Consequences for DUI are not hard enough

Published on Wednesday, October 22, 2008 8:16 AM MST

Editor:

Why do DUI deaths still occur? I can tell you why! On Oct. 3, a relative was stopped for DUI in Thatcher by the Thatcher Police and Graham County Sheriff’s Department. She had three children with her. My wife and I were called to pick them up.

This relative was taken to the Thatcher Police Department. We got home and got the children into bed and just barely got into bed ourselves when there was a knock on our front door. It was the sheriff with my relative. It hadn’t been more than two hours, and she was already released.

This is her second DUI in less than a year and a half. As far as I know, she has not paid the fines from last time. She has not had a driver’s license for years, and yet she is driving all the time. So what is going to keep her from driving drunk again, being processed and released in less than two hours and $75 to get the van out of impound? Not much to make her stop and think the next time she gets behind the wheel drunk. She has and will again!

Am I the only one who sees a problem with the way people who are stopped for DUI are punished – with no consequences for their actions?

Ron Gibson

Safford

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Comments

5 comment(s)

joker wrote on Oct 25, 2008 10:14 PM:

" Welcome to the system..... "

One who knows wrote on Oct 24, 2008 7:56 AM:

" If she had 3 kids with her when she was stopped, dont worry she will get plenty of jail time.That alone makes it a felony as well as endangerment.She will get to do her time sober at AZDOC.I agree that drunks need to be locked up, however our overstrained jail system does not allow it, and the DPS crime lab is backed up as it is.The officers are doing the best they can but I think there were over 500 DUI arrests last year.Do the math and figure out why there is no room in the jail. "

fines wrote on Oct 23, 2008 12:06 PM:

" I can't say much for the arresting agencies, however, once the case is brought to the county attorney, they defendant is looking at some heavy consequences. DUIs come with manditory fines that cannot be negotiated in a plea deal. Let the aresting agency finish their investigation. This is only the beginning of the process. And if she is already on probation for a previous DUI she could likely go to jail or prison. "

Because wrote on Oct 22, 2008 3:28 PM:

" Its becasue the agencies here do blood draws which is not suffiecient enough to charge the Agg or Extreme dui until the results get back. Usually months. Therefore they can only book on the Impaired charge. Which means when the driver goes in to see the judge within 24 hrs and pleads guilty all the aggravated dui, extreme dui charges get dropped. So they have to release and wait for the blood to return to get a successful prosecution. But once they are convicted look at the consequences. "

whatsssup wrote on Oct 22, 2008 1:38 PM:

" Maybe the jail was to full to hold her overnight and maybe the reason she was held for two hours was for the DUI investigation to be completed ! The DUI i had they took my blood and i was not charged until the results were sent back. It's not the police fault that she does not learn. She is a grown adult, maybe as family you should try and seek her some help or at least talk her into some help !!!! "

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