George M Ryan, 64 of New Johnsonville has taken his DUI into Kentucky. He drove the wrong way on a bridge and slammed into 28 year old, Jackee Duncan of Ledbetter, Kentucky. Ryan is now facing a Class c Felony for Assault as well as DUI and other charges.

Fact is Stranger than fiction!

The New York Daily News starts the story with:

A crazed Tennessee woman crashed her car into a church, lay on the altar and then stabbed her husband in the chest because the devil told her the man was worshipping a NASCAR race, police say in a bizarre case of attempted murder.
Stephanie Faye Hamman, 23, who admitted to smoking weed all day and all night, told cops it was God’s plan she carried out in rural Church Hill, a small town in the northeastern part of the state, the Times News reported.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/tenn-woman-stabs-husband-worshipping-nascar-police-article-1.1724958#ixzz2wVw8SNxK


I wonder if the weed she smoked all day confused her understanding for God's plan?

We are exporting DUI Fatalities

A story from Knoxville tells a sad tale. A Tennessean who is 18 years old and had a blood alcohol level or .159 and drove into and killed another Tennessean, Brandon Beverly, 22, of Knoxville. It happened in Florida! Our sympathy goes out to the family of Mr. Beverly. May he rest in peace.



(WBIR) A 22-year-old from Knoxville was killed during his spring break vacation after officials say a teenager, also from Tennessee, ran into his scooter car in Panama City Beach, Fla. Sunday night.
Bruce George, 18 of Nolensville, Tenn. now faces DUI manslaughter charges. Authorities said George drove head-on into a scooter car driven by Brandon Beverly, 22, of Knoxville.
The News Herald of Panama City Beach reported the Beverly was ejected from the vehicle. Crews took him to the hospital where he later died.
A judge set George's bail at $100,000 on Monday, and police have said additional charges could be added. Panama City Beach said George's blood alcohol level was 0.159, which is nearly twice the legal limit in Florida.

Quick lesson on ignition interlocks

I had one of the ignition interlock installers walk me through the interlock process and we used it as a teachable moment. You may get a laugh or two out of this video on a Friiday afternoon. The bottom line, a lot of myths exist about these devices, but they are myths.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaDc9i3Y8n0&feature=youtu.be

Transdermal monitoring bill passes

A bill that specifically authorizes the use or transdermal monitoring for parole, probation and pre-trial diversion has passed both Houses of the General Assembly and has been sent to the Governor. The effective date is July 1, 2014.
Transdermal monoitoring is an effective means of determining whether a person consumes alcohol. It currently is available as a monitoring tool for persons on bond. They are used quite a bit in some jurisdictions. They are used for multiple DUI offenders as well as those accused of domestic violence when alcohol is involved.

The bill SB 1962 is summarized on the General Assembly website:

This bill authorizes the use of transdermal monitoring device or other alternative monitoring device as a term or condition of pretrial diversion, parole, probation or DUI probation if, in the opinion of the district attorney general, parole board, or court, as appropriate, the defendant's use of alcohol or drugs was a contributing factor in the defendant's unlawful conduct. This bill will apply to individuals entering for one of the above programs on or after July 1, 2014.

This bill defines "transdermal monitoring device" as any device or instrument that is attached to the person, designed to automatically test the alcohol or drug content in a person by contact with the person's skin at least once per one-half hour regardless of the person's location, and which detects the presence of alcohol or drugs and tampering, obstructing, or removing the device. 

Legislative Activity

The bills concerning DUI issues were delayed another week. One bill effecting traffic safety passed in the committee and moves forward. It is SB 1783 which would change the penalty for evading arrest to a Class C felony, if a person is injured during the evasion by a motor vehicle.

Legislative Activity

The Senate Judiciary Committee will be considering the Electronic Search Warrant proposal and the Recidivist Reduction Act this week. It should be an interesting week!