Stopped by a Cop on day 14
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Arizona
Posts: 107
Stopped by a Cop on day 14
And I had a DUI related suspended license. I was so full of anxiety as I turned the wrong way on a one way street. This happened on a college campus as I was on my way to drop off some money for my daughter and decided to cut through campus after work as a shortcut. Big mistake as I did not the know the roads on campus as well as I thought.
When I realized what happened I saw that I had no room to make a u-turn so I continued on till I reached the first parking lot exit. Suddenly I saw the officer's vehicle approaching and I about swallowed my heart. Fear overcame me and I thought "Oh crap, I'm about to go to jail and get my car towed in."
After giving my insurance and registration over( both in my wife's name), I told the officer I did not have my license but had completed all my requirements and was eligible to get my interlock installed and get my driver's license reinstated. He told me to exit the vehicle and stand in back of my car facing his vehicle as he ran some checks on me as well as the insurance and registration.
Finally he came back and asked me if anyone with a valid license could come pick up the car rather than get it towed in( a $700 impound fee). He then wrote me a warning for driving the wrong way on a one way street. Thankfully there was no traffic. He then said he had to write me a criminal traffic ticket for driving on a suspended license and then told me with a smile, "get that interlock installed and your license reinstated and throw yourself at the mercy of the judge. They understand and they'll work with you."
When I looked at the citation later it was marked civil traffic rather than criminal. The officer waited with his lights trained on me until my wife finally arrived 40 minutes later after this whole ordeal ensued.
For those wanting to know the DUI happened on a dirt road 3.5 miles off the highway in a secluded canyon. The vehicle never moved and my wife and I were in the vehicle listening to music as our campsite and tent were both drenched from a day and a half of straight rain and howling winds. A county sheriff had come out to that remote area on a complaint of some drumming disturbance and being unable to find any culprit, approached our vehicle and made a point ot arrest me. His deputies later apologized to my wife after taking me in to the local police department and the releasing me back to the care of my wife. I barely blew a .08 and the deputies knew I hadn't been driving but said they had to do what their sargeant told them.
I had made it a habit in the previous years before this arrest to always walk to the store if under the influence and wanted to buy more. I felt at that time that I had been really given the shaft by God and/or life in general.
Ffwd to today. I take full responsibility for my actions. I am not a victim but I don't need anyone preaching to me right now. I bludgeon myself for my own mistakes and don't need someone else to join in. I am on day 17 clean and sober and am getting the interlock installed on monday. I only hope that the judge will have mercy on me and that the wrong box being cited(civil instead of criminal) will be enough to get this case dismissed.
I am serious about staying sober and being a law abiding citizen from here on in. The cop had every right to take me to jail and have my vehicle repossessed. Oh yeah. Money, work schedule and some other extenuating circumstances prevented me from getting the chance to get my license back until just recently. Enough said for now.
When I realized what happened I saw that I had no room to make a u-turn so I continued on till I reached the first parking lot exit. Suddenly I saw the officer's vehicle approaching and I about swallowed my heart. Fear overcame me and I thought "Oh crap, I'm about to go to jail and get my car towed in."
After giving my insurance and registration over( both in my wife's name), I told the officer I did not have my license but had completed all my requirements and was eligible to get my interlock installed and get my driver's license reinstated. He told me to exit the vehicle and stand in back of my car facing his vehicle as he ran some checks on me as well as the insurance and registration.
Finally he came back and asked me if anyone with a valid license could come pick up the car rather than get it towed in( a $700 impound fee). He then wrote me a warning for driving the wrong way on a one way street. Thankfully there was no traffic. He then said he had to write me a criminal traffic ticket for driving on a suspended license and then told me with a smile, "get that interlock installed and your license reinstated and throw yourself at the mercy of the judge. They understand and they'll work with you."
When I looked at the citation later it was marked civil traffic rather than criminal. The officer waited with his lights trained on me until my wife finally arrived 40 minutes later after this whole ordeal ensued.
For those wanting to know the DUI happened on a dirt road 3.5 miles off the highway in a secluded canyon. The vehicle never moved and my wife and I were in the vehicle listening to music as our campsite and tent were both drenched from a day and a half of straight rain and howling winds. A county sheriff had come out to that remote area on a complaint of some drumming disturbance and being unable to find any culprit, approached our vehicle and made a point ot arrest me. His deputies later apologized to my wife after taking me in to the local police department and the releasing me back to the care of my wife. I barely blew a .08 and the deputies knew I hadn't been driving but said they had to do what their sargeant told them.
I had made it a habit in the previous years before this arrest to always walk to the store if under the influence and wanted to buy more. I felt at that time that I had been really given the shaft by God and/or life in general.
Ffwd to today. I take full responsibility for my actions. I am not a victim but I don't need anyone preaching to me right now. I bludgeon myself for my own mistakes and don't need someone else to join in. I am on day 17 clean and sober and am getting the interlock installed on monday. I only hope that the judge will have mercy on me and that the wrong box being cited(civil instead of criminal) will be enough to get this case dismissed.
I am serious about staying sober and being a law abiding citizen from here on in. The cop had every right to take me to jail and have my vehicle repossessed. Oh yeah. Money, work schedule and some other extenuating circumstances prevented me from getting the chance to get my license back until just recently. Enough said for now.
12 Step Recovered Alcoholic
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Thailand
Posts: 6,594
There is a lesson in here somwhere. I was thinking about stopping drinking, but carrying on with old ways and ideas. Seems like there is more to it than just putting down the bottle.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Arizona
Posts: 107
Thank you for your replies. I prayed earnestly to get my license back 2 weeks ago
and now that I am eligible the situation has been expedited. I am so thankful that I am sober today on day 18 and at the time of the stop. Its kind of ironic that I drove many times drunk with a valid license but never without.
In my state, if the keys are in the ignition and you are in the driver's seat and you are under the influence, you can be charged with DUI.
The lesson I learned is not to fold when adversity hits. Do not pick up that drink no matter what. The big book talks of meeting "calamity with serenity" and that is what I intend to do.
I am not a fatalist but believe somehow that this will work out for my own good. Thank you everyone at OR.
and now that I am eligible the situation has been expedited. I am so thankful that I am sober today on day 18 and at the time of the stop. Its kind of ironic that I drove many times drunk with a valid license but never without.
In my state, if the keys are in the ignition and you are in the driver's seat and you are under the influence, you can be charged with DUI.
The lesson I learned is not to fold when adversity hits. Do not pick up that drink no matter what. The big book talks of meeting "calamity with serenity" and that is what I intend to do.
I am not a fatalist but believe somehow that this will work out for my own good. Thank you everyone at OR.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: IL now
Posts: 218
Just recently had my interlock removed. I'm free! 
It's a gratifying feeling, just work through it as another step on this journey. Do NOT blow a failure, it'll just start sending things down a bad path. I also wrote some notes on a dedicated blog about the interlock device I used, and also my 'backup' in case it ever registered a failure. Maybe it would help to read through and see it isn't something to be frightened of. My DUI was quite awhile ago but I putzed around getting everything taken care of. Congrats on your sobriety today, my friend. Here's the blog. Ignition Interlock Journey Simple IID Interlock Review
It's a gratifying feeling, just work through it as another step on this journey. Do NOT blow a failure, it'll just start sending things down a bad path. I also wrote some notes on a dedicated blog about the interlock device I used, and also my 'backup' in case it ever registered a failure. Maybe it would help to read through and see it isn't something to be frightened of. My DUI was quite awhile ago but I putzed around getting everything taken care of. Congrats on your sobriety today, my friend. Here's the blog. Ignition Interlock Journey Simple IID Interlock Review Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Arizona
Posts: 107
I am happy to say that I got my interlock put in and license reinstated. However I still have a court case coming up in 2 weeks and I can only hope for leniency from the judge. Its only the arraignment but I hope somehow it can be settled then and there. I intend on staying sober no matter what.
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