Understanding the Criminal Justice System
Just because you’re not in a car or truck doesn’t mean you’re off the hook when it comes to drinking and driving laws. An Indiana woman recently learned that lesson—the hard way—after smashing her golf cart through barricades at a street festival.
The incident took place in January at the Naples Art Festival in Naples, FL. Three officers with the Naples Police Department responded to reports of a woman driving a golf cart. Witnesses say she had driven through the barricades intended to block off 5th Avenue for pedestrians.
When police arrived, one of them stepped in front of the golf cart and ordered the woman, Kelly Haney of Indianapolis, to stop. She allegedly kept driving, running over the officer’s foot. She said she’d consumed two glasses of champagne about an hour before and explained that she ignored the barricades because they prevented her from accessing the parking garage.
Officers then asked Haney, 44, to perform field sobriety tests, including the horizontal gaze nystagmus test and several tests of her balance. She was also given the choice of a breathalyzer test or a one-year revocation of her driver’s license. When Haney submitted to the breathalyzer, her blood alcohol content (BAC) registered as 0.15%—nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08%.
Haney was taken to the Collier County Jail and booked on charges of DUI.
Haney’s actions stand as an amusing but important reminder of what NOT to do if you are stopped on suspicion of OWI or DUI. Rather than ignoring police requests—let alone inflicting vehicular injury—it is essential to cooperate with the police. It’s not clear whether the officer in this instance sustained any serious injuries, but the incident could have resulted in additional charges for the suspect.
Officers’ commands concerning stopping the vehicle, stepping out of the vehicle, and performing sobriety tests are issued with everyone’s safety in mind. Drunk driving accounts for some 28 deaths per day in the United States, and countless injuries as well.
Even if you haven’t injured the responding officer during a DUI stop, it’s important to secure the services of an experienced DUI attorney. No matter what you did or didn’t do when arrested, what you do now will determine the outcome of your case, so contact Razumich & Associates today. Call (317) 983-5333.
