27 years of sober ride in Davidson County

If you party in Nashville New Years Eve, you get a free ride home from the Davidson County Sheriff by participating in the Sober Ride program. Read about it:

http://www.nashville-sheriff.net/nr122810.html

Bumpy ride for DUI 3rd driver

In Elizabethton, Tn a driver drove over a speed bump at high speed. When stopped he turned out to be a 3rd offense DUI, who was driving on a revoked driver's license and he violated the implied consent law. He pled guilty and is spending 170 days in jail. Kudos to officer Douglass Combs for a job well done.

Read more at:

JohnsonCityPress.com - Local News - Johnson City, TN

WSMV news story

Last night I was part of the WSMV News story about the new ignition interlock law with Nancy Ammons, who is always a pleasure to deal with. See the report at:

DUI Laws Changing January 1 - Nashville News Story - WSMV Nashville

The New Ignition Interlock law gets some press.

Read how the Nashville City Paper interprets the new Ignition Interlock law for it's readers and then read the comments from some readers. After you stop laughing read the law. The two links below will guide you to each:
http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/law-mandating-ignition-devices-dui-offenders-begins-jan-1


http://dui.tndagc.org/resources/Passed%20Legislation/PC%20921%20ignition%20interlock.pdf

Cookeville officer runs down impaired driver.

I hope CPD officer Josh Ward is in good shape. It appears from the news he has been running down DUI drivers on foot and has been catching them even when they are driving. Wonder if there is a law enforcement olympics?

Read about it at:

Herald Citizen - Officers chase drunk drivers on foot

What was this guy thinking

A Rutherford County tractor thief tried to run over 3 deputies in a tractor. How did he think this would end?

Read about it at:

RCSO: Man tried to hit deputies with tractor | dnj.com | The Daily News Journal

Webinar

Thanks to all who attended the webinar today. Total attendance was 256 from 20 States, D.C. and Canada.

Nashville DUI Arrests drop in 2010. Patrols diverted by flood.

Monday's City Paper in Nashville included a story about DUI arrests in 2010. Quoted are Nashville/Metro Police Lt. Kenneth Walburn, GHSO Director Kendell Poole and Elizabeth Hosmer, finance and marketing administrator for the GHSO. A couple interesting notes:
1) Arrests are down due to the need to shift officers to flood recovery.
2) Fatalities are about level.
3) The percentage of alcohol related fatailites are still at about 40%. The State average is 31%.
4) In 2011 overtime funding will drop to $400,000 after being nearly a million in the past.

Read the article at:

http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/flood-funding-woes-lead-drop-dui-arrests-2010

Remember your oath this Holiday season

I just read a story about a Prince William County, Maryland prosecutor being arrested for DUI and possession of schedule 1 drugs. He is still working and the last line of the story from his boss stated, "He is a good prosecutor".

Please, please, please remember that no part of committing any crime is consistent with the oath we take to be Tennessee lawyers, much less prosecutors.

A criminal act is not something that "honestly demeans myself in the practice of my profession". Don't let the good people of Tennessee down by foolish behavior.

Rule 6, Tennessee Rules of the Supreme Court, requires the following oath for attorneys:

"I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Tennessee, and that I will truly and honestly demean myself in the practice of my profession to the best of my skill and abilities, so help me God."

25 year license suspension for Oklahoma V.H.

Oklahoma City Woman Sentenced to 7 years

A woman who was driving drunk last year crashed into a IHOP and killed a customer and killed a customer sitting inside.

Nina McCollom, 25, crashed her SUV into an IHOP at Northwest Expressway and Council Road in April 2009. James Pitts, a customer sitting in a booth, was killed. Police said McCollom's blood alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit at the time of the crash.

McCollom pleaded guilty to manslaughter. After she serves her sentence, she won't be allowed to have a driver's license for 25 years

Read about it at:

OKC Woman Sentenced In Deadly DUI Accident - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

12 years for Vehicular Homicide in Columbia, Tn

Ricky Ray Redd, Junior, 37, was arrested in August on charges of vehicular homicide, vehicular assault and aggravated vehicular homicide. The charges are the result of a May 22nd accident in the city of Lawrenceburg. Mary Jo McDonald, 56, of Lawrenceburg, succumbed to injuries in July that she sustained in that accident. Redd pleaded to the charge of vehicular homicide and received a twelve year sentence to be served at 30 percent.

New Tazewell officers save man from fire

A huge thank you to officers Ben Evans, Rich Arnwine and Jeremy Myers for heroic efforts in Claiborne County. Read this:

http://claiborneprogress.net/view/full_story/10678166/article-Lives-saved-thanks-to-officers?instance=secondary_news_left_column

Protecting Lives, Saving Futures Kentucky

JoAnn Michaels, Director of the National Traffic Law Center, had a nice suggestion for prosecutors today. Watch the video. It is 37 seconds long.

30 Million Americans Drive Impaired per year

Bad news from CBS NEWS. 30 million Americans drive drunk and 10 million drive impaired by drugs per year! Are we really that irresponsible?

Read about it at:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/12/09/national/main7134635.shtml?tag=cbsnewsSectionContent.2

New DUI traffic stop decision

The Court of Criminal Appeals has affirmed a traffic stop that included a citizen call, a couple of land crossing weaves and a right turn executed from the center lane. The case from Wilson County was prosecuted by ADA Linda Walls.

Read it at:

http://www.tsc.state.tn.us/OPINIONS/TCCA/PDF/104/State%20vs%20James%20Porter%20McFarland.pdf

General Gibbons named Commissioner of Safety

Memphis/ Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons has been named Commissioner of the Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Amy Wierich will be the new Memphis, Shelby County DA. Amy has been the chief assistant since August and will be our 3rd female DA out of 31 in Tennessee.

Read about General/Commissioner Gibbons and General Weirich at:

http://www.abc24.com/news/local/story/Bill-Gibbons-Named-Commissioner-of-Safety-and/V35PJWIHREKm81Ef7-mihQ.cspx

Officers: Twice-daily breath tests help with enforcement

In South Dakota and Helena, Montana officials are attempting a new method to monitor recidivist DUI offenders. The offenders have to report and perform a breath test two times a day or wear an alcohol monitoring ankle bracelet. The monitoring permits recidivist offenders to spend less time in jail, but more time under monitoring supervision.

Read about it at:

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20101207/DC5/12070338

Honor your momma, unless she won't buy your beer?

On most occassions Tennesseans show great respect to the woman who carried them through 9 difficult months of pregnancy, gave birth and raised them to adulthood. One 42 year old resident apparently forgot his debt to his mother. The headline reads:

Soddy Daisy Man Charged With Trying To Burn House Down When Mom Would Not Get Him More Beer

Read the story at:

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_189639.asp