Three-time drunk driver. Oh, in three days.
Alcoholic Antic-of-the-Month
Story from “This is True” by Randy Cassingham, with his “tagline:”
“STRIKE THREE: Jo A. Trilling, of Spokane, Wash., was visiting Wisconsin last year when a Sheboygan County sheriff’s deputy stopped to help her — the car she was driving was stuck in a ditch. The deputy noticed she was wearing only one shoe, and smelled of booze. Her blood alcohol measured 0.21 percent, and she was arrested for drunk driving. The next day, the Kohler-Andrae park superintendent noticed her stuck in the snow. She mentioned to him that ‘I am still finishing up the box of wine in my car from yesterday,’ and she was arrested for drunk driving; her blood alcohol level wasn’t reported. The next day, a motorist reported Trilling was weaving ‘all over the road.’ She was arrested a third time: her blood alcohol level was 0.16 percent. Once all the court cases were sorted out she was fined $730, then $906, and then $1,221 — a total of $2,857, plus $372 for resisting one of the arrests — and sent on her way. (Sheboygan Press) …Though I hope they took her car keys away first.”
Authorities should be obligated to take away the keys. Better yet, such culprits should be detained until the BAL is zero and then given an ankle bracelet as a (temporary) parting gift. I suppose this might violate the Constitution, but it would be a heck of a lot more effective than the equally unconstitutional and ineffective War on Drugs. If we are to dramatically reduce the numbers of DUIs who maim and kill others, logical consequences need to be offered to those who create trouble for others. (If such consequences had been offered to Andrew Thomas Gallo, who no doubt had driven while under the influence on countless occasions, Nick Adenhart and the others killed in his vehicle might be alive today.) While Trilling was ultimately sentenced to a month in jail and a $3,000 fine (not enough), repeatedly letting her go without restricting her ability to drink after having proven to society she cannot safely use is not an appropriate and logical consequence.
(Story and tagline from “This is True,” copyright 2009 by Randy Cassingham, used with permission.)