University of Georgia students and other residents in the Athens area may be well aware of drinking laws in Georgia. If you are under 21, you could be arrested if police have reason to believe that you are in possession of alcohol or have been consuming alcohol. Additionally, those who are 21 or older may understand that they could be arrested if they choose to drive after drinking one too many beers.
But do UGA students and other residents realize that they could still face criminal charges for drinking a little too much alcohol even if they are of legal age to drink and choose to walk home instead of driving?
Well, at least one student is now aware of the possibility of being arrested for crossing the street while drunk. The 22-year-old was charged over the weekend for pedestrian under the influence of alcohol.
On Sunday morning, an Athens-Clarke County police officer reported that a pedestrian was spotted crossing the street at the intersection of Clayton Street and Lumpkin Street even though the pedestrian did not have a walk signal at the intersection.
Although many people are guilty of crossing the street when it is not their turn, the officer noted that this pedestrian almost caused an accident by crossing the street when he did not have the signal to do so. According to the officer, the driver of a taxi almost ran over the student.
After witnessing this, the officer approached the pedestrian. While speaking to the pedestrian about almost getting hit by the taxi, the officer noted that the man’s breath smelled of alcohol. The UGA student admitted to having four alcoholic beverages prior to the incident. In addition to being charged with pedestrian under the influence of alcohol, the student was also charged with disobeying a traffic signal.
Source: The Red and Black, “University student arrested after crossing roadway in front of taxi,” Josh Johnson, April 23, 2012