He said the arrests between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. are often among students who were out drinking the night before.
]]> The problem, he said: When they wake up the next morning, they often don't realize they're still intoxicated."After sleeping a few hours, students think that they are fine, but they're not," he said. "Their alcohol levels are still high."
In Georgia, the legal threshold for blood alcohol content is 0.08 percent.
The chief said that in many cases, the students arrested the next morning were responsible when drinking the night before. Though they might have consumed "a considerable amount of alcohol," he said, they "went home by taxi or friend or walked."
An alcohol and drug counselor at the University Health Center said, "Only time helps you get sober. You can eat all the raw eggs you want, but time is the only thing that helps."
He said the body can only process an ounce of liquor per hour.
So if someone is drinking considerably more than that over several hours, they're not going to wake up in the morning after a few hours of sleep, sober and ready to drive.
After a DUI arrest, students and others have some sobering realities to face: Penalties can include substantial fines, loss of license, academic sanctions and even jail time.
The problems mount faster and higher if the defendant was underage and used a fake ID.
If you face any of these charges, talk to an attorney who knows the law and can help you protect your license, freedom and academic accomplishments.
Source: Red & Black: "Increase in students' drinking tolerances lead to morning DUIs," Josh Johnson, Feb. 22, 2012
An officer stopped the male driver after he backed up across two lanes of traffic in order to reach the turn lane. The officer followed the car as it apparently traveled home, periodically swerving out of its lane and finally coming to a jerky stop in front of an apartment complex.
]]> The officer noticed a strong alcoholic odor coming from the vehicle upon approaching. When he asked the driver why he was driving erratically, the student replied that he had been looking for a friend's phone that had been dropped during the drive.The police officer wrote in his report that though the driver's eyes were bloodshot and his speech was slurred, he first asserted that he hadn't been drinking, but then admitted to having several beers hours earlier. He received a breath test and was taken to the Clarke County Jail. The suspect blew 0.215 blood alcohol content, well over the legal limit of 0.08 in most jurisdictions.
In a separate incident, another university student was caught with less than an ounce of marijuana during a routine noise complaint at Cloverhurst Condominiums. The man faces possession charges after an officer noticed the smell of marijuana and required him to turn over the remaining drugs. The marijuana has been slated for destruction after it was logged as evidence.
Finally, a 19-year-old university student has been arrested after using someone else's ID in an attempt to enter the Bourbon Street Bar. The arresting officer caught the young man as he was trying to pass through bar security, noticing that he had alcohol on his breath. The young man was transported to the Clarke County Jail, and the fake ID was placed into evidence.
Source: Red & Black: "CRIME NOTEBOOK: University student arrested on DUI charges while looking for friend's phone," Megan Ernst, Feb. 13, 2012
]]>An officer arrived there one recent afternoon after police had been called by a student complaining that his roommate had marijuana in their apartment.
]]> He said he'd asked his roommate to stop keeping the drug in their apartment, he told police, and when his roommate continued to bring the substance there, the man decided to "call police to take care of it," according to a police report published in the Red & Black.When an officer entered the other student's bedroom, he said he noticed on the desk a glass jar that appeared to contain marijuana.
When the officer asked the 20-year-old student if he knew why police had been called, the student reportedly said he did know, and pointed to the jar.
The student then consented to a search of his room. Police reported finding a marijuana pipe, scale, grinder and two jars with marijuana residue in them.
The student was arrested and taken to Clarke County Jail.
Whether that was the best way for roommates to settle a disagreement is up for debate. What's clear is that the student arrested for pot possession has a serious legal problem on his hands.
The best course for those in that situation is to sit down with an attorney who knows this area of law and has effectively helped students get their lives and legal matters back in order.
Source: Red & Black: "Crime Notebook: University student turned in by roommate for possession of marijuana," Megan Ernst, Feb. 10, 2012
]]>University Police pulled over an 18-year-old student, who was driving her friend's car along East Campus Road in the middle of the day.
]]> The officer originally pulled the student over for not wearing her seatbelt, but upon further investigation, detected the smell of burnt marijuana coming from the vehicle. The woman at the wheel told the officer she did not have her driver's license on her and that she had just dropped her friend, who owns the car, off at class.The office searched the car and reported finding marijuana residue and two pipes used to smoke the drug. The search also turned up a fake ID and a flask of alcohol.
The driver claimed she has never smoked marijuana and didn't know if others who were previously in the car had. The officer did not arrest the woman, but impounded the car.
Later in the day, both the student who had been stopped and the owner of the car were questioned by the officer.
He questioned the owner of the car and reported discovering that she was the owner of the drug paraphernalia. However, she denied smoking marijuana in the vehicle, and said she generally smoked at a friend's house and the residue must have somehow gotten in the car.
The officer again interviewed the driver of the vehicle and got her to admit that the fake ID was hers. However, she denied ever using it.
Both students were placed under arrest.
The driver was charged with possession of false identification while the car's owner was hit with possession of less than one ounce of marijuana and drug-related objects in addition to underage possession of alcohol.
Source: Red & Black: "University students arrested for fake ID and marijuana possession midday," Megan Ernst, Feb. 3, 2012
]]>Police contacted the student and asked him to meet them in the lobby, and he complied. When questioned about the fake ID, he indicated that it was his since it was in his wallet. Police arrested him on the spot and initiated a search of his person. They found that the student had a flask containing alcohol in his pocket. In addition to the fake ID charge, police charged him with underage possession of alcohol. Police transported him to Athens-Clarke County Jail.
]]> In other news, police responded to reports of a theft on campus. According to the police report, two students who used to date engaged in an argument in the female's dorm room. During the argument, the female felt threatened by her ex-boyfriend, who took her computer, iPod and keys. The items were later recovered and returned to the female student. The male student is now prohibited from visiting the fourth floor of his ex-girlfriend's dorm for four months.College can be a carefree time, but being charged with crimes such as possession of a fake ID or underage drinking can have serious and long-lasting consequences. In addition to the potential criminal and academic penalties, these crimes can have an effect on your future employability. If you are charged with these crimes, you do have options, and it is best to consult with an experienced attorney to discuss them.
Source: Red & Black, "Crime Notebook: University student victim of theft after argument," John Johnson, Feb. 7, 2012.
]]>According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2010 saw a fatal car accident related to alcohol every 52 minutes on Super Bowl Sunday. That's why law enforcement agencies typically rally together to increase their presence on the road. Increasing police patrols will likely lead to more arrests for DUI, even if the person has had very little to drink.
]]> Sometimes if a driver makes a mistake while driving and is pulled over, they may be arrested for DUI even if they are not visibly impaired. While it is important to make sure our roads are safe, it is also important the police respect the rights of those accused.Being charged with a DUI is a serious issue. Sometimes a DUI can have adverse effects on a person's job situation, especially if their job involves driving a vehicle or machinery. The NHTSA also warns host of parties that they may be held liable if someone they serve alcohol ends up in a drunk driving accident.
It is important to remember that if you are accused of a crime that you have rights. Whether you are charged with a DUI or a charge relating to serving alcohol, it is important that your rights are preserved.
Source: Washington Post, "Super Bowl Sunday brings drunk-driving warnings," Ashley Halsey III, Feb. 3, 2012
]]>The incident occurred after a friend accused her of trying to hit her after she took away the woman's car keys to prevent her from driving drunk.
]]> The incident occurred at a tavern on Gaines School Road. The police also reported her yelling remarks about a football field and her father. When they attempted to arrest her, she allegedly resisted being taken into custody. She was observed fleeing to a nearby trash dumpster where officers subsequently confronted her as she squatted there and unzipped her pants.Officers claimed that she was unable to walk without stumbling and declined to go home in a cab, as they initially suggested she do. Charges of obstruction were also filed against her and she was taken to the county jail.
In an unrelated incident, an Athens college student reported that a vandal had used a key or other metal object to scratch his car during the evening of Jan. 24. He indicated his belief that the suspect was his ex-roommate whose unanticipated departure occurred on the same day the car was damaged. Hearsay statements made by the suspect's ex-girlfriend to investigating officers and to the student claimed that the suspect had confessed to damaging the vehicle.
Police in Athens are also continuing to investigate the commission of a burglary on a university student's dorm room on either Dec. 13 or 14 while final exams were in full swing. A number of technology items were taken from the room, including USB iPod cables and an Xbox controller. The dorm room door was apparently unlocked at the time of the theft.
Source: Red & Black: "CRIME NOTEBOOK Jan. 26," Jan. 26, 2012
]]>WHEN A PERSON IS FOUND UNDER THE INFLUENCE IN GEORGIA, THE STATE OF GEORGIA HAS A "NO TOLERENCE LAW THAT STATES, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR ALCOHOL LEVEL IS YOU WILL BE CONSIDERED DRUNK.SO WHEN THE OFFICER IS SUSPICIOUS AND YOU ARE STOPPED, THEY WILL ASK FOR YOUR LICENSE, ASK YOU A COUPLE SIMPLE QUESTIONS, AND THEN ASK YOU TO TAKE A SERIES OF SOBRIETY TESTS. IF YOU ARE FOUND UNDER THE INFLUENCE, THE OFFICER CAN CITE YOU A TICKET OR ARRESTED.
]]>A patrolling police officer spotted the 20-year-old reportedly failing to yield right of way to several women trying to cross Dougherty Street in the crosswalk.
]]> The officer pulled the student over this past Friday night in a North Avenue apartment building parking lot.In his report, the officer noted that while he was talking to the student, he "smelled the odor of green marijuana coming from within the vehicle."
The officer asked the student to hand over any marijuana he might have; the student reportedly gave the officer an herb grinder commonly used to grind marijuana. The device contained less than an ounce of pot, according to the police report.
The officer then searched the student's blue Chevy Tahoe SUV and found a fake identification card and another grinder.
The student was then placed in handcuffs and taken to Clarke County Jail.
That same night, a UGA freshman was arrested after allegedly trying to enter the Bourbon Street Bar with fake identification.
Athens-Clarke County police arrested the 19-year-old and charged him with use of a fake ID, as well as underage possession of alcohol.
An officer watched the student "swaying" as he approached the bar. The officer then reported seeing the student pull out his wallet containing a new Georgia ID with a vertical design. But the student then pulled another ID out of his wallet -- one printed with a horizontal design -- and handed it to the doorman.
When the officer approached the student, he asked for the vertical-design ID, which the officer said in his report, confirmed that the student was underage.
Source: Red & Black: "CRIME NOTEBOOK: Jan. 30," Megan Ernst, Jan. 30, 2012
]]>The first incident resulted in a 20-year old student being arrested on North Campus on a Saturday morning. Officers found two students, one of whom was pulling the other by the legs through some bushes. The officers on the scene smelled alcohol on the two students.
]]> They were then asked to produce identification so as to determine their ages. The 20-year old did not have his license, but claimed to have an August birthday and was from Tennessee.Officers reporter that he later claimed he did not have a state license belonging to any state, but was a student at the university. Officers confirmed the man was a student on campus.
It's alleged that the student lied and gave false identity before being further questioned by the police. The student later said that he had been drinking at a downtown bar, even though he is underage.
Both students were arrested and taken to Clarke County Jail.
A second incident involving a student under the influence of alcohol occurred that same day.
A 21-year old student was pulled over on Springdale Street for erratic driving and suspicion of intoxication.
Officers say that he violated a number of motor vehicle laws before he was pulled over. Once pulled over, police said they determined that the student was above the legal blood alcohol limit.
He also failed the standard sobriety test.
He was arrested for driving under the influence and was also taken to Clarke County Jail to be booked.
Source: Red & Black: "CRIME NOTEBOOK: Jan. 24 (w/Documents)," Jan. 24, 2012
]]>The 23-year-old student was asked to perform field sobriety tests, according to the police report posted by the Red & Black. He was later arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.
]]> "You're (expletive) up my life," the student reportedly said to the officer.When asked by the officer why he had a small cut and bruise on his forehead, the student said he'd hit himself with a beer bottle.
"It happens," he reportedly said. "It's Athens."
He was taken to Clarke County Jail.
In an unrelated incident, a 19-year-old student was charged with underage possession of alcohol, as well as possession of fake identification.
She apparently fell asleep with her Brumby Hall dorm room door open.
A resident assistant and housing security worker found her asleep in the room.
The student gave the security worker a Florida driver's license which indicated she's 23 years old. But she later gave the worker another ID; the second one giving her real name and age.
The student apparently admitted the first driver's license was a fake ID.
She also reportedly said she'd had one or two drinks earlier that night.
She was also taken to Clarke County Jail after her arrest.
Both students could face very negative consequences if found guilty of the accusations they now face.
The DUI is an especially serious charge; one best left to an experienced attorney.
Source: Red & Black: "University female arrested for urinating in parking deck," Megan Ernst, Jan. 23, 2012
]]>The estimated cost to taxpayers in Athens and around the state would be $10 million.
]]> The plan proposes more opportunities for probation and treatment for non-violent offenders, and for specialized courts to be established to process DUI cases and cases involving mental health problems.It would also fund daytime reporting centers as an alternative to incarceration.
The governor asserted that the plan would help reduce the number of repeat drug offenders by providing treatment for those with drug problems rather than simply locking them.
Deal pointed to the current high $18,000 per person cost of incarcerating a prisoner, asserting that in the long run, the proposed program would save money by reducing the number of people behind bars.
The total cost of running the state prisons is currently approximately $1 billion annually.
Drug offenses, according to statistics from 2009, represent the primary criminal charges filed against around 17 percent of Georgia inmates.
The proposal has so far received strong bipartisan support. The plan was created following a study of existing similar plans run by a number of local jurisdictions ion Georgia, which seemed to confirm their effectiveness.
In Hall County, for instance, the use of specialized courts has resulted in recidivism being reduced to a rate of 5 percent of convicted offenders, a figure dramatically better that the statewide recidivism rate of 30 percent.
Source: savannahnow.com: "Deal wants $10 million to divert non-violent offenders from prison," Jan. 7, 2012
]]>The 19-year-old UGA student was arrested last weekend for underage possession of alcohol, as well as marijuana possession. Police said they met the student on the third floor of the Georgian apartments after they'd been summoned by someone reporting that their car had been egged from an upstairs apartment window.
]]> The student apparently admitted being one of those who threw eggs, according to the Red & Black.In their police report, officers noted that they believed the student was impaired by alcohol "due to slurred speech and the smell of alcohol on his breath."
A check of his identification showed he's underage.
The student let officers into his apartment, where they apparently noticed a number of items: "a large amount of alcohol in the living area along with numerous Ziploc baggies of marijuana," as well as a vaporizer they stated is the sort used for marijuana consumption.
The student reportedly admitted that the pot and alcohol were his. He was arrested and taken to jail.
The newspaper report didn't indicate if the student faces charges related to the egging of the car.
However, the charges he does face are serious enough.
He could potentially receive academic sanctions, if convicted of marijuana possession and underage possession of alcohol, and it's very possible that a criminal record could do real damage to his job prospects after graduation.
An experienced attorney can guide a student and parents through a complex, often intimidating criminal justice system and help protect the student from negative academic and career repercussions.
Source: Red & Black: "University student arrested for possession of marijuana, alcohol after egging a car," Megan Ernst, Jan. 16, 2012
]]>While on foot patrol, an officer noticed two females, one 18 years old and the other 19 years old, urinating behind a trash can in the Hull Street employee lot. According to the report, the officer approached the females while they were still urinating.
]]> According to the officer, after redressing, the females apologized for their actions.After smelling alcohol, the officer asked both for their identification.
He was able to confirm they were underage when one of the females produced her identification. The other girl presented a fake Louisiana license, the officer's report further stated.
The officer reported that he pressed her for the correct identification. She then produced an Alabama ID confirming she was underage.
The officer reported that, when he asked if the two had consumed alcohol, one of them admitted to having been drinking.
In his report, he noted the eyes of both were bloodshot and speech slurred.
When separated for questioning, both students admitted to having had a drink.
One was then cited for underage possession of alcohol, and the other was charged with underage possession, as well as possession of a fake ID.
The two were then taken to Clarke County Jail.
Students in similar situations typically find that they fare better in the criminal justice system with the assistance of an attorney who understands the law and available legal options.
Source: Red & Black: "CRIME NOTEBOOK Jan. 10 (W/ Documents)," Megan Ernst, Jan. 10, 2012
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