A DUI Lesson from MADD Award Recipient James Tragesser of the Smithfield VA Police

Meet SGT James Tragesser of the Smithfield Police Department. He is a pretty distinguished guy with a record that includes service in the Navy during the first Gulf war as well as a 2003 award from MADD for his DUI arrests. He also got arrested for DUI this weekend.

It's what I call the MADD curse. I frequently read about cops who have received an award from MADD getting arrested for DUI. Why is this? Well, it turns out that these police have been getting drugs from their bosses! These drugs cause the officers to lose their judgement while simultaneously gaining false confidence in their driving abilities. Then the drugs lead to impaired driving, close calls, or even accidents like the one that led to Tragesser's arrest.

You have probably heard of the drugs that the bosses are selling to these cops. Popular examples include Budweiser, Boone's Farm, and Aristocrat. Yes, I'm talking about alcohol. Every cop works for the government, whether it is the federal, state or local government. And all of these governments are selling alcohol and getting revenues from those sales.

I think SGT Tragesser should get credit for the good judgment he displayed. Rather than blow into their conviction machine and give his fellow cops a number to hang around his neck (which sometimes includes a mandatory minimum jail sentence), he declined. Good luck SGT Tragesser! I hope you find an aggressive and experienced DUI attorney who will provide you with a strong defense and help you keep your job.