Now Here's a Cop Who was Convicted of Drunk Driving that I Can Respect!

I blogged about Alexandria Chief of Police David Baker and his arrest for drunk driving back in July.  Today the Washington Post reported on his efforts at rehabilitation.  Normally I would say that in a sarcastic manner because I would think that his efforts were nothing more than a response to the sentence he got for aggravated DUI last summer.

But this guy is going out on his own time and speaking in public about his arrest.  He is using his case as an example for others who can benefit from his bad experience.  The article states that "As a police chief, he used to work with the Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign. And for years, he said, he has been an advocate for stricter penalties for drunk drivers. When he left the D.C. police force in 1991, he was a captain heading the traffic section, his duties including being in charge of DUI checkpoints."

It must have been terrible to find out what it's like to be on the other end of the DUI arrest.  I hope retired Chief Baker realizes why that terrible night occurred.  It's because he was working for drug dealers who don't take responsibility for the substances they are pushing.  The Commonwealth of Virginia, whose laws Baker was sworn to uphold, sells a deadly and addictive narcotic in ABC stores called liquor.  They also sell licenses to operate cars without ignition interlocks.

These drug dealers, whose lawful conspiracy to distribute this narcotic substance was furthered by Baker enforcing their directives, know that when people use alcohol in the manner that it is intended to be used, they lose judgement.  This makes them bad at making a decision as to whether to get behind the wheel and then it makes them bad at driving.  But the government uses a device called an ignition interlock to reduce deaths on the highways.  It keeps the car from starting until you blow a clean breath sample.

The government knows this but has made the decision to continue selling the drugs.  Also, they have decided only to require ignition interlocks on some cars.  But people who have not yet gotten convicted of a DUI do not generally have an ignition interlock installed because they are not required to have one.  If David Baker wants to make a real change in DUI death, injury, damage and arrest statistics, he needs to start getting interlocks voluntarily installed in young people's cars at a reasonable cost.  But I have to give him credit for telling others how rotten it is to get charged with a DUI.  That's a really classy move for a guy who could just go out and play golf.

Virginia Beach DUI Enforcement Officer convicted of DUI, Hit and Run (UPDATE)

This amazing story has already been covered in the VA DUI Defense Newsletter. Officer Bryan Womble, a DUI specialist with the Virginia Beach Police Selective Enforcement Team has had his day in court. He was found guilty on both counts and has appealed.

Officer Womble was understandably upset, and it has been reported that he was brought to tears as he recounted his misadventures under the influence.  According to witnesses, Womble smashed another vehicle, then backed up, was said to have looked at the other driver and uttered a profane exclamation, after which he took off.

The arresting officer was Womble's own supervisor, Sgt. Scott Wichtendahl.  He testified that as he drove his suspect to take the breath test, Womble stated "I’m guilty, I just want to get this over with", and later blew a 0.15% BAC.  This explains why he got a sentence of five days, which is a mandatory minimum sentence at 0.15% BAC.  I feel sorry for Womble and I hope he keeps working in the DUI field - but this time as an expert witness.

Latest Shock in DUI News: Alexandria Chief of Police David P. Baker Charged with Drunk Driving

OK, it's really not that much of a shock. The bottom line is that another law enforcement officer has been arrested for drunk driving. This time it was Alexandria, Virginia's Chief of Police. According to the Times Dispatch, David P. Baker was charged late Saturday night. What makes it worse is that he was driving an unmarked city vehicle. What makes it much worse is that he allegedly blew a 0.19 BAC.

This is truly a sad story. What has happened stands to destroy a 40 year career in law enforcement. The chief's facing a mandatory minimum five day jail sentence, which we can be certain he will not enjoy. In addition to the incarceration, the Chief now faces a mandatory 12 month license suspension. To make matters worse, the license suspension comes with a special feature.

In Virginia, any driver who gives a breath or blood sample that tests at 0.15 or above will be required to install an ignition interlock device on *any* car he drives. I think this gadget is very clever. It won't let you start the car if you are drunk. Pretty effective! But how will this affect the Chief? Will the city let him put an ignition interlock device on a police car?

I think we can expect to see a retirement announcement pretty soon. That is really unfortunate. I know from my training as a DUI defense attorney that the breath testing machines are not that accurate. What if the chief was really sober? Unfortunately, police are pretty well married to the myth of breath testing for alcohol. For one of their own leaders to sit in court and expose the fallacies and innacuracies of breath testing would be most unusual.

Does this guy look happy about the way people are treated under current DUI laws?

Meet Virginia Beach Master Police Officer Bryan K. Womble, 36. He might look familiar if you have ever been arrested for DUI in VA Beach. He is a member of the Police Department's eight man Selective Enforcement team, which specializes in DUI. He's also the officer who arrested retired NFL star Bruce Smith last month on a charge of drunken driving.

I am looking at this mug shot and I want to feel sorry for the subject. But it's hard. You see, he's been going around lecturing people about the dangers of drunk driving. According to an article in Pilot online, "Womble... was one of two Beach officers to be flown aboard the carrier Theodore Roosevelt last year to teach sailors the dangers of drunken driving." Guess whose tax dollars paid for that adventure.

Now he's been arrested for driving under the influence. This is a familiar pattern. Cops get arrested for DUI quite frequently. Especially if they have been recognized for DUI arrests by their bosses or the hysterical buttinskies at MADD. No word on a BAC yet. Did he refuse? One would hope so, but he could have been a stone cold sober victim of faulty police tests that wrongfully labelled him as a drunk. Only time will tell. Good luck Bryan.

If Bryan asked my opinion (he didn't), I'd recommend calling Mike Tillotsen on Monday morning. I'd suggest asking him to provide representation in a very short-notice administrative license suspension hearing, cross examining the arresting officer while a court reporter captures every word.

UPDATE: Womble has already retained counsel. Attorney Larry Slipow is on the job, and hopefully he will get the best results for officer Womble. Best of luck Larry and Bryan!

California Cop Facing Second DUI Charge Within Six Months

Meet Hector Ortiz. He's a detective from the Merced, CA Police Department. I wonder whether he is really intelligent enough to be a detective. Not because of the DUI. That's a substance abuse issue rather than a matter of intelligence. Lots of cops are alcoholics, smokers, and, yes, drug addicts.

But Ortiz doesn't seem to learn when it comes to giving a breath sample. Back in January he was cited for DUI and gave a breath sample that registered 0.14 - almost double the legal limit. He was convicted for that DUI, fined $1,750, sentenced to 36 months informal probation, and required to complete a program for DUI offenders.

Last week he was arrested again for DUI. Incredibly, he gave a breath sample again. Most cops, prosecutors, judges and politicians who are arrested for DUI refuse to give a breath sample. They know that the "magical box" known as the breath alcohol testing machine will spit out a number that may or may not be good for them. That number may or may not be accurate, but it can certainly get you convicted and locked up in jail. But without a number, it can be very hard for the prosecution to even show probable cause for an arrest.

Brave Drug Warrior Defects; Charged with DUI

If one was to guess who is the biggest drug dealer in South Carolina, I would imagine it is the state government. They sell alcohol and tobacco, two of the most popular recreational drugs in America. Narcotics Officer Tommy Mangum of Chesterfield County, SC Sheriff’s Department is employed by the government. His job is to enforce laws punishing people who prefer drugs that compete with the drugs sold by the state. He was reportedly arrested for DUI at 3:33 a.m. on May 3, 2009.

It was reported that the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call from an individual driving behind Officer Mangum who allegedly observed him driving “all over the road.” According to reports, after being pulled over Mangum still had the judgment to refuse to give a breath sample. He was subsequently placed under arrest and taken to the Chesterfield County Detention Center.

Mangum’s boss Chesterfield County Sheriff Sam Parker was “devastated and shocked” by the reported events. Parker acknowledged that “It’s something that he enforces everyday.” Parker apparently rewarded Mangum by suspending him instead of firing him. Mangum responded by reportedly checking himself into a rehabilitation facility.

Sheriff Parker was quoted as saying, “we had an officer that let something influence him and take over his life.” One has to wonder about that. If the drinking was that big an issue, why did it take Mangum actually placing the public in danger, then being arrested and charged with an alcohol related offense before some type of action or intervention occurred? Parker reportedly went on to say, “[Mangum] is a good officer. We are all human and we make mistakes.” Do the Sherriff’s Deputies say this on sentencing about the people they arrest? Sounds like a pretty forgiving philosophy.

One has to wonder how people who enforce drug laws everyday for the government could allow their judgment to be so impaired by a drug. Sure, he might have obtained and ingested it legally before getting behind the wheel. But then he placed the public in danger and his career in jeopardy just like someone who was impaired by crack, marijuana, meth, or any intoxicating substance. All is not well at the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Department.

Deputy DA charged with DUI will be sitting on other side of Courtroom

Deputy DA Sebasti Emma Adams of El Paso County, CO, is employed by the government to prosecute DUIs. A couple of weeks ago, she was charged with DUI in Colorado Springs, CO. Adams was arrested after allegedly running a red light and slamming into a curb, disabling her vehicle. According to reports, the accident occurred after she enjoyed a night out celebrating a prosecutorial victory.

After a concerned witness reported the incident to the police, they responded to the scene to find Deputy DA Adams and her wrecked vehicle. The police claim that she subsequently failed a field sobriety test and then submitted to a blood test. Results of that test still have not been released. Officials say that could take 30 days. She was then taken into custody, issued citations for driving under the influence, careless driving and failure to provide proof of insurance before being released.

Adams’ boss, Fourth Judicial District Attorney Dan May, rewarded her by suspending her with pay until an investigation is complete. At the same time, he requested a special prosecutor to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. According to the cops, “During the course of the arrest, she identified herself as a deputy district attorney, but not in an attempt to get special treatment.” Hmmm, that’s curious. If it wasn’t to get special treatment, then what was the purpose of telling the cops about her status as a law enforcement officer?

This case shows the paradoxical nature of DUI cases across the country. Here we apparently have an individual whose professional duties include hammering DUI defendants. She goes out celebrating a prosecutorial victory by legally obtaining and drinking alcoholic beverages. Because alcohol is a drug, her judgment becomes impaired. She then makes the same mistake by trying to drive home as many of the people she has helped to punish. This results in her arrest and subsequent prosecution by the same prosecutor’s office she works for.

The simple solution that would have stopped the chain of events would have been an interlock system in Deputy DA Adams’ vehicle. Unfortunately for her, and all of the victims of DUI, such legislation has not been mandated to stop DUIs before they occur. This is not the first time this particular District Attorney’s Office has come under the DUI magnifying glass. In May 2008, former 4th District Attorney John Newsome was filmed drinking at two bars and driving a county vehicle by a local television station. His decision cost him his job through the electoral process. One can only assume that Dan May took full advantage of the DUI accusations against Newsome to win the election. Is hypocrisy alive and well in Colorado Springs? You decide.

Cop Charged with DUI After Trying to Leave the Scene of an Alleged Assault

Meet Evan Fardanesh. He is a 9 year veteran of the Folsom Police Force, but this weekend he was arrested and charged with DUI. This case follows a very familiar pattern. It appears that Fardanesh had been drinking based on the reported 0.19% BAC that was taken at the scene.

Apparently the officer had been at a Mexican restaurant when he got into an altercation with a female patron. He allegedly shoved the woman, but the restaurant manager was reported as stating that she was surprised it resulted in a criminal charge.

His fellow officers allegedly found Fardanesh trying to drive out of the parking lot, and he was subsequently charged with DUI and battery, although the cops didn't lock him up at the jail, opting instead to release him to the custody of a "responsible party". Reading between the lines, one wonders whether this is the usual crazy girlfriend scenario.

It is entirely possible that the female patron was Fardanesh's date/girlfriend/spouse, and that she not only fueled his drinking but then started the altercation only to point the finger of blame once the cop had taken enough crap and finally pushed her off of him. This set of facts plays out every day across America, and Fardanesh has undoubtedly arrested many people in the same set of circumstances. It's a pity, but one really has to wonder why he provided a breath sample. Most cops are smart enough to refuse.

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.

Latest Cop Arrested for DUI: Sergeant James R. Simonson of the Tampa Police Department

Well, it's happened again. One of our nation's brave warriors in the fight against drunk driving has defected. SGT Simonson was arrested Sunday night by the Hillsborough County deputies and charged with DUI. He was released from jail this morning, and undoubtedly has already had a pointed if not pleasant conversation with his superiors.

The really noteworthy thing about this case is the reported BAC results, which were .085 and .082. I am wondering what kind of cop arrested Simonson. At a .08, drivers are only barely at the legal limit for DUI. Ten minutes later, he probably would have tested at .07 and gotten off the charge. What kind of professional courtesy are the cops down in Florida showing each other?

And I also had to wonder whether Simonson knows the not-so-secret method that reduces BAC on a breath machine. Many defendants have beaten DUI charges by using this method, but perhaps Simonson used it and still couldn't get below .08 anyway. One can only speculate. A really good DUI lawyer might be able to get this officer off the charge based on a rising BAC defense, but I don't know Florida law that well. My advice to this unfortunate cop: Call Flem Whited or Vincent Pellegrino the minute you read this. They can help.

Detective Monica Geddry: Sworn Law Enforcement Officer, Federal Anti-DUI Grant Recipient, Alleged Drunk Driver.

Meet Monica Geddry. She spends her days trying to con people into giving her confessions so that they can get locked away in prison. Ironically, the Reno, NV Detective was arrested this weekend and charged with DUI.

According to an article about her case, "In 2002, Geddry was a Reno traffic officer who organized a program called ALIVE -- Actively Learning About Intoxication and Vehicle Education -- a Reno police program run with a $14,000 federal grant that taught local high school students about the dangers of driving drunk."

This is a very interesting situation. One would imagine that Detective Geddry believes she is a force for moral good due to the fact that she puts sinners in prison to punish them for their wrongdoing. But in upholding the laws of Nevada, she is bolstering a government that sells recreational drugs including alcohol and cigarettes, derives tax revenues from prostitution, and promotes entertainment without regard for morality.

This is just another typical example of why DUI laws fail. If Detective Monica Geddry is out driving drunk, who are we fooling when we act as if there is no problem with our system and the way it deals with DUI? Can you imagine how many cops get stopped each weekend? Can you imagine how many have been drinking? Can you imagine how often they display their badges and proceed without investigation by their fellow officers? Good luck Monica! I hope they just made a big mistake and arrested an innocent woman.

Cop Retires, Gets Fancy Reporter Job, Drives Drunk into Police Horse...

It is truly amazing how many different ways there are to get a DUI. Just ask TV Newsman Mike Sheehan. He recently got charged with DWI according to this article in the NYDailyNews.com website. To the left is an actual screen shot of the website that shows his vehicle and his official Fox photo.

Mike should know something about the dangers of drunk driving, because he's an ex-cop! As a former NYPD detective, he must have many stories of collaring nefarious perps. But unfortunately ex-detective Sheehan found himself on the wrong side of the law recently.

Apparently he ran into a police horse, injuring the officer and damaging his own vehicle. That is a real shame when innocent animals get hurt. I certainly don't approve of DUI's that hurt animals (or anyone, for that matter). I wonder what type of discussion took place after the accident. I'm pretty confident that Sheehan identified himself as ex-NYPD.

A lot of cops might have skipped the DUI investigation as a courtesy to a former copper. But hey, when you hurt a man's horse or dog, you gotta expect retribution, whether it's the wild wild west or the upper-west side. By the way, Sheehan's lawyer is blaming the horse. Seriously. The horse.

Virginia Sheriff's Deputy Charged with DUI... and Refusal

According to this news report, Lt. Jonathan Matthew Lowe, 36 was charged with DUI and refusal after a single car accident. He was told to provide a breath sample so the prosecution could use it against him. Like almost every judge, cop, prosecutor and politician who is charged with DUI, he refused. According to his boss, Sheriff H.S. Caudill, "He knew better."

Once again, a law enforcement officer has provided the rest of Virginia's motorist's with a very good lesson: don't ever provide a breath sample during a DUI investigation unless you know you are sober. The refusal charge may or may not result in a conviction - often it is dropped if there is a guilty plea to the DUI charge.

But a driver who submits a 0.15% BAC sample or above is virtually guaranteed to spend at least five days in jail under the Virginia mandatory minimum law for aggravated DUI. Lt. Lowe was just exercising good judgment when he refused the breathalyzer. He must know that jail is a waste of time, and he also knows that his boss would have been even more unhappy with an aggravated DUI charge against one of his deputies.

No driver ever has any idea what will register in the breathalyzer machine. Why take the chance on getting an aggravated DUI charge when there is no need? Follow Lt. Lowe's example and refuse. At least you won't be looking at a mandatory minimum jail sentence.

Another Prosecutor Refuses to Provide a Breath Sample

Meet Hamilton County, Ohio prosecutor James Schaefer. Or as he's known during his service in the reserves, Lieutenant Colonel Schaefer. This guy knows something about prosecuting DUI cases. He's spent 14 years prosecuting cases, and his specialty is drug courts. That's kind of ironic isn't it? A guy who makes his living pointing the finger at people because of recreational substance abuse winds up on the wrong side of the law for making a bad decision after enjoying America's favorite recreational substance of abuse... alcohol.

But make no mistake, Schaefer has learned from his many years prosecuting cases. He refused to provide a breath sample when arrested for DUI. That might have had something to do with the sweet plea deal he got. Two counts of child endangering were dropped even though both of his children were riding with him. And a charge of driving the wrong way down a one way street was also dismissed. He didn't get any jail time, and he might even be able to keep his job. If he does get fired, I hope he takes up the cause of his fellow sinners and starts doing defense work for those who find themselves buzzed and busted. He might be happier just quitting and using his talents to help people who find themselves in the same situation instead of hurting them. He might feel a lot better about what he does every day. I know I love defense work, and I no longer feel like a fascist applying the government's overwhelming power against my fellow man.

What do these cases say about our society's war on drugs or the campaign against drunk driving? Why not just end DUI forever by installing ignition interlocks on all cars? I don't know whether this prosecutor was guilty or not, but I do know that he did what most prosecutors, cops, judges, and legislators do when arrested for DUI. They refuse to blow. Do they know something the rest of America doesn't? Good luck LTC Schaefer - your service to America should count for something and earn you a break. How about giving one to others?

What is it with Aussie Cops? Another one Busted for DUI

Well, it's happened again. We recently reported the case of unfortunate veteran cop Rebecca Harrison, who got busted down under for driving drunk. In her patrol car. While on duty. Obviously that makes for a kind of weird situation when you get back to the office on Monday.

But apparently senior constable Harrison is in pretty good company. She was recently joined in the ranks of drinking and driving cops by one of her fellow law enforcement officers. The latest DUI cop has been spared the indignity of having his name published in the newspaper, but that probably won't last for long. What do we know so far?

Well, according to published reports, the officer is a 41 year old male, and is "believed to be" a uniformed officer. Fortunately he was not on duty at the time, which is more than can be said for fellow DUI cop Ms. Harrison. What lesson should we take away from this latest case of DDC (Drunk Driving Cop)?

The same lesson that becomes apparent every time a cop is arrested for DUI; alcohol is a drug, and if the government is going to sell it to people for recreational use, society must expect that they will make bad decisions once the drug has taken effect and their judgment has been reduced.

It's not because they are criminals, it's because they really believe that they are perfectly OK to drive. To act as if the drinking driver is to blame is intellectually dishonest and ignores the government's obligation to stop DUI's the easy way: by installing an ignition interlock on every new car.

Oops! Another cop busted for... DUI.

Meet James Allen Post. This unfortunate driver was arrested for DUI in Myrtle Beach SC on Friday. Getting busted for DUI can really ruin your weekend. But when it gets you immediately fired as well, it's a real double whammy. Officer Post had the misfortune to be stopped by a South Carolina State Trooper. One can only wonder whether he would have been arrested if a fellow Myrtle Beach Police Department officer had stopped him.

Officer Post was a rookie with less than two years on the job. How many people did officer Post arrest for drunk driving? And did he needle them at the traffic stop like we always see on "Cops". You know the episodes I'm talking about. Where they act in a very patronizing manner and lecture the defendant about drinking and driving. Spare me.

Police officers are agents of the state. They like to act as if they are brave warriors, helping to fight the war on drugs and keep us all safe from drunk drivers. That is absured. As agents of the state, they help support a (legal) conspiracy to distribute narcotics (booze). Can you imagine what would happen if a bunch of teetotallers decided to try and revive prohibition by blocking access to state owned liquor stores? The cops would immediately drag them away and jail them despite the fact that they were trying to keep people from using drugs (beer, wine and liquor).

I feel sorry for Officer Post. That mug shot says "I'm sorry". Maybe he's innocent. I hope he gets a very good attorney, and if he somehow gets acquitted and returns to duty, I hope he has compassion for the people he stops under suspicion of drunk driving.

Latest "Drug Warrior" to get arrested for DUI...

The War on (some) Drugs makes the prohibition of the 1920s look like a raving success. No health problem has ever been solved by treating it like a criminal problem. But the fallacy of the distinction between legal and illegal substances of abuse continues to elude many of our government servants.

Take Elvin Martinez of Florida for example. According to an article in the St. Petersburg Times, Mr. Martinez was arrested on January 2nd and charged with DUI. Unfortunately, Mr. Martinez was suspended from his job representing the Hillsborough State Attorney's Office on numerous local boards.

That's a drag, which is compounded by the fact that he was turned in by... his wife. No wonder they call dogs man's best friend. At least your dog will never rat you out. The kicker is Mr. Martinez has served as chairman of the Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance. Huh? Doesn't he know that alcohol is a deadly and addictive drug?

As a government employee, he could be considered a co-conspirator in the distribution of (legal) narcotics in the form of alcoholic beverages which are controlled by the state of Florida. Of course the Board is involved in all sorts of ridiculous anti-DUI propaganda, which is about as effective as those stupid TV commercials sponsored by the so called Partnership for a Drug Free America. What a waste of taxpayer money.

It never ceases to amaze me when I see one of our nation's brave drug warriors caught driving drunk. As always, when a member of the government is caught driving drunk, this case highlights the fact that we cannot sell people a recreational drug that reduces judgment and inhibition and then expect people to make good decisions after consuming the drug we just sold them in the manner in which it was intended to be consumed.

More proof that DUI laws were made to fail...

A 76 year old member of the Suffolk Substance Abuse and Youth Council is the latest example of our nation's failed efforts to prevent drunk driving. Marion Matthews was arrested on Christmas day and charged with DUI and refusing to take a breath or blood test.


This latest example of a government official being charged with drunk driving highlights the reasons why this nation's war on drunk driving will never work. Ms. Matthews is obviously no supporter of substance abuse. Why then would she be the subject of a DUI charge? The answer is simple.

Alcohol is a drug. It is deadly, addictive, and when consumed in the manner intended causes the user to lose his or her judgment. Not only that, it is sold to the user by the state! The official governmental seal of approval is put on alcohol - literally. Unlike a driver's license, there is no education required to drink. One doesn't need a license, any training, or even so much as a warning label on the product that the state sells us knowing that it causes intoxication.

Does this mean we should outlaw this toxic and habit-forming substance of abuse? Of course not. This nation tried prohibition and found that it only led to the rise of Al Capone and his ilk of drug dealers. Ironically, the world still falls for this scam in the form of the ongoing failure known as the war on drugs. But we can still take action to stop drunk driving.

The solution is technology known as an ignition interlock. It's simple - if you are drunk, you can't start the car! Why isn't this technology attached to every new car? The answer is simple: because the people who profit from drunk driving can't have that. The alcohol and restaurant industries profit from a system that allows and encourages people to have a few drinks with dinner and drive home. The insurance companies bring in more premiums to cover the cost of damages caused by DWI. Even MADD isn't really looking to prevent drunk driving (and give up their big fat salaries) - just to punish drunk drivers.

Maybe Marion Matthews is innocent of the charges. But regardless, the laws that are intended to prevent drunk driving have failed, and continue to fail to prevent the dangers of impaired motorists. When we sell people a drug that causes them lose judgment, we have to expect that they will get behind the wheel - to pretend that any other result will occur is dishonest and disgraceful.