Man arrested in NM for 22nd drunk driving offense

[TransitJohn]

ESPANOLA, N.M.—Police said a man was arrested on Monday for his 22nd drunken driving offense—and his blood-alcohol content tested almost five times higher than New Mexico's legal limit. State Police Lt. Eric Garcia said an officer pulled up to a car parked along a highway and found a 51-year-old man on the ground near his vehicle.

"He was coherent," Garcia said. "He showed signs of slurred speech, as might be normal for any DWI arrest, which led the officer to believe he might be driving under the influence."

Garcia said the suspect had to be taken by ambulance to Christus St. Vincent hospital in Santa Fe, where a blood-alcohol analysis showed a content level of .393 percent. New Mexico's limit for presumed intoxication is .08 percent.

http://www.denverpost.com/watercooler/ci_13202182

[hobbit709]

1. Sounds like he needs to lose not only his license

but his car and his freedom.

[Ishoutandscream2]

2. Yes, lock him up and throw away the key

Sounds draconian, but this man is a menace to society.

[Archae]

4. Won't do any good.

Soon as he gets out again, back to the bottle. :-(

I've known guys like that. They are hopelessly addicted to booze and will die of that addiction.

[EOTE]

13. How about 3 strikes pertaining to drunk driving offenses?

3 strikes seems more than fair to me. Every time someone gets behind the wheel drunk, they're putting many others lives in danger. 20+ times is far too many. I don't know why every state doesn't have a 3 strikes law pertaining to drunk driving.

[Archae]

15. We don't have enough room in prisons.

Even if the US released every person in prison for pot offenses, dozens of prisons would have to be built.

Alcohol addiction is just too widespread.

[EOTE]

27. Then the punishment needs to be greater and escalating with each offense.

I think after the second offense, the car needs to be taken away and sold on auction. Then after the second, wages need to be garnished. I think drunk driving is still not taken seriously enough. And yes, it's a no-brainer to release everyone in jail for pot related offenses. But something more needs to be done for DWI/DUIs. The fact that a guy can manage to rack up 20+ of them is just sickening.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

28. Exactly- far too many vicious marijuana addicts filling up the rooms.

Damned druggies... :mad:

:sarcasm:

[Warpy]

26. Hey! Only six of those DUIs were here in NM!

I do agree with you, they need to be locked up after that third one. The car needs to be confiscated after the second.

One DUI doesn't mean a habitual drunkard. This is a college town, and a lot of kids get that one DUI, go to traffic school, and don't re offend.

This state has a lot of anti DUI laws, including mandatory ignition interlock systems for people with a DUI history when they get their licenses back or on any cars used by other family members.

My favorite sweetheart was the geezer who had his 5 year old grandson blow into the interlock and was going to drive away with the kid in the car. As far as I know, Gramps is still in jail.

[demosincebirth]

32. I agree, but driving a car also endangers Innocent people

[SoCalDem]

5. The problem is that the state cannot prevent him from driving

and they cannot prevent him from drinking.. they can only punish him when he's caught.

They can prevent him from ever owning a car or from getting a license, but people are clever.. they can always find a "friend" or family member who can be conned..and they will drink and they will drive.

until they get locked up or until they kill themselves:(

[WeDidIt]

11. Teh friend or family member must bear some of the responsibility, then

Lock them up, too.

[JonQ]

12. They could prevent him from driving

by locking him up.

At least during that period of incarceration he wouldn't be driving at all.

[SoCalDem]

18. and that's what eventually happens, but when they get out

they will drive again:(

[JonQ]

22. That's why we need progressively

longer jail times.

First time may be you could turn your life around and you just need a wakeup call.

The 2nd time, still possible but you need a bigger wake up call.

3rd and onward you go away for long enough time to think about what you did, 10+ years.

[SoCalDem]

23. States already do this, but budget cuts always rear their ugly heads

and they let the drunks out early.. It;s a vicious cycle.. They will pay $45K a year to "house" a drunk, but won;t pay for effective rehab BEFORE they drive-drunk & kill someone:(

[JonQ]

24. Yeah, that is an issue

that needs to be addressed.

One drunk can do quite a bit of damage with relatively no effort.

[rocktivity]

14. I agree--for this guy, it's hard time time!

:mad:
rocktivity

[Ron Green]

3. It's Espanola. I think the limit there is more like .15, or the jail would be too full.

[TransitJohn]

6. LOL

Thanks for the laugh.

[Historic NY]

7. .40 puts you in death range this guy is a stone cold alky.

[Auggie]

8. .393 percent is near death, isn't it?

Take away the car but leave him be -- he'll die of liver failure soon enough.

[rocktivity]

16. It's near enough to comatose

A (blood alcohol content) of .10 means that .1% of your bloodstream in composed of alcohol...

# .020 Light to moderate drinkers begin to feel some effects.

# .040 Most people begin to feel relaxed.

# .060 Judgment is somewhat impaired.

# .080 Definite impairment of muscle coordination and driving skills. This is the legal intoxication level in most states (including California).

# .100 Clear deterioration of reaction time and control. This is legally drunk in all states.

# .120 Vomiting usually occurs (unless this level is reached slowly or a person has developed a tolerance to alcohol).

# .150 Balance and movement are impaired. At this BAC. level an equivalent of 1/2 pint of whiskey is circulating in the blood stream.

# .150-.25 Most people begin to experience blackouts.

# .300 Many people lose consciousness.

# .400 Most people lose consciousness and some die.

# .450 Breathing stops. This is a fatal dose for most people

link

You're welcome.

:headbang:
rocktivity

[Auggie]

21. Thanks

I could have looked it up myself, of course.

:banghead:

[old mark]

9. Was a guy here in PA several years ago had 40 DUI's. Finally got stopped because

he killed someone while driving drunk, with no license. His ol' buddy the judge was very lenient to him over the years, because every body knew he wasn't really a criminal, he was just having a good time. He is in prison for a few years now, and IMO the judge who let him off all those times should be in there with him.
It's a form of murder, nothing less.

mark

[pinniped]

10. He'll eventually kill someone and be out in a couple, only to return and do it again.

.

[spanone]

17. prison

w/alcohol rehab

[JVS]

19. How many accidents has he been in?

Maybe they should just grant him a exemption from the law if he's been driving around tanked for so long and never wrecked.

[AspenRose]

20. Not surprised.

[create.peace]

25. how about a bracelet with an alarm and tracking whenever he is going faster than walking speed...nt

[Blue_Tires]

29. if only he were an illegal immigrant

o'reilly could have made a national story about it calling out the whole state as he did here a few years back...

[mitchum]

30. Let's hope his liver goes before he maims or kills someone

[reflection]

31. Unfortunately, he needs to be locked up for a LONG time.

22 DUIs? That's just the number of times he's been caught. That's a staggering number.

Sociopaths like this need to be locked up and assigned the same level of consideration applied to murderers and hardcore criminals when it comes to budget cuts forcing the release of prisoners. In other words, this guy needs to be at the back of the line. He clearly has no intention of ever stopping his drinking and driving habit.

[skier_]

33. Might sound crazy

but drunk driving should be one strike, and the person should not be able to drive.