DUI arrest.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 957
DUI arrest.
A friend of mine was arrested this holiday season and charged with a DUI.
Of course he is worried, upset, scared and experiencing many more emotions. His court date is coming up at the end of January.
I have shared with him my experiences of my two DUI arrests in a span of 10-15 years. I still remember the shame and embarrassment, but truely grateful that I never hurt anyone, but myself. I shared about the mugshot, fingerprinting, court appearances and the jail experiences. I guess you never forget. I'm also truely grateful that I'am sober today.
I know that these arrests today, are much more severe than when I was charged and he knows that he is in serious trouble, what with fines and etc.
Already he is remorseful and takes full responsibility. He is not an alcoholic and rarely drinks, but used poor judgment when driving home. His BAL was 0.04, but here in Arizona, your guilty if you admit to having a drink.
Anyone care to share of their own arrest? After all these years, it seems like just yesterday.
Of course he is worried, upset, scared and experiencing many more emotions. His court date is coming up at the end of January.
I have shared with him my experiences of my two DUI arrests in a span of 10-15 years. I still remember the shame and embarrassment, but truely grateful that I never hurt anyone, but myself. I shared about the mugshot, fingerprinting, court appearances and the jail experiences. I guess you never forget. I'm also truely grateful that I'am sober today.
I know that these arrests today, are much more severe than when I was charged and he knows that he is in serious trouble, what with fines and etc.
Already he is remorseful and takes full responsibility. He is not an alcoholic and rarely drinks, but used poor judgment when driving home. His BAL was 0.04, but here in Arizona, your guilty if you admit to having a drink.
Anyone care to share of their own arrest? After all these years, it seems like just yesterday.
Psalm 118:24
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ILLINOIS
Posts: 15,203
That is strict in IL. it's .08 for a DUI. I got a DUI arrest dropped to a reckless back in 80. Back then, you could talk to a states attorney and plead out.
Not sure about your state but, here, you have to have a machine hooked up to your car after a first DUI now.
You brought up some valid points. A friend of mine in AA brought up the same topics. he said, anyone that's not an alcoholic wouldn't ever subject themselves to what, you endure over a first DUI arrest again. An alcoholic will delude themselves into thinking they can drink and drive again
A friend of mine in the program just got nailed for a fourth DUI the other day. He might never get to drive legally again in this state.
Not sure about your state but, here, you have to have a machine hooked up to your car after a first DUI now.
You brought up some valid points. A friend of mine in AA brought up the same topics. he said, anyone that's not an alcoholic wouldn't ever subject themselves to what, you endure over a first DUI arrest again. An alcoholic will delude themselves into thinking they can drink and drive again
A friend of mine in the program just got nailed for a fourth DUI the other day. He might never get to drive legally again in this state.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 2,126
Actually, for ALL states the legal limit is .08 [(even Arizona) all states agreed to this in order to qualify for federal highway funds], however, as long as one's BAC is greater than .00 (ie: even as low as .01), even in Illinois, AND the officer states that the offender was.....: driving erratically; or weaving; or was unsteady of his/her feet;.....whatever -- the person can be cited for a DUI. Remember, DUI, stands for Driving Under the Influence, and .01 IS under the influence. The .08 is just a guideline, an absolute (if you're at that limit, you absolutely will be cited, and if you're lower but over .00 (.01 or greater) you may be cited, depending on the officer.
NoelleR
NoelleR
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Bowling Green KY
Posts: 275
i would fight that one tooth and nail. .04 is unreal. i have had one. i was at .10 and on a motorcycle. i know it was idiocy but i didn't feel 'messed up' at the time.
looking back on it i could have easily killed myself if not someone else. i was a lawyers wet dream. i had not had so much as a traffic ticket in over 20 years. it was my first offense. i had a good job and was very humble.
i paid a laywer 1,500 to represent me. he got it knocked down to reckless driving since it was my first offense. if i had another offense within 5 years the original charge would have come back on me and i would have been doing time for it as well as the second one.
thankfully, those 5 years are up. one thing it did was cause me to do all of my drinking at home. between the lawyer fees, the court costs, fines and 'drunk school' it cost me over 2,500. nobody but my best friend who bailed me out ever knew about it.
it did wake me up. i would never advocate drinking while driving but .04 is very low and if he'll pay for a lawyer he should be okay if he doesn't have a history.
i wish i could say my dui was a tipping point for me and say i quit immediately afterwards. i didn't. i wish i had. how much money would i have saved over the years? how much embarrassment would i have saved by not being a pass out drunk in my house?
i hope this can be a tipping point for your friend.
david.
looking back on it i could have easily killed myself if not someone else. i was a lawyers wet dream. i had not had so much as a traffic ticket in over 20 years. it was my first offense. i had a good job and was very humble.
i paid a laywer 1,500 to represent me. he got it knocked down to reckless driving since it was my first offense. if i had another offense within 5 years the original charge would have come back on me and i would have been doing time for it as well as the second one.
thankfully, those 5 years are up. one thing it did was cause me to do all of my drinking at home. between the lawyer fees, the court costs, fines and 'drunk school' it cost me over 2,500. nobody but my best friend who bailed me out ever knew about it.
it did wake me up. i would never advocate drinking while driving but .04 is very low and if he'll pay for a lawyer he should be okay if he doesn't have a history.
i wish i could say my dui was a tipping point for me and say i quit immediately afterwards. i didn't. i wish i had. how much money would i have saved over the years? how much embarrassment would i have saved by not being a pass out drunk in my house?
i hope this can be a tipping point for your friend.
david.
Psalm 118:24
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ILLINOIS
Posts: 15,203
Noelle brought up some interesting points. Was your friend driving erratically? Does he have a CDL?
Here's a test for how many drinks per body weight and time. Intoximeters Drink Wheel / Drink Calculator for Breath Alcohol Testing / Breathalyser / Breathalysers / Screener / DUI / DWI / Ask DOTti
Here's a test for how many drinks per body weight and time. Intoximeters Drink Wheel / Drink Calculator for Breath Alcohol Testing / Breathalyser / Breathalysers / Screener / DUI / DWI / Ask DOTti
Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Omak WA
Posts: 1,049
BAL....is .08 in Washington State
I am one that didn't get stopped for DUI but should have...my last four years of drinking was at home or at a neighbor's house. But when I quit 21 years ago I was admitted to the local hospital with a 0.31 but was walking & talking as normal as a person having a drink or two. 
My Alcohol Counselor told me I was in danger of going to sleep & not waking up if I continued to drink heavy. I was in the hospital for a medical detox six days & started AA the same day I was released.
We had a Women's Group on Mondays so took my lunch break at 11 so I could go. There were 10 of us & most of us are still sober.
I am not a "Big Book Thumper" but we had some in our meetings & I respected their way of staying sober as well as the others who did come to meetings "getting & staying sober their way."
I attended AA every day the first year & had a tough Sponsor. She once told me she had been jealous of how comfortable I was in the meetings & how quickly I caught on to the program....I was shocked to hear her say that!!!
I took in what I needed to hear & use in my daily working the Program. I know we all have had the same & unusual experiences but we have different needs as an individual. The Serenity Prayer (when my brain cleared enough to figure out how to use it in my daily living) was & still is my most important tool to keep me on track.
I had been sober a year here & there but could not stay sober. I have a family history of alcoholism & depression. My Dad didn't drink much at all until my brother & I were gone on our own. He made up for lost time & almost lost his job a year before his retirement. He was sent to a hospital rehab due to his previous heart attacks.
We are a little community where I live but we had three meetings a week that were open meetings so usually did the First Step if we had a new person. That is where we shared "What it was Like for us". Then we had closed meetings for those that had accepted they were an Alcoholic and those that were serious about wanting to stay sober.
kelsh
My Alcohol Counselor told me I was in danger of going to sleep & not waking up if I continued to drink heavy. I was in the hospital for a medical detox six days & started AA the same day I was released.
We had a Women's Group on Mondays so took my lunch break at 11 so I could go. There were 10 of us & most of us are still sober.
I am not a "Big Book Thumper" but we had some in our meetings & I respected their way of staying sober as well as the others who did come to meetings "getting & staying sober their way."
I attended AA every day the first year & had a tough Sponsor. She once told me she had been jealous of how comfortable I was in the meetings & how quickly I caught on to the program....I was shocked to hear her say that!!!
I took in what I needed to hear & use in my daily working the Program. I know we all have had the same & unusual experiences but we have different needs as an individual. The Serenity Prayer (when my brain cleared enough to figure out how to use it in my daily living) was & still is my most important tool to keep me on track.
I had been sober a year here & there but could not stay sober. I have a family history of alcoholism & depression. My Dad didn't drink much at all until my brother & I were gone on our own. He made up for lost time & almost lost his job a year before his retirement. He was sent to a hospital rehab due to his previous heart attacks.
We are a little community where I live but we had three meetings a week that were open meetings so usually did the First Step if we had a new person. That is where we shared "What it was Like for us". Then we had closed meetings for those that had accepted they were an Alcoholic and those that were serious about wanting to stay sober.
kelsh
Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 2
Sorry for your friend, my girlfriends brother just totaled a car this weekend also.
When I first got sober I used to think that I wasnt a real aclcoholic because I only had 1 DUI compared to people who had six or seven, so note to newcomer... your number of DUI's doesnt mean anything more than that, your # of DUI's
When I first got sober I used to think that I wasnt a real aclcoholic because I only had 1 DUI compared to people who had six or seven, so note to newcomer... your number of DUI's doesnt mean anything more than that, your # of DUI's
Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NY
Posts: 6,608
Welcome to SR Whiskey and I have to agree with you re the DUI's. I never got any because my drinking was done at home and so I never had the need to drink and drive, but I still consider myself a "real" alcoholic that drank at home.
I will tell you if I had run out of alcohol and husband wouldn't buy it I would have driven to the store to get it. Husband knew that and poor thing would rather buy it then have me drink and drive. Yup I sure put him through you know what.
I will tell you if I had run out of alcohol and husband wouldn't buy it I would have driven to the store to get it. Husband knew that and poor thing would rather buy it then have me drink and drive. Yup I sure put him through you know what.
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,507
Thanks for your honesty, Horselover. It's so helpful.
I was like Kelsh, blew a 0.32 on my first arrest & the officer said, "You're amazingly coherent, most people would be passed out." Even with that high a bac I was considered a First Offender, because I'd never had one before - and for some reason that made a difference in my sentencing. I had to go to a class at a cost of $600.00 & license was revoked for 6 mos. This was in Delaware 7 yrs. ago.
When I went before the judge I was extremely remorseful, cried, and promised that this was a wakeup call and I'd seek the help I needed. I'm sure he'd never heard that before, right? It seemed to work, though. I feel for your friend who isn't even a big time drinker.
I was like Kelsh, blew a 0.32 on my first arrest & the officer said, "You're amazingly coherent, most people would be passed out." Even with that high a bac I was considered a First Offender, because I'd never had one before - and for some reason that made a difference in my sentencing. I had to go to a class at a cost of $600.00 & license was revoked for 6 mos. This was in Delaware 7 yrs. ago.
When I went before the judge I was extremely remorseful, cried, and promised that this was a wakeup call and I'd seek the help I needed. I'm sure he'd never heard that before, right? It seemed to work, though. I feel for your friend who isn't even a big time drinker.
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