What would you do??????

[RHARVEY]

Last night we got together for my sister-n-laws 21st birthday. We all gathered up at a local pizza place for dinner. 99% of the family dont drink so no one left the party drunk.

About 2:30 this morning we get a call from one of my other sis-n-laws that the birthday girl was picked up for DUI. And not only that but she was twice the legal drunk limit. For some reason they did not keep her for the 48 hours that I thought they do. She got her 1 phone call and instead of calling her dad she called one of her other sisters(which does drink).

I am really having a hard time with this one... I hope that the judge throws the book at her and everyone of her friends and family find out about it. Not to be hard hearted but this is the way people get killed because of idiots like this...

If she had called me I might have told them to lock her sorry butt up for a couple of days. Put her in the drunk tank with the other drunks and let her sleep on the cold floor and look at the pink elephants on the wall...

I'm sorry but this goes against the grain big time!



Rick

 

[loncray]

What a horrible thing to happen to your family. I'd want the book thrown at her too - even if it was a once-in-a-lifetime mistake, she could've gotten people killed by driving drunk. If she left the party sober, did she go someplace else and get wasted? Was anyone with her? If she went to a bar, somebody should've either cut her off or made sure she got a cab home!

 

[RHARVEY]

According to what I was told. . she went out with her friends in different cars and went to the bars...

She was driving by herself! Didnt call anyone to come get her until she made her phone call from the police station...



Rick

 

[Boomer II]

You are correct, I told my kids they can stay in jail if they get busted for drunk driving.

 

[DHorton]

Ditto on all of the above. Lost a couple of my best friends and some of the youth I have taught to drunk drivers. I have a hard time finding pity for the drunk driver. Heck I would take a total stranger back to their house to keep them from terrorising the roads in a drunken state.

 

[JPope]

"... I told my kids they can stay in jail if they get busted for drunk driving... . "



That is what I told my son. No tolerance for drunk driving!!!!

They should lose there liscense!!!

 

[JoshPeters]

Sounds like some great friends as well. Hey it's your 21st B-day... we're gonna get you smashed and send you out on the road! Heck your 21 you know how much you can and can't drink... . you know that 3 beers is over the limit in most states... ...



I hate to say it guys... . but a touch of compassion from my direction. She just turned 21... . I remember that quite well. I had someone driving me around. I didn't know what "drunk" was till I was almost 22. I didn't know most of my DUI/DWI knowlege till I was almost 24. People don't talk about DWI much, if they do..... most just laugh about it. They DON'T tell you that Legally if you are a . 04 and the cop wants to they can charge you with a DUI. Sure the limit is . 08, that's DWI. Here's one that's in MN..... If you have your car keys, and are walking towards your car from a bar, and a cop thinks you are drunk. (you have not touched your car yet, and you were probably a prick to them) They can give you a DWI. From what my roommate was told it is the Intent to drive. You might have just been trying to get your jacket to ride home with someone else, but you had the key and you were going towards your car. Sure you can fight it, and probably win. But how much will that cost you?



DWI/DUI is a very serious thing. I have lost friends due to drunk driving. The problem I see is lack of education. Everyone knows what DWI or DUI is... ... Not many people know what their "legal limit" is. I know I'm legally drunk LONG before I'm even close to "drunk. "



Josh

 

[DJW]

When I came to California in 1956 the Highway Code read regarding DUI "In or about and automobile. " to me plain enough if one can read, although in those days one had to be falling down drunk or driving all over the road to be apprehended. If I intend to drive in a foreign country I read their highway laws and fully understand them before driving, also obtain insurance, in some countries a traffic accident even if you are the innocent party it's a Criminal Offence and not a Civil Offence,we are lucky as our Laws are based on English Laws and not Law Napoleon,i. e. Guilty untill proven Innocent, also if intending to drive in another US State for an extended period well worth reading that State's Highway Code. Drive Safe. Scrum Down

 

[Rotty]

My old man gave me a dime(much cheaper for phone call back then) and said call me if you are drunk, yes I may be ******, but much better than the alternatives. Because if you get caught or have an accident, that will be the least of your worries. i. e. the punishment that I would receive from him.





Needless to say I always made arrangements before hand (designated driver before there was such a thing) to go parting or just spent the night at a friends house.

 

[EBottema]

She is screwed, new CA law makes DUI's stay on the record for 10 years!



You have the right idea buddy



Erik

 

[NVR FNSH]

Actually, she's not totally screwed. She'll end up losing her license (or being restricted depending on the situation) for a period of time - I believe it's a min of 90 days but I'm not positive since I don't work the corrections side of the street. I'm the guy that would be stopping/FST'ing/arresting her. She'll probably get 3 years probation and over the course of the DUI (10yrs) it will cost ~$7-$10K for the fines/fees/insurance/etc.



Our County Jail only keeps DUIs until they are sober enough to leave - read not be charged with Drunk in public - usually a 4 hour minimum. Basically it's a money thing.



Brian

 

[RT66DOC]

She needs for this to be a "memorable event. "

 

[mjoppie]

i have a friend that just got his 2nd dui in a year, the first cost him 6mths probation and aa meetings, this one is just $2000 and 20 days in jail. seems there getting looser. after jail he gets nothing more. i admit i have drove while i drank before and more than i should, that was from about the time i graduated to the time my kid was born. mind you that im only 22 so its not tha long ago. i drank more in 4 yrs than most do in a decade or more. thought it was the fun thing to do, after all my friends have dui's and no licence it dont look so fun anymore. once my baby boy was born it all hit me that i could be driving on the same road as someone else with their new born, makes a sick feeling. i am very lucky that i never hurt anyone or myself. now my wife to be goes with me and we do it safe.



i much hope for her sake she learns off this one, i know how it feels to turn 21 and drink legaly for the first time but its not worth it sometimes. best of wishes to you and the family, you can tell her till your blue in the face about hurting other people but it wont set in till sompthing drastic happens, i learned that, luckly sooner than later.





matt

 

[EBottema]

Actually, she's not totally screwed.

Again, those pesky rats... .

Yes, she is screwed. If it was dark outside you would try arguing that it was still light. :-laf



She most likely will lose the license up to 6 months. Insurance will double for 10 years, 5-10k in court, fine, attorneys fees, community service, drug classes, and maybe probation or jail time (rare on first occasion). In the end, this thing over 10 years will end up costing 20k bucks in the initial costs, and insurance over the 10 years. Plus all the time she loses with the sentences she recieves. I call that screwed... That beer was not really worth it, was it?



Erik