Bride-to-be arrested for drunk driving hours before wedding

[wombat2u2004]

Wombat, it depends on whether this is her first offense or not how stiff the penalty will be. Thank goodness she didn't kill anybody by accident!

It's age that seems to make a lot of difference here.
If it's a teenager for instance.....they really get hammered.

[Karen]

It's age that seems to make a lot of difference here.
If it's a teenager for instance.....they really get hammered.

Age will affect how much her insurance rates are going to go up, but not the penalities. It probably varies a bit state to state, but after a certain number of offenses, they can take your driver's license away, you can face jail time, and also have to wait a number of years before you can attempt to get a license again. Before all that, you may end up just paying a fine and having to take a mandatory class - I don't know whether it is driver safety or drug and alcohol related or both.

Teenagers here are not legally allowed to drink, so there's a reason they get slammed - they've started out drinking illegally, then driving drunk illegally.

[Cataholic]

Teenagers here are not legally allowed to drink, so there's a reason they get slammed - they've started out drinking illegally, then driving drunk illegally.

This is not true, at least in Ohio. Anyone under the age of 21 is prohibited from purchasing alcohol, however, people under 21 can drink. They simply need, at least in Ohio, to be in the presence of their legal guardian (usually their parent, could be a spouse). Now, if I provided alcohol to my underaged child, and he then left my house/property/presence and went out in public, there could be an argument made for some sort of charge. And, I am prohibited from providing alcohol to anyone else's child.

I think the reason our OVI problems are so severe is that we seek to prohibit responsible alcohol consumption. Like some other areas we seek to prohibit here in the US.

[Karen]

Oh, sorry, I forget to mention that. You are right, teens can drink legally, but lots of them are not "in the presence of a responsible adult," they get their booze some other way - often illegally. Fake ID's, etc., abound. But you are right, and I have seen cases in the news where the parent who provided alcohol to the teens was charged in addition to the teen who was DUI.

[Cataholic]

I have seen a few people refer to this as a DUI charge. Does your state still call it a DUI, or has it been changed to OVI? Not just a technicality, either. DUI = driving under the influence, and the person must be, literally driving (keys in ignition, motor on, moving). OVI, on the other hand, means operating a motor vehicle, and the word operating is much broader a term, to include behind the wheel, parked, keys or not, in the ignition.

Just curious.

[Marigold2]

I think a fitting punishment would be for her to sit in jail for 6 months and miss the wedding. All the plans would be ruined because of her and perhaps the groom would have second thoughts as well.
It would be a lesson she would never forget nor would any one who knows the bride or was invited to the wedding.

[caseysmom]

This is not true, at least in Ohio. Anyone under the age of 21 is prohibited from purchasing alcohol, however, people under 21 can drink. They simply need, at least in Ohio, to be in the presence of their legal guardian (usually their parent, could be a spouse). Now, if I provided alcohol to my underaged child, and he then left my house/property/presence and went out in public, there could be an argument made for some sort of charge. And, I am prohibited from providing alcohol to anyone else's child.

I think the reason our OVI problems are so severe is that we seek to prohibit responsible alcohol consumption. Like some other areas we seek to prohibit here in the US.

I don't believe this is true in California, I think the adult would be charged with contributing to the delinquincy of a minor whether the child stays home or not.

[Cataholic]

I don't believe this is true in California, I think the adult would be charged with contributing to the delinquincy of a minor whether the child stays home or not.

Maybe, maybe not. I think many people assume something like this, and with our societal issues re alcohol, don't think about it too much. It would be interesting to see how much this varies state to state.

[caseysmom]

Yeah I don't know really I just assumed that.

[Asiel]

Out here she would lose her licence for at least a year and pay a heavy fine, would have to appear in court also.

Were we just wondering what age is too young to be married...? Well, this gal is 31, old enough to get married but I have to wonder if age really counts when I read something like this. I just would not want to be in her shoes right now...

[wombat2u2004]

Teenagers here are not legally allowed to drink, so there's a reason they get slammed - they've started out drinking illegally, then driving drunk illegally.

The age is 18 here, when they take on their own legal responsibility.
So parents are no longer the issue.
One of the problems is that drivers licences can be issued as soon as they turn 17.....a year later they are allowed to drink legally.

[sana]

The age is 18 here, when they take on their own legal responsibility.
So parents are no longer the issue.
One of the problems is that drivers licences can be issued as soon as they turn 17.....a year later they are allowed to drink legally.

I think in Pakistan driver's license can be made at the age of 18 because at that the age of 18 your identity card is made and you need on eto have a driver's license.

[Karen]

The age is 18 here, when they take on their own legal responsibility.
So parents are no longer the issue.
One of the problems is that drivers licences can be issued as soon as they turn 17.....a year later they are allowed to drink legally.

Driver's licenses here I think still vary from state to state, I know in Massachusetts you can get one at age 16 1/2, as long as you have taken a driver's education class, otherwise you have to wait until you turn 17. I think some states it's younger. My niece Emily will turn 16 in September, and I know she's already thinking about getting her Learner's Permit.

But even back when I was in high school, I knew kids who were already heavy drinkers at 15, and a bunch of classmates got kicked out of the musical that year because they were noticeably drunk and drinking more in the bathroom before the show ... so adding a Driver's License is only gonna exacerbate it!

Yup, Johanna, we still call it DUI here, but we also don't have a DMV - we have the Registry of Motor Vehicles, so when a tv character in a show set in Boston says they're going to the DMV, or even the RMV, you know someone didn't do enough research. Around here, we say "going to the Registry."

[lbaker]

In MD we have DMV but in DC it's MVA (motor vehicle admin) a stink-week by any other name... Mostly when it comes to having to deal with them in person for even mundane things

[wombat2u2004]

This guy really copped it for drink driving here in NSW Australia.

Driver banned till he's 104
BY VERONICA APAP
17 Jan, 2008 06:55 AM
A man banned from driving for at least the next 40 years was sent to jail yesterday after reoffending yet again.
It was the second time this week a Wollongong Local Court magistrate has jailed a long-term disqualified driver.

Yesterday Michael Anthony Sheather was ordered to serve 16 months behind bars after being caught driving on January 10 despite previously being disqualified from driving until 2050.

The 60-year-old man from Eagle Vale, near Campbelltown, will now not be eligible for a licence until he is 104 years old.

On Tuesday, Ronald James Rudd, 64, was jailed for 12 months for driving when he had been disqualified until 2075.

The court heard yesterday that Sheather had been released from prison for a similar offence in August and still had one month of his parole to serve when he was pulled over at Bellambi.

Police had been conducting random breath testing in Bellambi Lane when they stopped Sheather, who was driving a purple Ford Falcon.

He told police he did not have his driver's licence with him and drove off when police returned to their car to make inquiries over the radio.

Police caught up with Sheather in Molloy St, Bulli, where he was arrested.

The court heard Sheather knew he would never drive again and promised not to get behind the wheel again.

Magistrate Ian Guy said Sheather's crime was aggravated by the fact that he was on parole for similar offences at the time.

He said Sheather had been convicted of driving offences at least 12 times over an extended period.

"He has been disqualified (from driving) on many occasions because of drink-driving," he said.

"It's a shame the defendant fails to have any insight into the whole purpose of the legislation.

"It's to punish someone by removing their right to drive if they offend the law by drink-driving and that's what he has done on many occasions."

Sheather will be eligible for parole in January 2009.