Being in the wrong place at the wrong time can have serious consequences for anyone. This may be especially true for Georgia minors when alcohol is involved. Minor consumption of alcohol is taken very seriously in our state, and young people should be aware of the dangerous consequences of even being present when others are drinking illegally.
Police allege that last month, they conducted a traffic stop of a 20-year-old man after he allegedly took a corner too fast and nearly struck their police cruiser. The teen told police that he was on his way to help a friend in need on the roadside. Officers allege that they smelled alcohol on the teen’s breath, and when asked, the teen willingly told them that he had been drinking at a friend’s house. While there is no information available about whether field sobriety tests, Breathalyzer tests or blood tests were conducted to confirm that this young man was drinking, he was nonetheless arrested. He is now facing several charges including DUI and underage drinking.
After this initial arrest, officers went to investigate the home where the teen said that he had been drinking. Upon arrival, they allege that the homeowner was unaware of any such behavior and allowed them into the property, where it is alleged that there was evidence of drinking in the basement and in the bedroom of the homeowner’s son. Police also allegedly discovered two 19-year-old friends, one in possession of marijuana, and the other alcohol.
Authorities have not identified whether field sobriety tests were administered to these individuals to confirm that they were drinking underage. Additionally, it is unclear whether the alcohol containers and drug paraphernalia found were linked to all three teens. In some cases, being in the wrong place at the wrong time can result in equally damaging criminal allegations. For these Georgia teens accused of minor consumption of alcohol, the next best steps may be leaving no stone unturned as they defend themselves against the allegations and investigate their legal rights and options.
Source: northfulton.com, DUI leads to underage drinking, drug arrests in Milton, No author, Dec. 27, 2013