DUI Times 2

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEBRASKA STATE PATROL
www.nsp.state.ne.us
Contact: Deb Collins 402-479-4985
September 24, 2009

 Father and Son Arrested for Driving Impaired 

(North Platte, NE)-  A 53-year-old Gothenburg man was arrested for driving under the influence after bailing his 19-year-old son out of jail for the same charge.

Around 1:30 a.m., on Saturday, September 19, 2009, a trooper stopped a 1997 Buick Skylark for a broken taillight at 1^st and Washington Streets in Gothenburg.  The driver of the vehicle, 19-year-old Trevor Brown of Gothenburg, was found to be intoxicated and was arrested for Driving While Impaired and Minor in Possession of Alcohol.   Brown was transported and lodged in the Dawson County Jail in Lexington.   While in jail, the younger Brown called his father to come and get him.

Shortly after 3:30 a.m., Saturday, September 19, 2009, 53-year-old Anthony Brown, of Gothenburg, arrived at the jail to bail his son out.   A trooper at the jail observed the elder Brown to be intoxicated and warned him not to drive.   About 45 minutes later, the trooper observed Anthony Brown and his son leave the jail and get into a 2001 Dodge Ram Pickup, with the elder Brown driving the vehicle.   The trooper stopped the pickup and arrested Anthony Brown for Driving Under the Influence.  The elder Brown was then lodged in the Dawson County Jail.

“These arrests show parental actions do have an influence on our children,” said Captain Jim Parish, Troop D Commander.  “I want to commend our troopers for continuing to work the situation.  By doing so, we were able to take two impaired drivers off our streets, and possibly save lives in the process.”

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Offenders Simply Must Be Held Accountable

I have worked with victims across the state and I have to tell you many of them are so forgiving and want to think the very best of the circumstance they have been handed. 

 With that said, I can simply state if an offender breaks the law we, as a society, must hold him/her acountable to the highest extent that the law allows or the offender will simply snicker of into the sunset.

 Robinson, after killing two passengers in his car in 2007, was again picked up for drunk driving. http://www.ketv.com/news/20707869/detail.html I wish I could say this comes as a shock. However, it doesn’t and all it does is serves as a strong reminder: wishing people would do the right thing doesn’t make them do it.

Robinson knew what he was doing, he had intent, he knew he was underage and his BAC was .09 at 7:30 a.m. He is 20 years old and it is high time that we all make sure the courts do not allow diversion and that he is indeed held to the highest standard of the law – jail. 

MADD supports the rights of the victim’s first and foremost – we all should. Let the Sarpy County Attorney’s office know your concern for the community.http://www.sarpy.com/attorney/ 

Simera Reynolds, M.Ed.

DUI Arrests Up and Yes That Means Women TOO

Women are being arrested at a higher rate for drunk driving should not come as a BIG surprise.  More women are working; more women have a disposable income, and more women own cars.  It is a disturbing trend.  There is little doubt that women have more opportunities to transport children and that in point is where the real concern should focus: Every child deserves a safe & sober ride home.

 The Omaha World Herald called and spoke with me yesterday regarding this issue.  My response: Drunk Driving does not discriminate. http://www.omaha.com/article/20090819/NEWS01/708209932

In Nebraska, in 2008 we had more than 8,800 men arrested for DWI and more than 2,200 women arrested for DWI (NOHS).  It appears, from the math, that there still is a disproportionate amount of males driving while intoxicated.  Just think if there were only 2,200 males arrested for drunk driving we could close the ranks on impaired driving dramatically.

Over The Limit Under Arrest

 There is only blame to be placed on the one who makes the choice to drive a 2,000 pound bullet after consuming alcohol.  Drinking and driving is a public health epidemic.  Here in our state one person dies every five days due to an alcohol-related crash. Every 5 days! 

This Labor Day Weekend make sure you have plans to get home by designating a sober driver, make sure your children are not riding with a drinking driver and know enforcement is out. http://www.maddnebraska.org/

Simera Reynolds, M.Ed.

State Executive Director

Drunk Driving Victims Don’t Get A Second Chance.

Nebraska Man Gets Probation for 3rd DUI Conviction

York, Nebraska Posted: 11:31 AM Aug 5, 2009 Last Updated: 11:31 AM Aug 5, 2009 Reporter: Associated Press Email Address: desk@kolnkgin.com Mr. Anderson must have used his.

A 22-year-old York man has been sentenced to five years’ probation and given credit for time served for his third drunken-driving conviction. David Anderson was arrested in September last year after a hit-and-run accident in York. His blood-alcohol level tested out at 0.299 percent, more than three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent. Anderson was charged with a Class 3A felony, which carries a maximum sentence of five years, and three lesser charges. In a deal with prosecutors, the other three charges were dropped, and Anderson pleaded no contest to DUI. Judge Alan Gless of York County District Court told Anderson Tuesday that this was his last chance, that the “next step is prison time.”

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 Susan White/ Victim Survivor/MADD Member

Bob & Susan White

I am sorry that this young man has yet to prove his addiction to alcohol to the judicial system. It is certain that he will cause damage to himself and those on the roads once more. Leniency should not be acceptable to drivers who repeatedly are stopped for drunken driving. A no tolerance position should be in place for all drunk drivers to be removed from the roads. Someone is unsuspecting at this time, but will meet a very unfortunate meeting with this driver days, months, years from now. How sad that a life will be taken, a permanent injury, or his own life will end, resulting from his fourth offence. I am saddened by this decision.

Lessons Learned @ Home

A Lincoln radio station http://www.klin.com/called me on Friday about the MOM who received 9 days jail for procuring kegs for underage kids.  She stated she didn’t know what was going on but then ultimately told the Judge she did.  I think a person should get 9 days jail just for not telling the Judge the truth!

Parents we can not fall into the friendship trap, the “better to drink at my house than the neighbors” trap or the long time touted “I’m bored“.  Parents have a responsibility to tow the line and hold their youth accountable –  follow the law.  I’ve always wondered how many parents would teach their kids to shoplift?  When I bring that up in conversation I am met with gasps!  No one would do that – then how did we get to a point where we pick and choose which law is OK to break?  Why is it OK to give an inexperienced driver alcohol (also not legal age) and expect them to get home in one piece (this is of course a rhetorical question).

In our house, I told my daughter flat out, “If you are around alcohol at any event you need to leave or I will lose my job and our names will be plastered in the papers”.  OK, I may have exagerated a bit – but I would have lost my job easily and there is little doubt (in this day and age)that my name would have made front page, or at least the local section, of the paper.  I was clear  with my daughter – front and center – no drinking until 21 http://www.why21.org/.  Laws are made for the betterment of the whole.

Let every man remember that to violate the law is to trample on the blood of his father, and to tear that charter of his own and his children’s liberty.
Abraham Lincoln

Lastly, I want to thank our county courts for holding parents who provide accountable.  This is clearly unacceptable behavior. 

Simera Reynolds, M. Ed.

Care for the ones you love.