Earlier this week on our Athens, Georgia, DUI defense law blog, we had mentioned that a serious offense like manufacturing and distributing fake IDs could result in high school and college students being suspended from schools or universities. Serious criminal charges could also prevent students from being able to live on campus or obtain scholarships.
But other folks in professional occupations and public roles could also face numerous social and legal consequences after an arrest. Last week, we had mentioned that an Atlanta Falcons player could be suspended from playing in several football games after he was accused of driving drunk. A few days ago, a Georgia officer was arrested and charged with DUI. The police officer could now be at risk of losing his job as a result of the arrest. In many cases, officers are placed on administrative leave while their cases remain pending in the legal system.
According to reports, the officer was pulled over by a Georgia State Patrol trooper after the trooper allegedly caught the man speeding. The traffic stop was conducted around 3:30 a.m. on Saturday. The officer was driving on a road with a speed limit of 45 miles per hour. However, the trooper claims that the officer was driving almost 90 mph.
Reports have not indicated why the driver was suspected of DUI. In many cases, bloodshot eyes and the odor of alcohol give officers enough reason to ask a driver to take a field sobriety test or breath test. When the officer was asked to take a breath test, he refused to do so and was arrested for DUI. He was also charged with speeding.
The officer has since been placed on administrative leave.
Source: 13WMZ.com, “Macon Police Sgt. Charged With DUI, Speeding,” Chris Home, Sept. 24, 2012
- Our firm represents individuals who have been charged with DUI. To learn more about our criminal defense practice, please visit our defending DUI charges page.