry, FAA Northwest Region spokesman Allen Kenitizer said. The agency also requires airlines to have random testing programs in place. Between 2000 and 2003, more than 10,200 pilots were tested, FAA data show.
This item was originally posted at Washington DUI News.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Pulling a Triple and a DUI to boot!
I just got back from my trip with google through the land of DUI news and came up with a gem posted at kgw.com. The full text follows:
RIDGEFIELD, Wash. -- A semi-truck driver from Portland hauling three trailers was arrested for drunk driving Sunday night, police said.
Steven Spears, 40, was stopped at the Port of Entry in Ridgefield, Wash. after police noticed the length of the trailers he was pulling was over the legal limit.
Then, the officer detected the smell of alcohol and asked Spears to take a breath test, according to trooper Corey Turner with Washington State Police.
“The test confirmed that his blood alcohol was over the legal limit of .04 BAC for an operator of a commercial vehicle,” Turner said.
Last month, Turner said six commercial truck drivers were arrested and or placed out of service at the Ridgefield Port of Entry after officers discovered they were driving under the influence of alcohol.
As for the trailer infraction, Turner said Spears was driving a 2000 Freightliner semi-truck with an illegal combination of three trailers.
Washington law limits a semi to pull up to two trailers, and limits the length of the trailers to 68 feet with a special permit.
“Mr. Spears’ vehicle combination was in excess of 80 feet, and weighed over 91,300 pounds,” Turner said.
The truck was registered to Central Freight Lines Inc. of Waco Texas.
Originally posted at Oregon DUI News.
RIDGEFIELD, Wash. -- A semi-truck driver from Portland hauling three trailers was arrested for drunk driving Sunday night, police said.
Steven Spears, 40, was stopped at the Port of Entry in Ridgefield, Wash. after police noticed the length of the trailers he was pulling was over the legal limit.
Then, the officer detected the smell of alcohol and asked Spears to take a breath test, according to trooper Corey Turner with Washington State Police.
“The test confirmed that his blood alcohol was over the legal limit of .04 BAC for an operator of a commercial vehicle,” Turner said.
Last month, Turner said six commercial truck drivers were arrested and or placed out of service at the Ridgefield Port of Entry after officers discovered they were driving under the influence of alcohol.
As for the trailer infraction, Turner said Spears was driving a 2000 Freightliner semi-truck with an illegal combination of three trailers.
Washington law limits a semi to pull up to two trailers, and limits the length of the trailers to 68 feet with a special permit.
“Mr. Spears’ vehicle combination was in excess of 80 feet, and weighed over 91,300 pounds,” Turner said.
The truck was registered to Central Freight Lines Inc. of Waco Texas.
Originally posted at Oregon DUI News.
We have to work harder to keep drunks off the road
John Ahern wrote an opinion piece today in the Seattle PI. John was the primary sponsor of the felony DUI law that passed this year. A summary of the article follows:
As the prime sponsor of the Felony DUI law that passed the Legislature this year, I am as disappointed as everyone about the recent drunk driving arrest of Susan West.
...Each time this legislation was introduced, it was sidelined by committee chairs from the majority party and wasn't even allowed a public hearing.
...It requires hours of negotiation and compromise and comes with the realization that your version of the bill may not make it to the floor of either chamber or to the governor.
I have been determined to get a Felony DUI bill on the books, mainly because Washington was one of only three states that didn't have such a law. If I could get it passed even if it wasn't my original version, I could go back in a subsequent session and attempt to make the laws stiffer for drunk drivers.
...The majority said we didn't have the prison space or the money to lock up repeat drunk drivers.
...This last session, it appeared as if the Felony DUI bill was dead many times.
...The bill that passed makes the fifth DUI in 10 years a felony and it won't take effect until July 2007. This law isn't tough enough and I will continue to fight to make the law three strikes and you get serious prison time.
With the passage of this watered-down bill last session, the majority in the House and Senate have given people more chances to drive drunk before they are charged with a felony. I will try again next session to strengthen the drunk driving laws with the hope that we can keep people like Susan West off the roads for a very long time.
The original of this posting can be found at Washington DUI News.
As the prime sponsor of the Felony DUI law that passed the Legislature this year, I am as disappointed as everyone about the recent drunk driving arrest of Susan West.
...Each time this legislation was introduced, it was sidelined by committee chairs from the majority party and wasn't even allowed a public hearing.
...It requires hours of negotiation and compromise and comes with the realization that your version of the bill may not make it to the floor of either chamber or to the governor.
I have been determined to get a Felony DUI bill on the books, mainly because Washington was one of only three states that didn't have such a law. If I could get it passed even if it wasn't my original version, I could go back in a subsequent session and attempt to make the laws stiffer for drunk drivers.
...The majority said we didn't have the prison space or the money to lock up repeat drunk drivers.
...This last session, it appeared as if the Felony DUI bill was dead many times.
...The bill that passed makes the fifth DUI in 10 years a felony and it won't take effect until July 2007. This law isn't tough enough and I will continue to fight to make the law three strikes and you get serious prison time.
With the passage of this watered-down bill last session, the majority in the House and Senate have given people more chances to drive drunk before they are charged with a felony. I will try again next session to strengthen the drunk driving laws with the hope that we can keep people like Susan West off the roads for a very long time.
The original of this posting can be found at Washington DUI News.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
6 DUIs & 1 killing
Soory I haven't been around in awhile, but I am back with new news relating to DUI in the washington and oregon territories. This weeks little ditty comes from king county journal:
Appearing weary and disheveled, Susan Lynn West sat before a judge in King County District Court in Bellevue on Monday to answer to charges of driving while intoxicated for the sixth time.
After a week in rehab, The 48-year-old Bellevue woman trembled and had difficulty walking. Bellevue police officers led her to and from the court room in nylon shackles that secured her wrists to her waist.
West, who previously was convicted of driving drunk in a hit-and-run crash that killed a Sammamish Plateau woman in 1997, chose not to enter a plea at her arraignment Monday for charges of drunken driving and driving with a suspended license in the third degree.
As state law requires, Judge Janet Garrow entered a plea of not guilty on West's behalf. The law states that defendants charged with driving under the influence are not required to enter a plea until they have had a chance to consult with a lawyer.
After the hearing, West was returned to the King County Jail in Seattle, where she remained Monday night in lieu of $150,000 bail.
West has not retained a defense attorney. She was appointed a public defender for Monday's hearing.
She was arrested for drunken driving shortly after midnight on June 18, approximately six months after she was released from probation for the drunken crash that killed Mary Johnsen, a 38-year-old mother of two who was walking off the roadway when she was struck in July 1997.
In West's most recent arrest, charging papers say, a Bellevue police officer noticed a broken license-plate light on her black 1998 Buick as it was driving through the parking lot of a Newport Hills shopping center. The officer ran the plate number and discovered the car's owner had a suspended license and no car insurance.
The officer stopping West reported that he immediately smelled alcohol on her breath. When he asked if she had been drinking, she leaned against the car and said no. When he asked if she would mind performing a sobriety test, she protested, saying she didn't have her contact lenses.
After failing the test, the charges state, West refused to submit to a breath test. She was then taken into custody and hospitalized for alcohol-dependency treatment.
Charging papers say West also was on antidepressants at the time of her arrest.
In court Monday, Judge Garrow advised West to retain an attorney or apply for a public defender. When asked about her assets, West told the judge that she has approximately $160,000 in stock and bonds, which might make it difficult for her to obtain court-appointed counsel.
West attracted widespread attention after her 1997 conviction for vehicular homicide. In that incident, court records state, her blood-alcohol level was 0.34, more than three times the legal limit. West pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide, reckless endangerment, reckless driving and felony hit-and-run.
She served six years of a nine-year sentence, was released from prison in 2003 and got off probation in January of this year.
Prior to the fatal accident, West was arrested for drunken driving in Pullman in 1978, in Seattle in 1985, in Marysville in 1989 and in Fall City in 1991. Two of the cases were deferred, and one was dismissed.
Because she'd been arrested four times for drunken driving prior to the fatal accident, her case spurred several new state laws in 1998 designed to crack down on drunken drivers.
Earlier this year, the Legislature passed a law making it a felony to have a fifth DUI conviction in 10 years or a DUI conviction after a prior vehicular homicide conviction.
But since that law becomes effective in July 2007, it doesn't apply to West. Her latest charge is a gross misdemeanor offense, not a felony, and carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $5,000 fine, according to Bellevue City Attorney Lori Riordan. Driving with a suspended license in the third degree carries a penalty of up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
West is due back in court for a pretrial hearing in two weeks.
Appearing weary and disheveled, Susan Lynn West sat before a judge in King County District Court in Bellevue on Monday to answer to charges of driving while intoxicated for the sixth time.
After a week in rehab, The 48-year-old Bellevue woman trembled and had difficulty walking. Bellevue police officers led her to and from the court room in nylon shackles that secured her wrists to her waist.
West, who previously was convicted of driving drunk in a hit-and-run crash that killed a Sammamish Plateau woman in 1997, chose not to enter a plea at her arraignment Monday for charges of drunken driving and driving with a suspended license in the third degree.
As state law requires, Judge Janet Garrow entered a plea of not guilty on West's behalf. The law states that defendants charged with driving under the influence are not required to enter a plea until they have had a chance to consult with a lawyer.
After the hearing, West was returned to the King County Jail in Seattle, where she remained Monday night in lieu of $150,000 bail.
West has not retained a defense attorney. She was appointed a public defender for Monday's hearing.
She was arrested for drunken driving shortly after midnight on June 18, approximately six months after she was released from probation for the drunken crash that killed Mary Johnsen, a 38-year-old mother of two who was walking off the roadway when she was struck in July 1997.
In West's most recent arrest, charging papers say, a Bellevue police officer noticed a broken license-plate light on her black 1998 Buick as it was driving through the parking lot of a Newport Hills shopping center. The officer ran the plate number and discovered the car's owner had a suspended license and no car insurance.
The officer stopping West reported that he immediately smelled alcohol on her breath. When he asked if she had been drinking, she leaned against the car and said no. When he asked if she would mind performing a sobriety test, she protested, saying she didn't have her contact lenses.
After failing the test, the charges state, West refused to submit to a breath test. She was then taken into custody and hospitalized for alcohol-dependency treatment.
Charging papers say West also was on antidepressants at the time of her arrest.
In court Monday, Judge Garrow advised West to retain an attorney or apply for a public defender. When asked about her assets, West told the judge that she has approximately $160,000 in stock and bonds, which might make it difficult for her to obtain court-appointed counsel.
West attracted widespread attention after her 1997 conviction for vehicular homicide. In that incident, court records state, her blood-alcohol level was 0.34, more than three times the legal limit. West pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide, reckless endangerment, reckless driving and felony hit-and-run.
She served six years of a nine-year sentence, was released from prison in 2003 and got off probation in January of this year.
Prior to the fatal accident, West was arrested for drunken driving in Pullman in 1978, in Seattle in 1985, in Marysville in 1989 and in Fall City in 1991. Two of the cases were deferred, and one was dismissed.
Because she'd been arrested four times for drunken driving prior to the fatal accident, her case spurred several new state laws in 1998 designed to crack down on drunken drivers.
Earlier this year, the Legislature passed a law making it a felony to have a fifth DUI conviction in 10 years or a DUI conviction after a prior vehicular homicide conviction.
But since that law becomes effective in July 2007, it doesn't apply to West. Her latest charge is a gross misdemeanor offense, not a felony, and carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $5,000 fine, according to Bellevue City Attorney Lori Riordan. Driving with a suspended license in the third degree carries a penalty of up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
West is due back in court for a pretrial hearing in two weeks.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Ignition Interlock
An ignition interlock device is a breath alcohol analyzer connected to the ignition of a car. A vehicle equipped with an ignition interlock device cannot be driven unless the driver passes the unit's breath alcohol tests.
Most of these devices work in the following manner:
Most of these devices work in the following manner:
- When the key is turned a voice prompts the driver to prepare to give a breath test.
- The driver has over 60 seconds to provide a deep lung breath sample--at a pressure rate of 1.5 liters of air given over six seconds--providing the unit with a sample of alveolar air from the bottom of the lungs.
- Testing the sample takes 25 seconds.
- After test completion, a voice either prompts the driver to start the car or lets him/her know it will not start.
- To discourage someone else from providing the original breath sample (a violation of the law when using Model DM-904, the model used when an ignition interlock system is mandated by the court), two "random rolling retests" are given within 20 minutes of starting.
- If a retest is failed a voice instructs the driver to pull over and shut off the car. If this instruction is ignored the horn sounds and the lights blink until the car is shut off.
- The unit's computer records all test and pertinent driving data. This is downloadable and printable. In the case of mandatory use, this data can only be accessed by court officials. Any attempt at tampering with the unit registers in this data log.
Monday, May 22, 2006
How Breathalyzers Work
I just found a really interesting article on 'How Breathalyzers Work'. I am just posting the bginning of the article, but the rest can be found at howstuffworks.com:
We hear and read about drivers involved in an accident who are later charged with drunken driving, and usually a news report on the accident will say what the driver's blood alcohol level was and what the legal limit for blood alcohol is. A driver might be found to have a level of 0.15, for example, and the legal limit is 0.08. But what do those figures mean? And how do police officers find out if a driver they suspect has been drinking is actually legally drunk? You have probably heard about the Breathalyzer, but may wonder exactly how a person's breath can show how much that person has had to drink.
It is important for public safety that drunken drivers be taken off the roads. Of the 42,000 traffic deaths in the United States in 1999, about 38 percent were related to alcohol. Drivers who can pass roadside sobriety tests -- they can touch their noses or walk a straight line -- still might be breaking the legal limit for blood alcohol and be a hazard on the road. So police officers use some of the latest technology to detect alcohol levels in suspected drunken drivers and remove them from the streets.
Many officers in the field rely on breath alcohol testing devices (Breathalyzer is one type) to determine the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in drunken-driving suspects. In this article, we will examine the scientific principles and technology behind these breath alcohol testing devices.
We hear and read about drivers involved in an accident who are later charged with drunken driving, and usually a news report on the accident will say what the driver's blood alcohol level was and what the legal limit for blood alcohol is. A driver might be found to have a level of 0.15, for example, and the legal limit is 0.08. But what do those figures mean? And how do police officers find out if a driver they suspect has been drinking is actually legally drunk? You have probably heard about the Breathalyzer, but may wonder exactly how a person's breath can show how much that person has had to drink.
It is important for public safety that drunken drivers be taken off the roads. Of the 42,000 traffic deaths in the United States in 1999, about 38 percent were related to alcohol. Drivers who can pass roadside sobriety tests -- they can touch their noses or walk a straight line -- still might be breaking the legal limit for blood alcohol and be a hazard on the road. So police officers use some of the latest technology to detect alcohol levels in suspected drunken drivers and remove them from the streets.
Many officers in the field rely on breath alcohol testing devices (Breathalyzer is one type) to determine the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in drunken-driving suspects. In this article, we will examine the scientific principles and technology behind these breath alcohol testing devices.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Acting liquor chief named after DUI arrest of former director
Well it sounds like Oregon is filled with a bunch of hypocrites, at least as far as alcohol and DUIs go. Here is a little article from msnbc.com that illustrates what I am saying:
The Oregon Liquor Control Commission appointed Steve Pharo to serve as acting director today following the resignation of the executive director, who was arrested for drunken driving.
Teresa Kaiser resigned her post Thursday. She has also been charged reckless driving.
Pharo currently is director of merchandising for the agency. He will serve as acting administrator until a permanent replacement is found for Kaiser.
Pharo pledged to bring a "steadying hand" to an agency that was embarrassed by the disclosure that its top official had been arrested for drunken driving.
Portland police arrested 56-year-old Kaiser last Saturday night. This, after officers responded to a two-car accident on the west end of the Sellwood Bridge.
A breath test placed Kaiser's blood alcohol level at twice the legal limit for driving in Oregon.
Originally posted at: Oregon DUI News
The Oregon Liquor Control Commission appointed Steve Pharo to serve as acting director today following the resignation of the executive director, who was arrested for drunken driving.
Teresa Kaiser resigned her post Thursday. She has also been charged reckless driving.
Pharo currently is director of merchandising for the agency. He will serve as acting administrator until a permanent replacement is found for Kaiser.
Pharo pledged to bring a "steadying hand" to an agency that was embarrassed by the disclosure that its top official had been arrested for drunken driving.
Portland police arrested 56-year-old Kaiser last Saturday night. This, after officers responded to a two-car accident on the west end of the Sellwood Bridge.
A breath test placed Kaiser's blood alcohol level at twice the legal limit for driving in Oregon.
Originally posted at: Oregon DUI News
Friday, April 28, 2006
DUI hear the one about ....
A police officer pulls over this guy who's been weaving in and out of the lanes. He goes up to the guy's window and says, "Sir, I need you to blow into this breathalyzer tube."
The man says, "Sorry, officer, I can't do that. I am an asthmatic. If I do that, I'll have a really bad asthma attack."
"Okay, fine. I need you to come down to the station to give a blood sample."
I can't do that either. I am a hemophiliac. If I do that, I'll bleed to death."
"Well, then, we need a urine sample."
"I'm sorry, officer, I can't do that either. I am also a diabetic. If I do that, I'll get really low blood sugar."
"All right, then I need you to come out here and walk this white line."
"I can't do that, officer."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm drunk."
The man says, "Sorry, officer, I can't do that. I am an asthmatic. If I do that, I'll have a really bad asthma attack."
"Okay, fine. I need you to come down to the station to give a blood sample."
I can't do that either. I am a hemophiliac. If I do that, I'll bleed to death."
"Well, then, we need a urine sample."
"I'm sorry, officer, I can't do that either. I am also a diabetic. If I do that, I'll get really low blood sugar."
"All right, then I need you to come out here and walk this white line."
"I can't do that, officer."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm drunk."
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Fanning the Foxworth Flames
An article I found this morning at the Portland Mercury has an article about the Portland Sherriff and has the word DUI at least once in it. A summarry of this article follows:
And yet one aspect of Oswalt's complaint went largely ignored by nearly every media outlet: Oswalt's accusation that someone at Willamette Week knew about Foxworth's affair well before he became chief, and that Foxworth was able to convince them to keep it quiet.
From the complaint: "Foxworth told the claimant that he had been called into Chief [Mark] Kroeker's office and was told that Mayor [Vera] Katz and the Willamette Week had information about his 'blonde girlfriend' and that he was ordered to break off the relationship.
...Yet, for two days Willamette Week stayed quiet about the fact they were implicated in a cover up, and posted only a brief, barebones news update on their website about what has become the most explosive story in recent memory.
...In a brief statement attached to the end of their already online article, former Willamette Week police writer Nick Budnick (now at the Tribune) said he heard years ago that Foxworth had a blonde girlfriend, but didn't know her identity.
...Additionally, former Willamette Week News Editor John Schrag (now at the Forest Grove News Times), who helmed the news section during the time when the affair is alleged to have happened, told the Mercury that it was "possible" that someone on his staff knew about the affair, or at the very least heard rumors about it.
...An even more specific instance, dealing with current Sheriff Bernie Giusto's involvement in the Goldschmidt case: In December 2004, Willamette Week reported that for more than 15 years, the publication had "danced around the conduct of Sheriff Bernie Giusto, who was an Oregon state trooper and Goldschmidt's bodyguard and driver from 1987 to 1989, the first two years he was governor."
This blog entry was originally posted at: Oregon DUI News.
And yet one aspect of Oswalt's complaint went largely ignored by nearly every media outlet: Oswalt's accusation that someone at Willamette Week knew about Foxworth's affair well before he became chief, and that Foxworth was able to convince them to keep it quiet.
From the complaint: "Foxworth told the claimant that he had been called into Chief [Mark] Kroeker's office and was told that Mayor [Vera] Katz and the Willamette Week had information about his 'blonde girlfriend' and that he was ordered to break off the relationship.
...Yet, for two days Willamette Week stayed quiet about the fact they were implicated in a cover up, and posted only a brief, barebones news update on their website about what has become the most explosive story in recent memory.
...In a brief statement attached to the end of their already online article, former Willamette Week police writer Nick Budnick (now at the Tribune) said he heard years ago that Foxworth had a blonde girlfriend, but didn't know her identity.
...Additionally, former Willamette Week News Editor John Schrag (now at the Forest Grove News Times), who helmed the news section during the time when the affair is alleged to have happened, told the Mercury that it was "possible" that someone on his staff knew about the affair, or at the very least heard rumors about it.
...An even more specific instance, dealing with current Sheriff Bernie Giusto's involvement in the Goldschmidt case: In December 2004, Willamette Week reported that for more than 15 years, the publication had "danced around the conduct of Sheriff Bernie Giusto, who was an Oregon state trooper and Goldschmidt's bodyguard and driver from 1987 to 1989, the first two years he was governor."
This blog entry was originally posted at: Oregon DUI News.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Sports Drunks
Well the search for relevant articles on DUIs this week was a bust. It appears that a sports drunk has stolen all the headlines. I have included a summary of an article from the Daily News:
NEW YORK (AP) -- Seattle SuperSonics forward Rashard Lewis was suspended for one game without pay by the NBA on Thursday for reckless driving.
Lewis, who will miss the Sonics' game Friday night at Portland, pleaded guilty to reckless driving and was given a one-year suspended sentence Monday, five months after he failed sobriety and breath tests during a stop on Interstate 90.
...Lewis will serve 24 hours of community service, two years of probation and pay $175 to reimburse the State Patrol for emergency response costs.
...Lewis failed a field sobriety test and was taken to the Mercer Island Police Department, where he registered a 0.132 and 0.122 on successive breath tests.
First posted at: Oregon DUI News.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Seattle SuperSonics forward Rashard Lewis was suspended for one game without pay by the NBA on Thursday for reckless driving.
Lewis, who will miss the Sonics' game Friday night at Portland, pleaded guilty to reckless driving and was given a one-year suspended sentence Monday, five months after he failed sobriety and breath tests during a stop on Interstate 90.
...Lewis will serve 24 hours of community service, two years of probation and pay $175 to reimburse the State Patrol for emergency response costs.
...Lewis failed a field sobriety test and was taken to the Mercer Island Police Department, where he registered a 0.132 and 0.122 on successive breath tests.
First posted at: Oregon DUI News.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
DUI enforcement efforts honored
It looks like Lynnwood is having a party for the Snohomish County DUI Task Force for their efforts in DUI enforcement, according to a little article found over at HeraldNet.
Two Lynnwood police officers were recently recognized by the Snohomish County DUI Task Force for their efforts in DUI enforcement.
Officer Mark Brinkman received the Norma Thompson Award, presented to the officer with the most DUI arrests. In 2005, Brinkman processed 243 impaired drivers.
Officer Paul Bryan received an award for removing 175 impaired drivers in 2005.
The Lynnwood Police Department received the Gayle Whitsell Award for its leadership in DUI enforcement.
In 2005, Lynnwood officers arrested 710 impaired drivers, fourth in the state only to the Washington State Patrol, Seattle Police Department and the King County Sheriff's Department.
Sponsered by: BottmanBros.com.
This news item was originally posted at Washington DUI News.
Two Lynnwood police officers were recently recognized by the Snohomish County DUI Task Force for their efforts in DUI enforcement.
Officer Mark Brinkman received the Norma Thompson Award, presented to the officer with the most DUI arrests. In 2005, Brinkman processed 243 impaired drivers.
Officer Paul Bryan received an award for removing 175 impaired drivers in 2005.
The Lynnwood Police Department received the Gayle Whitsell Award for its leadership in DUI enforcement.
In 2005, Lynnwood officers arrested 710 impaired drivers, fourth in the state only to the Washington State Patrol, Seattle Police Department and the King County Sheriff's Department.
Sponsered by: BottmanBros.com.
This news item was originally posted at Washington DUI News.
Friday, March 31, 2006
DUI Suspect Allegedly Uses Kidnap Story To Cover Crash
I was just perusing the net for articles on DUI related incidents in Oregon state and ran across this little gem over at the Koin 6 web site. A summarry follows:
SCAPPOOSE, Ore. -- Deputies say a drunken driver who wrecked his car tried to spin a story of kidnap before his arrest.
Harry Clifford Shearer was taken into custody early Wednesday morning on Rocky Point Road south of Scappoose.
Shearer allegedly wrecked his car and then called 911, claiming that he was held at gunpoint by a man who drove the car off the road. Officers from Multnomah and Columbia counties, Oregon State Police and the Portland Police Bureau searched for a suspect.
Shearer was arrested when it became obvious that he made up the story. He is charged with filing a false report, DUI and reckless driving.
If you are faced with DUI charges please visit our sponsor: Robert Mckay & Associates.
Originally posted at Oregon DUI News.
SCAPPOOSE, Ore. -- Deputies say a drunken driver who wrecked his car tried to spin a story of kidnap before his arrest.
Harry Clifford Shearer was taken into custody early Wednesday morning on Rocky Point Road south of Scappoose.
Shearer allegedly wrecked his car and then called 911, claiming that he was held at gunpoint by a man who drove the car off the road. Officers from Multnomah and Columbia counties, Oregon State Police and the Portland Police Bureau searched for a suspect.
Shearer was arrested when it became obvious that he made up the story. He is charged with filing a false report, DUI and reckless driving.
If you are faced with DUI charges please visit our sponsor: Robert Mckay & Associates.
Originally posted at Oregon DUI News.
Gregoire signs tougher DUI law
I was just perusing the net for articles on DUI related incidents in Washington state and ran across this little gem over at the Seattle PI. A summarry follows:
The measure would make a fifth DUI conviction in 10 years a felony. A DUI charge would also be a felony for drivers with previous convictions for vehicular assault or vehicular homicide while impaired.
When the new law takes effect, drivers who are convicted of the felony DUI could face a maximum prison term of five years. A legislative analysis showed the typical sentence likely would be about two years.
Ahern said getting the measure passed was worth the delay. He said various lawmakers had been working on the issue for about 25 years.
She has not yet vetoed any bills, but Gregoire has received requests to wholly or partially scrap more than 30 measures, said Marty Brown, legislative director.
A measure that aims to drive down textbook costs for students at the state's colleges and universities. Part of the new rule pushes professors to work with suppliers to keep costs down. A bill that exempts from public disclosure laws certain information supplied for government livestock identification databases meant to track disease. Details of completed state animal health investigations still could be released publicly.
If you are faced with DUI charges please visit our sponsor: Robert Mckay & Associates.
Originally posted at Washington DUI News.
The measure would make a fifth DUI conviction in 10 years a felony. A DUI charge would also be a felony for drivers with previous convictions for vehicular assault or vehicular homicide while impaired.
When the new law takes effect, drivers who are convicted of the felony DUI could face a maximum prison term of five years. A legislative analysis showed the typical sentence likely would be about two years.
Ahern said getting the measure passed was worth the delay. He said various lawmakers had been working on the issue for about 25 years.
She has not yet vetoed any bills, but Gregoire has received requests to wholly or partially scrap more than 30 measures, said Marty Brown, legislative director.
A measure that aims to drive down textbook costs for students at the state's colleges and universities. Part of the new rule pushes professors to work with suppliers to keep costs down. A bill that exempts from public disclosure laws certain information supplied for government livestock identification databases meant to track disease. Details of completed state animal health investigations still could be released publicly.
If you are faced with DUI charges please visit our sponsor: Robert Mckay & Associates.
Originally posted at Washington DUI News.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Kitchen faucet spews beer in pipe mix-up
OSLO, NORWAY — Haldis Gundersen turned on her kitchen faucet over the weekend and discovered that her water had turned into beer; two stories below her, employees at the Big Tower Bar were confused when water came out of their beer taps, according to a March 13 Associated Press article reported by ABC News.
In a botched plumbing job, a bar employee had accidentally hooked up a beer hose to Gundersen's water lines, creating a mix-up that baffled everybody, the article said.
According to the article, Gundersen tried the beer but said it was flat and "not tempting."
A local beer distributor had helped the bar reconnect the pipes by telephone and said the beer and water lines were touching, but he insisted that someone would have had to have been "very creative" to switch the pipes, the article said.
In the article, Gundersen reflected, "Maybe it would be easier if they just invited me down for a beer."
... and she doesn't have to even drive home.
Please visit our sponsor: BottmanBros.com.
In a botched plumbing job, a bar employee had accidentally hooked up a beer hose to Gundersen's water lines, creating a mix-up that baffled everybody, the article said.
According to the article, Gundersen tried the beer but said it was flat and "not tempting."
A local beer distributor had helped the bar reconnect the pipes by telephone and said the beer and water lines were touching, but he insisted that someone would have had to have been "very creative" to switch the pipes, the article said.
In the article, Gundersen reflected, "Maybe it would be easier if they just invited me down for a beer."
... and she doesn't have to even drive home.
Please visit our sponsor: BottmanBros.com.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Did you here the one about ...
Only an Oregonian could think of this .. Recently a routine police patrol parked outside a bar in LaGrande, Oregon. After last call the officer noticed a man leaving the bar so intoxicated that he could barely walk. The man stumbled around the parking lot for a few minutes, with the officer quietly observing. After what seemed an eternity and trying his keys on five different vehicles, the man managed to find his car which he fell into. He sat there for a few minutes as a number of other patrons left the bar and drove off.
Finally he started the car, switched the wipers on and off (it was a fine, dry summer night) -- flicked the blinkers on, then off a couple of times, honked the horn and then switched on the lights. He moved the vehicle forward a few inches, reversed a little and then remained still for a few more minutes as some more of the other patron vehic les left.
At last, the parking lot empty, he pulled out of the parking lot and started to drive slowly down the road. The police officer, having patiently waited all this time, now started up the patrol car, put on the flashing lights, and promptly pulled the man over and carried out a breathalyzer test. To his amazement the breathalyzer indicated no evidence of the man having consumed any alcohol at all! Dumbfounded, the officer said, "I'll have to ask you to accompany me to the police station. This breath analyzer equipment must be broken."
I doubt it," said the truly proud Oregonian. "Tonight I'm the designated decoy."
Finally he started the car, switched the wipers on and off (it was a fine, dry summer night) -- flicked the blinkers on, then off a couple of times, honked the horn and then switched on the lights. He moved the vehicle forward a few inches, reversed a little and then remained still for a few more minutes as some more of the other patron vehic les left.
At last, the parking lot empty, he pulled out of the parking lot and started to drive slowly down the road. The police officer, having patiently waited all this time, now started up the patrol car, put on the flashing lights, and promptly pulled the man over and carried out a breathalyzer test. To his amazement the breathalyzer indicated no evidence of the man having consumed any alcohol at all! Dumbfounded, the officer said, "I'll have to ask you to accompany me to the police station. This breath analyzer equipment must be broken."
I doubt it," said the truly proud Oregonian. "Tonight I'm the designated decoy."
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Washington State: DUI Update
Is Washington state keeping up with the times or are they taking a step backwards? An article recently published at the Seattle Times, Discusses The changing face of DUI laws in Washington:
Lantz estimates that about 110 DUI offenders each year would face prison time under the proposed law, based on 2004 figures from the Judicial Information System, a statewide court database.
...Repeat drunken drivers in Washington now are sentenced to more than a year in jail only if they commit another alcohol-related crime, such as vehicular homicide, said Margaret Nave, a senior King County deputy prosecutor.
David Arganian, a Seattle criminal-defense attorney specializing in DUI, said most judges show leniency when sentencing first- and second-time offenders.
...But supporters say a felony DUI law offers chronic drunken drivers something that county jails can't always provide — treatment.
...In 2004, about 220 traffic-related deaths statewide involved alcohol or drugs, said Steve Lind, deputy director of the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.
This article about DUI laws in Washington was originally posted at: Washington DUI News. I would also like to thank Robert Mckay, a Seattle Criminal Defence Attorney
Lantz estimates that about 110 DUI offenders each year would face prison time under the proposed law, based on 2004 figures from the Judicial Information System, a statewide court database.
...Repeat drunken drivers in Washington now are sentenced to more than a year in jail only if they commit another alcohol-related crime, such as vehicular homicide, said Margaret Nave, a senior King County deputy prosecutor.
David Arganian, a Seattle criminal-defense attorney specializing in DUI, said most judges show leniency when sentencing first- and second-time offenders.
...But supporters say a felony DUI law offers chronic drunken drivers something that county jails can't always provide — treatment.
...In 2004, about 220 traffic-related deaths statewide involved alcohol or drugs, said Steve Lind, deputy director of the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.
This article about DUI laws in Washington was originally posted at: Washington DUI News. I would also like to thank Robert Mckay, a Seattle Criminal Defence Attorney
Friday, February 10, 2006
Urban Transit
If you just can't avoid going out on the town for a few drinks like an average american, then you should probably avoid taking your car and use public transportation instead (and I am not talking about riding in a squad car after grabbing a DUI). The only problem is that our public transportation systems are rudimentary and inadequate. I suggest you get involved in advocating for proper public transport, and a great place to start is this blog: Urban Transit
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
WSP gets on the Taser bandwagon
centralkitsapreporter.com has an interesting article about DUI arrests and Taser usage. A summary follows:
SHELTON — Pulled over by a Washington State Patrol Trooper for a DUI and becoming increasingly noncompliant and agressive screaming “Come on, you want to fight me?”... Although this was just a scenario and the “driver” was actually Trooper Kevin Forrester, an instructor at the Washington State Patrol Academy in Shelton, it’s a common situation.
...“The Taser is a technology that has been around for a while, and is proven to be safe and effective in bringing a non-compliant individual into compliance without the need for additional use of force,” said WSP Chief John Batiste.
...Forrester then stood up, continued to resist arrest and was tased a second time before rolling onto his stomach and putting his hands behind his back.
...Trooper Eric Ludlow, of the Poulsbo Detachment, was one of the weapon belt instructors undergoing Taser training at the academy on Thursday.
...WSP will first distribute additional Tasers to those detachments that have shown the highest rate of use of force, for example, areas like Seattle or Tacoma, according to Fakkema.... As for District 8, which includes Kitsap County, Fakkema expects the five detachments — Port Angeles, Poulsbo, Shelton, Hoquiam and Naselle — to each have two Tasers by June.
Originally posted at: Washington DUI News.
SHELTON — Pulled over by a Washington State Patrol Trooper for a DUI and becoming increasingly noncompliant and agressive screaming “Come on, you want to fight me?”... Although this was just a scenario and the “driver” was actually Trooper Kevin Forrester, an instructor at the Washington State Patrol Academy in Shelton, it’s a common situation.
...“The Taser is a technology that has been around for a while, and is proven to be safe and effective in bringing a non-compliant individual into compliance without the need for additional use of force,” said WSP Chief John Batiste.
...Forrester then stood up, continued to resist arrest and was tased a second time before rolling onto his stomach and putting his hands behind his back.
...Trooper Eric Ludlow, of the Poulsbo Detachment, was one of the weapon belt instructors undergoing Taser training at the academy on Thursday.
...WSP will first distribute additional Tasers to those detachments that have shown the highest rate of use of force, for example, areas like Seattle or Tacoma, according to Fakkema.... As for District 8, which includes Kitsap County, Fakkema expects the five detachments — Port Angeles, Poulsbo, Shelton, Hoquiam and Naselle — to each have two Tasers by June.
Originally posted at: Washington DUI News.
A tougher new law for drunk drivers: Seize their cars
I just found this article on DUI punishments at mtexpress.com. A summary follows:
Drunk drivers behind the wheels of cars and trucks continue to be a nightmare on the nation's roads and highways, and sterner measures are justified to rid the public of these menaces.
A new tactic catching on in several states is to seize vehicles of drunk drivers, impound them for various periods, and in at least one county in Oregon, auction off the cars after multiple arrests.
...The same summary shows that 10,135 persons were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in 2004, 8,674 of them by sheriffs and local police, the other 1,461 by Idaho State Police.
For a staggering perspective of what this means economically, the 103 deaths in DUI accidents led to $330 million in a variety of costs in lost productivity, insurance, medical, law enforcement and the like.
...If fines and the threat of jail time don't persuade drivers to observe sobriety laws, then loss of a cherished vehicle might create second thoughts when "one more for the road" is uttered.
Originally posted at: Oregon DUI News.
Drunk drivers behind the wheels of cars and trucks continue to be a nightmare on the nation's roads and highways, and sterner measures are justified to rid the public of these menaces.
A new tactic catching on in several states is to seize vehicles of drunk drivers, impound them for various periods, and in at least one county in Oregon, auction off the cars after multiple arrests.
...The same summary shows that 10,135 persons were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in 2004, 8,674 of them by sheriffs and local police, the other 1,461 by Idaho State Police.
For a staggering perspective of what this means economically, the 103 deaths in DUI accidents led to $330 million in a variety of costs in lost productivity, insurance, medical, law enforcement and the like.
...If fines and the threat of jail time don't persuade drivers to observe sobriety laws, then loss of a cherished vehicle might create second thoughts when "one more for the road" is uttered.
Originally posted at: Oregon DUI News.
Monday, January 09, 2006
More news about DUI punishments
Convicted first-time drunk-driving offenders can now be found cleaning up roadsides in Tennessee wearing orange vests emblazoned with the phrase "I am a drunk driver," the Associated Press reported Dec. 31. Read more:
· http://www.t-g.com/story/1134272.html
· http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1211&dept_id=169692&newsid=15851484&PAG=461&rfi=9
· http://www.jointogether.org/sa/news/summaries/reader/0%2C1854%2C578816%2C00.html
· http://www.t-g.com/story/1134272.html
· http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1211&dept_id=169692&newsid=15851484&PAG=461&rfi=9
· http://www.jointogether.org/sa/news/summaries/reader/0%2C1854%2C578816%2C00.html
Monday, January 02, 2006
Lawmakers hope signs can shame drunk drivers
I was just perusing DUI news form accross the web and just ran into this gem from the Concord Monitor. According to the article:
A new Tennessee law is enlisting the power of shame to discourage drunken driving - even though law enforcement, the governor and various experts are calling it an expensive and bad idea.
Starting today, convicted drunken drivers are required to do 24 hours of roadside cleanup while wearing orange vests emblazoned with the phrase "I am a Drunk Driver."
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