I was on the way home tonight around 9:00pm and there's a Honda Accord in front of me on HWY 61 going toward Carrollton. It swerves over into the slow lane almost side swiping another car. Figured it's just an idiot dialing their cell or something. After following another 5 miles or so, and the Honda has ran off the road into the grass in the median about 4 times, I knew this idiot is drunk or something. It turns down the same road that I take to go home....which happens to go right by a Carroll County Sherriffs precinct. Luckily there was 2 Deputies standing by their cars about to leave. I think I scared the crap out of them, because I turned into the parking lot really fast and rolled my window down to tell them. They looked at me really suprised, and I pointed at the Honda, which had stopped to make a left turn about 25 yards past the precinct. I told them that the driver in that Honda must be drunk as hell. They looked over just in time to see the car make the left turn. A split second later they were screeching out of the parking lot after it. I caught up to them about a mile down the road and they had just pulled the driver over into a corner gas station. So, I pulled in to see the outcome. I pulled into a parking spot and watched in my rear-view mirror as they asked the driver to step out. One of the Deputies came over and asked me to fill out a statement of what I saw, which I did. They started with the roadside test, then cuffs where quickly applied and into the back of the car the driver went. The Deputy came back over, and I said it looks like the driver must be drunk, huh?. He said it appears so...and I believe he said that the driver had failed part of the roadside test, then refused to do anything else and refused to take the breath test...so he would be charged. He said I may have to go to court to give a statement if the driver doesn't plee or something to that effect. I told him that would be fine with me. But anyway, when he was standing next to my car talking to me, I saw him look over and notice the obvious Glock grip, sticking up between the console and passenger seat. He never even blinked an eye or mentioned it and neither did I...so all's well that ends well.
Good job! Those are the kinds of encounters we like to hear about. Good job, officers. Also, good job to you for helping to get a suspected drunk and hit and run offender off the streets.
I have to admit, I was a little worried at first, because I was thinking that if this guy isn't drunk, then I'm going to be in trouble...but I was glad when I found out that he was DUI. The way he was driving, he probably would have seriously hurt someone or himself before making it to his destination. One thing that I thought about later and forgot to add to the OP was this... The Deputy asked if I would testify if needed in the case, and I said sure thing...and I can't remember exactly what he said, but something about them not being able to prosecute because of his refusal of the tests...like my statement would be needed for them to get a conviction??? But he said that the lead car had him on dashcam swerving around, and crossing the center line twice before they pulled him over. So my question is, why wouldn't that be enough to convict the driver. They've got video proof of him driving erratic, which justifies the stop...then failing the first part of the roadside test and refusal to take a breath test??? I don't have any problem making my statement, but I just don't understand how anything I could say would make much of a difference? But I am glad that I helped get him stopped before something really bad happened. When I was 16, I saw someone getting into a car that was so drunk that they couldn't even hardly walk. I didn't know that person, and they were much older than I, so they didn't listen to me...but I did try to stop them from leaving. Unfortunately, it didnt' work... It didn't turn out very well at all. A friend of mine was with me, and we followed for a little while...hoping to do the same thing I did last night, but didn't see any police at all. This was before cell phones, so we couldn't call on the move either. But it looked like the person ended up passing out while driving, then slowly moved to the right until they hit the curb...which somehow threw the car into a hard left turn and they crossed 2 lanes into on-coming traffic and hit someone head on. I was the first person to get over to the car, and let me tell you, it wasn't pretty. The DUI driver died, but luckily the person he hit looked like they would recover. Driving drunk is one thing I've NEVER done, and I think seeing the effects first hand during that experience is why.
Don't ever think your going to get in trouble. It's better to be in error, than to find out later someone was killed or injured.
A great encounter for sure. Can't say it enough, thanks for taking a drunk off the road. Now if only they'd treat it seriously and not give them their license back to do the same thing in a few days.
No doubt! I know of someone who has so many DUI's that at this point it's just absurd.....lost his license for 3 years at one point.....got it back and had a DUI (wreck) within a year.....he is in recovery now.....unfortunately he has a license though. I told him if it was up to me he'd be 12 stepping to the freaking bus stop for the rest of his life....we don't talk much anymore.
You did the right thing. You witnessed the driver driving dangerously. Suppose he wasn't drunk? What if he were a diabetic who was in trouble? Or had some other medical emergency? Or even just an epic cellphone idiot? The only thing that matters is the other lives he was endangering on the road. Good job and thanks for caring enough to actually do something!
good job , i am sad to say i have had a dui ,and i deserved everything i got for it, it is very hard to go to probation every month and sit with a bunch of losers to see the officer, i was a dumb ass and learned my lesson.
At least you appear to have learned from your mistake. Others will make the mistake time and time again, and are given the opportunity to do so--at least until they kill someone. For sake, we had a law on the books for years here in GA that basically said if you were even ONCE convicted of a misdemeanor possession of marijuana charge you were prohibited from obtaining a GWL (read: it somehow proves you were addicted to a "narcotic" basically). But as for DUI's, one can have a dozen of those and a few accidents under their belt but still have a drivers license. ridiculous.
The defense may file a motion to suppress any evidence that was developed after the pull-over. They might say the pull-over was not based on good enough information, if all you told the cops was "see that car? I think he's drunk. Go get 'im, boys!" Technically there would be an exception to the hearsay rule, if the cop repeated what you told him, since your words would not be offered for the truth of the matter asserted, but instead offered to show their effect on the officer and explain his conduct. But it would be better, stronger evidence if you testified, both as to what you saw (helps get the conviction, adds to what the cops saw and observed) and what you told the cops (helps the Court reject the defense motion to suppress). P.S. If the drunk driver in question hires me to defend him, forget everything I just said !!!
They can bring you to court, they can charge you with contempt and even throw you in jail, but they can't make you testify. Only you can do that. To the OP, good job and be sure to testify if you're asked.