Senate bill in Judiciary Committee Tuesday

SENATE BILL 844 By Beavers

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55, Chapter 10, relative to driving offenses.

SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-403(a)(3), is amended by adding the following language at the end of the subdivision: For purposes of this section, the arrest precipitating the instant conviction shall toll the running of the ten (10) years and twenty (20) years with regard to the instant conviction. SECTION 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009, the public welfare requiring it.

Note:

This bill has passed in the House.

Speeding in Switzerland

A Swiss millionaire has been handed down a record speeding fine of $290,000 (£180,000) by a court.

The man was reportedly caught driving a red Ferrari Testarossa at 137km/h (85mph) through a village.

The penalty was calculated based on the unnamed motorist's wealth - assessed by the court as $22.7m (£14.1m) - and because he was a repeat offender.

Fun Facts from the Bar

Kyle Western of Men's Health magazine cited these in an article in the Jan/Feb issue:

Average guy's age when he first swaggered into a bar:
18

Number of men known by name at their local bar:
50%

Average number of drinks served to each patron:
5

Decibel level in average bar:
120

Decibel level at which eardrums ache:
125

Increase in alcohol consumption when music is loud:
27%

Percentage of drinkers who have flashed a fake I.D.:
42%

Percentage of men who have stopped a drunk friend
from driving home:
86%

Percentage of men who have called a cab for a stranger:
23%

City with most bars: LaCrosse, Wisconsin

Drugged Driver.

An Anderson County Woman was found passed out in her car with all the drugs and paraphernalia pictured.

The sad reality is that most DUI offenders in some parts of Tennessee are driving under the influence of drugs.

Read more about this at:

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/jan/04/woman-passed-out-car-charged-dui-possessing-pills/?partner=popular

This Week in the Court of Criminal Appeals
December 28, 2009 continued

Trial Conviction Prosecutor Top Charge
State v Stewart Weakley Barnard Agg Burglary
http://www.tsc.state.tn.us/OPINIONS/Tcca/PDF/094/State%20v%20Ronald%20Lee%20Stewart.pdf

State v Gibbs Roger Moore Agg Robbery
http://www.tsc.state.tn.us/OPINIONS/Tcca/PDF/094/State%20v%20Reginald%20M%20Gibbs.pdf

State v Blodgett Weakley Barnard Habitual Traffic
http://www.tsc.state.tn.us/OPINIONS/Tcca/PDF/094/State%20v%20Ronald%20S%20Blodgett.pdf

State v Stratton Marla Holloway DUI
http://www.tsc.state.tn.us/OPINIONS/Tcca/PDF/094/State%20v%20Jeffrey%20B%20Stratton%20Jr.pdf

State v Duke Brett Gunn Burglary of vehicle
http://www.tsc.state.tn.us/OPINIONS/Tcca/PDF/094/State%20v%20Lonnie%20T%20Duke.pdf

State v Comer Frank Harvey Reckless Endangerment

http://www.tsc.state.tn.us/OPINIONS/Tcca/cc4qtr2009.shtml

Traffic Fatalities in 2009

Preliminary data indicates that 2009 was a safer year on our rodaways. 954 people were reported to have died. Since 2005 fatalities have dropped 25%. There were 316 fewer people killed during the last year as compared to 5 years ago.

To all who did their part to make this happen, thank you. Keep it up. It's wonderful to know that more than 300 people are still with us due to your efforts!

A Speedwell (Claiborne County) Tennessee woman shot her husband. She then tried to drive 41 miles to a Clinton, Tn hospital. She crashed and was found to be a DUI driver.

Will she defend against the Aggravated Assault charge by claiming she was too drunk to know what she was doing or will she defend against the DUI by saying she was not drunk or both?

Don't you love a good conumdrum?

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/jan/04/woman-suspect-shooting-husband-busted-dui-taking-h/