Boone County sobriety checkpoint nets 4 DWI arrests

Columbia, MO

A sobriety checkpoint conducted by the Boone County Sheriff’s Department produced 10 arrests out of the 50 vehicles checked, Sgt. Brian Leer said yesterday in a news release.

Deputies conducted the checkpoint from about 1 to 2 a.m. yesterday at the intersection of Brown School Road and Providence Road.

The arrests included the following: four people on suspicion of driving while intoxicated; two people on suspicion of driving with suspended or revoked driver’s licenses; one person on suspicion of possession of 35 grams or less of marijuana; one person on suspicion of possession of drug paraphernalia; one person on suspicion of a liquor law violation; and one person on suspicion of outstanding warrants.

A citation also was issued for a stop-sign violation, Leer said, and the department gave 22 verbal warnings.

The checkpoint was funded through a grant from the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Division of Highway Safety

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DWI arrests in Boone County up, costs jump

Columbia, MO - Boone County

It is a message that is repeated every year, yet in Boone County the numbers of drivers arrested on charges of Driving While Intoxicated continues to increase at an alarming rate. But it is not only the danger of drunk driving that should make holiday party-goers look for a designated driver, it is also the increasing cost of getting a DWI.

The Boone County Sheriff's Department has led the way with pulling over and arresting impaired drivers. According to Sgt. Brian Leer, the implementation of a Traffic Enforcement Unit in 2005 has paid dividends in highway safety. Keeping impaired drivers off the road is that unit's key task.

The average number of DWI arrests by the Boone County Sheriff's Department over a five-year period was just over 47 per year between 1996 and 2000. After the Traffic Enforcement Unit became a part of the department, the number jumped to 195 arrests in 2006, then settled at 132 in 2007 and 147 in 2008 - numbers well ahead of those in the late 1990s. But in the first nine months of 2009 they had made 270 DWI arrests.

"We had a 3-man unit that has increased to four this year as a part of a state grant from MoDot," Sgt. Leer said. "We have some guys in that unit who are dedicated to identifying impaired drivers and getting them off the road. They are motivated to keeping the roadways safe."

Leer says that 2009 has been a very productive year for his unit due to their use of DWI checkpoints and saturations.

"It's not just in Boone County, but around the state," Leer said. "We want to get the numbers of crashes and deaths down - and they are down. Part of that is due to our enforcement."

Leer also credits MoDot, highway engineers and other factors, but he is pleased to point to the fact that alcohol related crash deaths in Missouri and across the country are down, leaving little doubt that the increase in DWI arrests is having a positive impact.

The national DUI fatality rates have dropped 7% from 2007-2008, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced last week. LaHood cited "aggressive drunk driving crackdowns by law enforcement groups for the drop," in a press release.

Leer says that while enforcing DWI laws in a college town means there will be more young drinkers with DWI arrests, his unit has arrested offenders young and old.

"It really runs across the board," Leer said. Obviously when college is in session we have more young people receiving DWIs, but recently we have seen more young people with higher blood-alcohol-content (BAC). We have had several recently arrested with a BAC over .20 and at that level you are looking at being three-times the legal limit of alcohol in your body."

Beyond the dangers of driving while impaired, the financial risk of a DWI is significant.

While local insurance agents all assured the Journal that auto insurance rates would increase by as much as 35% for a number of years after a DWI charge. However, it is difficult for insurance agents to provide specific claims as the amount of increase is predicated by the driver's past driving record and claims, age and even credit rating.

But the increased cost of insurance is only a starting point.

Ashland attorney Jeff Kays provided a sample list of probable costs, charges and fines when you are pulled over and charged with your first DWI.

"It's very expensive, time-consuming and leaves a long trail on your record," Kays said. "Mostly, though, driving under the influence is very dangerous."

Kays said on a first DWI a driver will have attorney fees of $500 to $1,000. The driver's car is towed and impounded for $75 and a $500 bond will be necessary to get the accused out of jail. The bond is returned, Kays said, but the bondsman will be paid $50.

A first DWI is a Class B misdemeanor is punishable with up to six months of jail time and no more than a $500 fine. "Depending upon the jurisdiction, most of the fine will be suspended and a DWI will pay about $250 with a two-year unsupervised probation period with special conditions - no entering establishment that serves alcohol, no occurpying private motor vehicle under the influence and alcohol education programs."

Those conditions are an added expense. The SATOP is an assessment of drinking and drug habits and costs $245. An Offender Education Program costs about $100, but can run as much as $815.

First-time DWI offenders also are required to attend a VIP class where they hear from victims what drinking and driving can do to others' lives. The class costs $35.

Other costs include: Court costs - $118.50; Crime Victim Compensation Fund - $11; Recoupment costs $100-$150 which pays for the costs of a breathalyzer, arrests costs, etc.; SR-22 Insurance form $45 and a license reinstatement fee - $45.

The total cost of working your way through the legal system totals, using Kays' estimate, $1,574.50

But Kays emphasizes the cost goes beyond just money.

"There is the 90-day license suspension and the first 30 days is a hard walk - no driving at all," Kays said. "The next 60 days there is limited driving as the privilege can be issued for going to school, work, treatment and court-ordered classes. The reinstatement fee is $45, and the cost of taking a cab, or bumming rides which irritates family and friends for 30 days is priceless."

Missour Gov. Jay Nixon proposed programs that would support Sgt. Leer's Traffic Unit's efforts.

Gov. Nixon said his proposal had bipartisan support, essential for the upcoming legislative session with a Republican-controlled Legislature.

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David Freese, St. Louis Cardinals address DWI arrest in Maryland Heights

St. Louis, MO

Cardinals third baseman David Freese agreed Monday to enter the club's Employee Assistance Program after being arrested Saturday for driving while intoxicated, the second time in 27 months he has faced an alcohol-related charge.

"We take these matters very seriously and we continually reinforce with our players that they are to be accountable both on and off the field," the Cardinals said in a statement issued Monday afternoon. "We apologize for the embarrassment that David's actions have created."

The Maryland Heights arrest report, released Monday, said police working a DWI enforcement patrol stopped Freese at the intersection of Lindbergh Boulevard and Page Avenue at 2:41 a.m. Saturday after noticing his car weaving. Freese was alone in his car and cooperated with police when stopped, according to the report. He took a field sobriety test and was placed under arrest. The report did not disclose Freese's blood-alcohol level except to say it exceeded Missouri's legal limit of 0.08.

Police booked Freese into the Maryland Heights jail and ordered his car towed. "It's unfortunate he's a Cardinal, but he was treated just like anyone else," said police spokesman Lt. Joe Delia.

A date is not yet set for Freese to appear in Maryland Heights municipal court.

General manager John Mozeliak, who voiced disappointment over the incident Sunday night, has spoken with Freese.

Freese's agent, Phil Tannenbaum, described Freese's entry into the Cardinals' EAP as "a mutual decision."

Typically, the club keeps such measures confidential; however, the Cardinals noted EAP's involvement via a statement released shortly after examining the arrest report.

Tannenbaum described the incident as more a lapse in judgment than indicative of a larger problem.

"David is not an alcoholic by any stretch of the imagination. That's probably the best answer I can give," Tannenbaum said.

"David is cut from an excellent piece of cloth. David has never had a problem with alcohol. It's something that's very, very isolated."

However, it is the second time Freese has been arrested on alcohol-related charges. He was arrested Sept. 12, 2007, for public intoxication and resisting or obstructing a police officer in California. The misdemeanor charges stemmed from an incident at the Lake Elsinore Hotel and Casino, situated blocks away from where the San Diego Padres' Class A team played its home games.

The Padres traded Freese to the Cardinals two months later for center fielder Jim Edmonds. At the time the Cardinals were unaware of Freese's previous arrest or the case's pending adjudication.

The public intoxication charge was eventually dropped, but Freese pleaded guilty in January 2008 in a Riverside County court to the obstruction charge and was sentenced to three years' probation. It is not known whether Saturday's arrest will impact his probation.

"There is no correlation between the two," Tannenbaum said.

The Cardinals became aware of Freese's previous arrest last February, after details surfaced about a January accident in which the Lafayette alum lost control of his car on an ice-slicked road near Ellisville. Freese sustained injuries to both feet and ankles when his car veered into a ditch. Though he made the Cardinals' opening day roster, Freese eventually required surgery to repair his left foot and lost roughly half the season.

Police did not file an incident report on last year's accident.

The Cardinals have not disciplined Freese, according to Tannenbaum. "I believe Mo would have said something to me if that was going to happen," he said.

Mozeliak declined to comment Monday. Freese has meanwhile retained St. Louis defense attorney Scott Rosenblum.

"He's regretful that he put himself in a situation that has caused any embarrassment to the organization, the fans and his family," Rosenblum said Monday. "He's taking immediate steps to address any issues that caused him to place himself in this unfortunate situation."

Freese's arrest is the fourth known alcohol-related incident involving the Cardinals since March 2007. Most recently, the club released veteran Scott Spiezio in February 2008 after additional details surfaced about his December 2007 arrest in California that began with a hit-and-run.

Spiezio's arrest occurred in the same year in which manager Tony La Russa was arrested for DUI during spring training and relief pitcher Josh Hancock was killed when he crashed his sports utility vehicle into a parked tow truck hours after the team played the Chicago Cubs.

Tannenbaum insisted that neither Freese's arrest nor his participation in EAP should compromise his chance to contribute to the 2010 team. Freese has worked almost daily with Cardinals strength and conditioning coach Pete Prinzi, shedding about 10 pounds since the season ended.

"David already has accomplished a lot this winter working with Pete," Tannenbaum said. "All of those remain in order. The legal process is going to run its course. David is still focused on the next 60 days."

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Bill McClellan: A realistic approach to battling DWI

St. Louis, MO

Wayne Wright was sentenced Monday to three years in prison for killing Shawn Williams.

That does not sound like much of a sentence, but this was a drunken driving case, and with such cases, punishment is all over the map. People around here know that. We think of Leonard Little spending a few nights in jail and continuing with his career as a professional football player. At least three years is something.

Wright did not seem like a bad person. Nor did he seem like a disreputable character. In fact, retired Judge Joan Burger and her husband were in court to offer their support. He's very remorseful, they told me.

Of course, remorse only goes so far. Williams was 23 years old, a bright and engaging young man with a radiant smile. He was a college graduate, active in his church. "Have a blessed day," he used to say, and with real feeling. That was according to his aunt, Clara Beth Thomas, who spoke for the family at the sentencing. Williams' father was there and sat stoically in the front row in his Air Force fatigues.


Judge Lisa Van Amburg asked assistant circuit attorney Dwight Warren to outline the facts of the case. Warren said that Wright was driving at a high rate of speed without his lights on when he struck Williams in the 3000 block of Olive Street on a Sunday night in September of last year. Wright continued driving east after he struck Williams, but was apprehended a few blocks away by a nightclub security guard.

After defense attorney Terry Flanagan told the judge of Wright's remorse, Wright spoke. He spoke softly and cried during his talk. I caught phrases and words. "I wish I could take it back ... every day ... pain that I caused... ." He said he knew something about anguish and suffering because he has been HIV-positive for 14 years. He said his remorse for what he had done would never leave him, and he said he didn't blame Williams family if they hated him.

Outside the courtroom, I spoke with Thomas. She did not speak of hate, but rather of impatience. When will we take drunken driving seriously?

I had intended to write about this case because of the onset of holiday parties. If people read about a sentencing like this, perhaps they would be careful.

But would they? And what does it mean to be careful? Perhaps most importantly, how best should we address the scourge of drunken driving?

The judge had mused about that very thing. She called drunken driving a plague on the community. Although the three-year sentence was a plea agreement, she said that cases like these were difficult for judges.

I'm sure she was talking about the awful duality of these cases — a terrible crime has been committed, but the criminal seems like one of us.

Which is why so many past efforts to do something about drunken driving have come to naught. We posture and announce our intention to go to some kind of zero-tolerance policy, and then we think, "There but for the grace of God ..."

I think our problem is with zero tolerance. We tend to lump all these cases together as if a DWI is a DWI is a DWI. It isn't.

Think of a fellow who truly has one too many. Imagine him with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent.

Is he impaired? Yes. But it is a minor impairment. His driving is probably comparable to the driving of an 84-year-old, or a young person who's talking on the phone while he or she drives.

Irresponsible? Sure. But a menace, a plague? Not really.

The driver we have to fear is the truly drunken driver. He or she is capable of busting through a stop light, of going the wrong way on an interstate, of speeding down Olive Street with no lights. Wright's blood-alcohol level was 0.19 percent.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon and the legislators have promised legislation in the coming session to crack down on drunken driving. I hope they take a realistic approach. A zero-tolerance approach might sound good, but it won't work.

Let's crack down hard on anybody who drives drunk. Truly drunk. Thirty days in jail for 0.15 percent or for a refusal to take a breathalyzer. No exceptions. Mandatory prison time for anybody who kills or injures a person while driving under the influence.

Let's keep records of anybody who drives when they're at all impaired, but let's not pretend that a DWI is a DWI is a DWI. Let's take the "there but for the grace of God" stuff out of the equation. Only then will we really get serious. And we have to get serious. We have too many of these sentencings.

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DWI checkpoint in Columbia, MO results in several arrests

Columbia, MO

An effort to stop intoxicated drivers in the Lake of the Woods area Friday night and early Saturday resulted in 12 arrests and nine summonses, including six arrests for DWI.

The Boone County Sheriff’s Department conducted the DWI saturation from 11 p.m. Friday to 3 a.m. Saturday, according to a news release. Deputies stopped about 40 vehicles.

A total of six arrests were made on suspicion of DWI, two on suspicion of driving with a suspended or revoked license, two for outstanding warrants, one on suspicion of endangering the welfare of a child and one on suspicion of adult liquor-law violations, the news release said. Three people were issued summonses for hazardous moving violations and six for non-hazardous moving violations.

Funding for the DWI check came from the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Division of Highway Safety.

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7th DWI arrest for Columbia man

Columbia, MO

A Columbia man was arrested this weekend for what the Boone County Sheriff’s Department said is his seventh driving while intoxicated infraction.

Jeremy R. Gibbs, 27, of 1659 Wagon Trail Road was arrested on suspicion of felony DWI at 2:46 a.m. Saturday on Grindstone Parkway near Rock Quarry Road, Boone County sheriff’s Detective Tom O’Sullivan said. Deputies noticed Gibbs driving erratically while eastbound on Grindstone Parkway and issued a field sobriety test, he said.

Gibbs failed the sobriety test, O’Sullivan said, and he refused to take a chemical test.

Saturday’s DWI arrest was Gibbs’ second of 2009. He also had two arrests in 2008, one in 2006 and a pair in 2001. He was sentenced to two jail terms totaling 150 days for DWI-related offenses, according to court records. O’Sullivan was unaware of other previous sentencings.

“At what point does this guy become a serious threat to the community?” O’Sullivan said. “Seven DWI arrests in eight years. What is it going to take to stop this guy?”

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State rep. denied being drunk during DWI arrest

St. Louis, MO

State Rep. Tim Meadows, D-Imperial, told Jefferson County deputies that he had been drinking but was not under the influence of alcohol shortly before he was arrested on suspicion of DWI early Saturday, according to police reports.

Meadows, 51, agreed to a breath test after deputies found him slumped over his steering wheel shortly after midnight Saturday near Imperial, Main Street and Interstate 55. The test showed he had a blood alcohol content of 0.13. The legal limit in Missouri is 0.08.

His eyes were bloodshot and glassy and his speech was slurred. During a walk-and-turn sobriety test, he staggered, stumbled, swayed and fell, according to the report.

Meadows also told deputies the last thing he ate was an egg sandwich at 9 a.m. Friday morning and that he had six beers between 7 and 9 p.m. while visiting friends in south St. Louis, according to the report.

He was arrested and booked at the Jefferson County Jail at 1:53 a.m. and released at 2:45 a.m.

Meadows issued a public apology Sunday: “Late Friday evening I was arrested in Imperial on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. I am deeply sorry this incident occurred and sincerely apologize to my family and to my constituents. This has never happened in the past, and it certainly won’t happen again in the future. As this case is now a matter for the judicial system, my attorney has advised me to make no further comment at this time.”

Meadows, who was elected in 2004 and re-elected in 2006, serves on several committees, including crime prevention and public safety. He also received the 2006-07 “Representative of the Year Award” from the Missouri Police Chiefs’ Association.

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No conviction plea deals on DWI charges defended by Judges

St. Louis, MO

DWI justice is doled out usually on weekday nights, often in tiny courtrooms, in city halls across the region. There's one common result: Come with a DWI charge. Leave without a DWI conviction.

From July 2007 through June 2008, the most recent data available, a newspaper analysis found most area courts convicted 15 percent or less. Six courts — Clayton, Crestwood, Valley Park, Moscow Mills, Moline Acres and Glendale — convicted nobody of DWI.

Several area judges and prosecutors said that was by design. Most said they had no problem giving a free pass to first-time offenders, and they believe only first-time offenders are prosecuted in their courts.

But the newspaper found case after case of prior offenders' being sent to a municipal court.


Regardless, the common plea deal is a suspended imposition of sentence (SIS). It means no conviction for the defendant if two years of probation is successfully completed.

Charles Billings, a judge in Fenton, Overland and Des Peres, said most courts believed they were administering real punishment and leaving enough of a paper trail that the SIS would count as a prior offense, as the law allows.

Even with an SIS, he said, the driver would have a record with the Department of Revenue. "Even if they got an SIS, you'd still have (a record with) DOR."

But although the department usually gets a notice of an SIS, it keeps track of only convictions — a problem for police checking someone's driving record to see past DWIs.

The other deal often offered by courts is convicting suspected drunken drivers of careless and imprudent driving or improper lane usage. The Department of Revenue records those charges in its conviction database, although it can take more digging to see if the convictions came from a DWI arrest, or just bad driving.

And those lesser charges are not serious enough for the state to suspend someone's license. Nor can nonalcohol charges count as a prior offense if the person is caught driving drunk again. So a repeat offender must be treated like a first-timer. Sometimes, courts do both deals, granting an SIS on a DWI while convicting someone of careless driving or improper lane usage. Judges defend the deals because they often come with a fine of up to $500 for each charge.

"They all take a careless and imprudent charge, and several points on their license, along with companion (charge) they're paying fines on," said O'Fallon, Mo., Judge Robert Wohler. "It's not like they're walking away without consequences."

Some courts are so enamored with the deals that they include them in their own calculations of conviction rates. The area's highest volume municipal court, run by St. Louis city, had DWI convictions on 12 percent of its DWI cases. But the court's administrative judge, Margaret Walsh, says an additional 60 percent of DWI defendants pleaded guilty and "got points on their licenses, substantial fines, and were required to attend the state-mandated evaluation and treatment program."

In her eyes, the city's conviction rate is more like 75 percent — even if most of the defendants aren't actually convicted of DWI.

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DWI sobreity checkpont in St. Charles nets 8 arrets

St. Charles County

St. Charles

A no-refusal, blood-only DWI checkpoint in St. Charles County resulted in eight arrests Saturday, the St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department reported.

Lt. Craig McGuire said officers from the Sheriff’s Department and the St. Peters Police Department stopped 982 vehicles at Highway 94 and Highway D between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. The results:

* Four arrests for Driving While Intoxicated
* Three driver’s license violations
* One arrest for failure to comply with law enforcement

Three people refused to give blood, McGuire said, so officers obtained warrants to draw blood. Sheriff’s Deputy Travis Jones said officers e-mailed the warrants to a prosecutor. The prosecutor then brought the warrant to a judge who was waiting at the Missouri Highway Patrol Headquarters to sign it.

The Eastern Missouri Police Academy, St. Charles County Department of Corrections, St. Charles County Ambulance District, and the St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office also participated.

Jones said traffic was stopped on Highway 94 for the first half of the check point and on both highways during the second half. He said officers chose that intersection because of a number of bad crashes nearby as well as its proximity to the wineries, a couple of bars and fishing spots where people have been known to drink all day.

Jones said the checkpoint cost between $1,000 and $2,000 for overtime pay. The money came from state grants.

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Kansas City DWI sobriety checkoint nets 11 arrests

Kansas City, MO

The Kansas City Missouri Police Department conducted a Sobriety Checkpoint on September 11, 2009 from 2300 hours to 0400 hours at 4040 Main street. Southbound traffic was checked with total of 715 vehicles stopped. A total number of 11 DUI arrests were made, along with 1 Driving While Revoked, 1 Other Traffic Violation, 1 Felon in Possession of a Firearm, 2 Hindering and Interfering an Officer city violations, 1 Possession of Cocaine, and 1 Clay County Warrant for Failure to Appear.

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Carterville man on riding lawnmower arrested for DWI

Cartervile, MO

A rural Carterville man has learned that hopping on a riding lawn mower and heading down the road is not a way to skirt Missouri’s drunken-driving laws.

Police Chief William Cline said Monday that one of his officers arrested James K. Dennis, 47. He is charged with riding a lawn mower while intoxicated on the overpass of Missouri Highway 171 at Carterville. The officer spotted the slow rider northbound on the overpass about 1 p.m. Friday, Cline said.

Dennis was stopped and asked to take a field sobriety test, the police chief said. Dennis did not do well on the test, Cline said. His license was revoked, and he had some outstanding warrants from Joplin, the police chief said.

The officer took Dennis to the Joplin police station on the warrants and had a Breathalyzer test administered about an hour and a half later, Cline said.

Dennis was charged with a misdemeanor offense of driving while intoxicated, driving with a revoked license and driving an off-road vehicle on a highway.

The police chief said it is not the first time he has heard of someone being arrested for allegedly driving a lawn mower while intoxicated.

“It’s fairly common for people who have been revoked or have a DWI (on their record),” he said. “If they have to run to the store, they’ll hop on a mower thinking that’s all right.”

It’s not, the police chief said. It is illegal to operate any vehicle on a public thoroughfare while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, he said.

Test results

The Breathalyzer test showed a blood-alcohol level of 0.094 percent, said Carterville police Chief William Cline. The legal limit for driving in Missouri is 0.08 percent.

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Kansas City Police Department DWI sobriety checkpoint nets 18 arrests

Kansas City, MO

The Kansas City Missouri Police Department assisted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol conducted a Sobriety Checkpoint on July 24, 2009 from 2200 hours to 0400 hours at 3719 Independence Avenue. East and Westbound traffic was checked with total of 527 vehicles stopped.

A total number of 18 DUI arrests were made, along with 2 Possession of Marijuana charges, 2 Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, 9 Driving While Revoked, 1 Hazardous Moving Violation, 3 Other traffic violations, 2 Seatbelt violations, 1 State Warrant, and 25 City Warrants

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Neosho minister seeks dismissal of drunken driving charges

Neosho, MO

A Neosho minister, whose Breathalyzer test showed no trace of alcohol, renewed calls Tuesday night for a drunken-driving charge to be dismissed.

Melvin Stapp, the minister of Monark Baptist Church, asked the City Council to drop the charge filed against him earlier this month before a crowd that at its height numbered more than 70 people, at least some of whom showed up in a gesture of support.

“It would just tickle me to death if you guys would do that,” Stapp told the council, referring to dismissing the charge.

The council made no response to Stapp’s request. Mayor Pro Tem Richard Davidson, who presided at the meeting in the absence of Mayor Jeff Werneke, told the Globe afterward that the council has “no pardon powers,” and that the case is being handled by the city prosecutor, Steven Hays.

Hays declined to comment after the meeting, saying it is an open case.

Stapp afterward told the Globe in a phone interview that he plans to continue asking the City Council and Hays to dismiss the charge. He said that if the city does not respond, he would fight the charges in court.

Stapp, 61, was pulled over by Neosho police at 1:05 a.m. on July 5 after police saw his vehicle traveling over the center yellow line for about half a block on Neosho Boulevard, near Stadium Drive. Stapp said he was headed home after manning his church’s fireworks stand on July 4.

Police said Stapp failed several field-sobriety tests administered at the scene and also had red eyes, which Stapp later said stem from eye problems he has had for years. Stapp was arrested.

A Breathalyzer test administered at the Newton County Jail showed no traces of alcohol, while the results of a urine-sample analysis remain pending.

Stapp denied both the DWI charge and the improper-lane-use charge filed against him.

“To me, it seems like I’ve been assumed guilty already,” he told the council, later citing the damage to his reputation, and that “everybody in the country knows I’ve been arrested” and “everybody in the country knows I’m a pastor.”

Police Chief Dave McCracken told the Globe last week that he understood why Stapp was upset, but he said police acted in accordance with state law and department policy. Once police arrested Stapp on probable cause of driving while intoxicated, a condition that not only extends to alcohol but also to legally prescribed medications if they impair driving, the department could not “un-arrest” him and had to file paperwork with Hays, the chief said.

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Second DWI charge for St. Charles County ambulance board member riles MADD

St. Charles County, MO

The back of the ambulances warn the public: "Don't Drink and Drive." But a new county ambulance district board member stands accused of violating that message for a second time.

Dan McLaughlin, who was elected in April to the St. Charles County Ambulance District Board, was convicted in 2002 of drunken driving. He faces a second DWI charge from 2007.

Some veteran board members are questioning whether McLaughlin should continue to serve the ambulance district, which routinely promotes sober driving and provides medical care to victims of drunken driving crashes.

Board member Mike Garman said that even though it is not illegal for McLaughlin to sit on the board, his actions are embarrassing.


"We're such a big supporter of MADD ... it's almost ironic," he said. "I just don't think a person of that character should be on the board."

McLaughlin, 36, a lawyer who lives in St. Peters, said in a statement that he regrets mistakes he has made.

"I know that at so many different levels, my actions have upset, offended and disappointed friends and others," he said. "The lessons learned have made me a better person and have been a driving force in my desire to serve the community."

His lawyer, Joel Eisenstein, described the pending charge as "a garden variety DWI."

"It's just not that big a deal," Eisenstein said.

The case has been delayed in court more than 20 times.

Eisenstein blamed the trial delays on St. Charles County circuit cases taking priority over associate circuit cases and because of conflicts with McLaughlin's and his own trial schedules.

"That's just the way the system works," Eisenstein said. "It's unfortunate that Mr. McLaughlin's case has dragged out, but it's through no reason other than it just happens from time to time."

Michael Boland, a spokesman for the Gateway Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said he thinks it would be in the best interest of the community if McLaughlin resigned.

"Considering how very strongly MADD supports emergency medical individuals — whether they be police, fire, ambulance, they all play an integral part in saving lives — this man did not serve the public trust very well," he said.

Garman said he learned about McLaughlin's DWI charges after the election and criticized McLaughlin in a speech before he was sworn in.

Although McLaughlin's DWI is no longer a topic of discussion at board meetings, Garman and other directors say they are monitoring the case.

"If he's convicted a second time, obviously, I'm going to ask for him to step down," Garman said.

According to court documents, McLaughlin, in October 2002, pleaded guilty in Chesterfield municipal court of misdemeanor driving while intoxicated the previous June.

Then on March 16, 2007, he was arrested on suspicion of DWI after he allegedly failed to stay in his lane on Highway 40 near Winghaven Boulevard in O'Fallon, Mo.

Prosecutors said McLaughlin agreed to a breath test and registered a 0.167 percent blood alcohol content, twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

Since the charge was filed, McLaughlin's case has stalled in court for more than two years, records show. The case has been assigned to four judges who either recused themselves because of a potential conflict with McLaughlin's job as a lawyer, or because McLaughlin's attorney asked for a different judge. The next hearing in the case is set for Aug. 6.

State law does not prevent McLaughlin from holding public office even if he is convicted of a second misdemeanor DWI.

Officials with the Missouri Department of Revenue said McLaughlin's license was suspended for three months after his 2007 arrest, but if he is convicted, his license could be revoked for one year. In addition, McLaughlin would have to complete a second substance abuse program and buy high-risk auto insurance for two years.

Board member Vivian Kaesser said McLaughlin should be held to the same standards as the district's paramedics.

According to district policy, paramedics who lose their drivers license for reasons that would include driving drunk are suspended immediately without pay and benefits until they can get a valid license. A district spokesman said he was not aware of any paramedics who had faced DWI charges.

Kaesser said she wasn't happy about the McLaughlin situation, "but I don't know what can be done."

"Not only are we a public agency, we're also part of the medical field, and people know what drugs and alcohol can do to them," she said.

Board member Matthew Simmons has another perspective.

"Prior to joining the board, Dan made an unfortunate mistake in his private life," he said. "Dan took responsibility for his conduct and has put the matter behind him."

The other two board members, Mark Fenton and Joan Peery, declined to comment, citing the pending criminal charges.

Garman said McLaughlin's service on the board is taking the district in the wrong direction.

"I'm sure most of the public would not be very happy if they knew about the first DWI, let alone the second arrest," he said.

McLaughlin said this is the first public office he has held.

"Several people encouraged me to run for the ambulance district board because they thought I would bring a professional perspective and sense of civility to the board," he said.

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DWI sobriety checkpoints net eight arrests during holiday weekend near Neosho, MO

Merriam, MO

...and MADD provided coffee to the officers and pamphlets to drivers. How sweet.

Eight people were arrested on various charges during a sobriety checkpoint, held Friday at the interchange of U.S. 60 and U.S. 71.

The checkpoint was held for five hours, from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. and a total of 1,012 vehicles were
checked.

One person was arrested for suspicion of driving while intoxicated, while four others were arrested for driving while suspended or revoked.

Another three were taken into custody on outstanding warrants.

Seven others were issued summonses for driving without a valid license, while another two were given court summonses for operating a motorcycle without a valid endorsement on their drivers’ licenses.

Yet another person was issued a summons for failing to secure a child in a child restraint, while five people were given a Breathalyzer test at the scene.

These five drivers showed a presence of alcohol, but it was beneath the legally recognized limit. These drivers were released to family or friends to take home.

“It’s hard to measure success,” said Neosho Police Chief Dave McCracken. “A lot of the reason for these checkpoints is educating people as well. The biggest thing about these safety points is for people not to drive while they are intoxicated. But they should also keep their warrants cleaned up so they won’t be arrested on an outstanding warrant, not drive with a suspended license, or operate a motorcycle without an endorsement on their license.

“These are the kinds of things, while not on the magnitude of driving while intoxicated, are important as well. It serves as a reminder of ‘Yeah, I need to go down there and get that taken care of.’ ”

Several area law enforcement agencies also took part in the checkpoint, including the Newton County Sheriff’s Department, Jasper County Sheriff’s Department, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, and the police departments of Webb City, Carterville, Diamond and Joplin.

McCracken said these agencies make up a multi-jurisdictional task force, and Neosho officers had been out to assist in large checkpoint operations in other cities in the past.

“It allows us to conduct a checkpoint at a busy intersection and be more visible,” McCracken said.
Also helping with the checkpoint were the members of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, who provided coffee to the officers and pamphlets to give to motorists.

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Nixa mayor Brian Hayes arrested for DWI

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Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper cites Nixa mayor for Diving While Intoxicated

Nixa, MO

Mayor Brian Hayes faces a misdemeanor charge of driving while intoxicated. A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper cited Hayes after a traffic stop on a highway in Christian County about 1 a.m. Sunday.

The trooper also cited Hayes for not having proof of insurance on his vehicle. A report on the Highway Patrol's Web site says Hayes was not arrested and was "released to a sober driver."

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Two die in crash; driver is accused of DUI

St. Louis, MO

A couple from Granite City were killed Saturday afternoon in a traffic accident in the Pontoon Beach area. Illinois State Police said a drunken driver rammed the victims' car from behind and pushed it into oncoming traffic.

The accident occurred about 4:20 p.m. on Route 111 about two miles north of Interstate 55, state police said.

The Madison County Coroner's office said the dead were Adam W. Zimmer, 26, and Lindsey V. Arnold-Zimmer, 24.

Donald W. Canterberry, 56, of Granite City, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. He was being treated at a hospital for injuries sustained in the accident.


The State Police said Canterberry was driving southbound on the two-lane highway at a high rate of speed, slammed into the back of the first car and pushed it into an oncoming car.

A coroner pronounced the two victims dead at the scene. Four people in the third vehicle, two men and two women, also were taken to a hospital and treated for injuries that weren't life-threatening.

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Woman crashes car into Lake Ozark post office, arrested for DWI

Lake Ozark, MO

A Lincoln Town Car crashed through a wall at the Lake Ozark Post Office during rush hour Monday leaving drivers with mouths agape and sending emergency personnel into action.

It appears a woman in her seventies, reportedly too drunk to drive and with an open beer in the car, accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake when attempting to park. The car crashed through a glass window and brick wall destroying several post office boxes. The woman then reportedly slipped the car in reverse, backed out of the building, hit a retaining wall and fell out the driver’s side door onto the ground.

The woman suffered moderate injuries and was taken to Lake Regional Hospital.

Lake Ozark Police cited the woman for DWI, open container and failure to provide proof of insurance.

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One-vehicle crash results in DWI arrest

Sturgeon, MO

A man was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated after being injured Saturday night in a one-vehicle collision near Sturgeon.

The wreck occurred at 10:45 p.m. Saturday when a 29 year-old Sturgeon man was driving a 2007 Chevrolet southbound on Route V a mile south of Route CC at a high rate of speed, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said. The vehicle ran off the right side of the road and struck several trees, the highway patrol said.

The man was not wearing a seat belt, the highway patrol said. He was taken by ambulance to Boone Hospital Center, where he was treated and released.
He later was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, careless and imprudent driving, driving with a revoked license and felony unlawful use of a weapon, according to a highway patrol arrest report.

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Missouri man accused of DWI on riding mower

Iron Mountain Lake, MO

An eastern Missouri man is accused of drunken driving — on a riding lawnmower.

The suspect’s name has not been released. He lives in Iron Mountain Lake, about 60 miles southwest of St. Louis.

The man was suspected of being involved in a disturbance on Sunday. On Monday, police got a tip that the man was at a home. An officer who went to the home saw the man driving down a street on a riding mower, pulling a trailer with a case of beer. Police say the man also had a flask of whiskey in his pocket.

The man’s blood alcohol registered at 0.115, well above the state legal limit of 0.08.

The man was arrested for driving while intoxicated and careless and imprudent driving.

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Five arrested for DWI in Stone County during weekend effort

Galena, MO

Five people were arrested for driving while intoxicated during a weekend enforcement effort in Stone County.

The Stone County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release that, in addition to the five DWI arrests Saturday, deputies made one drug arrest and two arrests for driving with a revoked license. Five people were arrested on outstanding warrants.

Deputies also issued issued three tickets for driving with a license, three tickets for driving without insurance and four tickets to minors in possession of alcohol.

The Saturday arrests occurred at a checkpoint on Missouri 13 north of Kimberling City, the news release said. The effort was funded with grants from the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Division and the Missouri Safety Center and is part of the “You Drink, You Drive, You Lose” campaign.

Friday the department issued two citations for possession of drug paraphernalia and two citations to minors in possession of alcohol.

Saturday morning, deputies worked with the Missouri Department of Conservation during a river patrol on the James River. During that effort two people were arrested for supplying alcohol to a minor, two minors were charged with possessing alcohol and one person was charged with possession of marijuana.

The release noted the sheriff’s department has received $16,684 in grants for additional enforcement of impaired driving.

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Columbia man arrested for DWI after crash

Columbia, MO

A Columbia woman was injured early yesterday in a two-vehicle collision allegedly caused by a drunken driver.

Maja A. Hill, 64, of Columbia was treated at Boone Hospital Center and released after the 1:10 a.m. collision at Route Z and St. Charles Road, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.

Hill was northbound on Route Z when a westbound Ford pickup drove into Hill’s path, and the vehicles collided.

The driver of the pickup later was arrested on suspicion of a third offense of driving while intoxicated (DWI), driving while his license was revoked and failure to yield at an intersection, according to a highway patrol arrest report.

He was released from the Boone County Jail after posting a $4,500 bond.

The driver pleaded guilty in July 2006 in Boone County to leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident and excessive blood-alcohol level, according to court records. He received a six-month suspended jail sentence and was placed on two years of unsupervised probation.

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Greencastle woman cited for DWI after one-car accident

Kirksville, MO

A Greencastle woman was arrested for driving while intoxicated after a one-car accident late Friday night.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the woman, 45, drove her 2000 Dodge off the west side of an unidentified road, two miles east of Greencastle. The vehicle struck a fence, and had to be towed from the scene.

The woman, who was wearing a seat belt, suffered moderate injuries and was transported by Adair County Ambulance to Northeast Regional Medical Center in Kirksville for treatment.

In addition to a charge of DWI, she was also cited for careless and imprudent driving and failure to have insurance.

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Saturation nets 10 percent drunken drivers in Camden County

Jefferson City, MO

The Missouri Highway Patrol chose Camden County for a driving-while-intoxicated saturation patrol last weekend because of the high number of fatalities that occur in alcohol-related accidents, according to a press release issued Friday.

Last weekend's efforts further substantiated the problem ' of the 183 vehicles stopped from May 3-5, 17 arrests were made for driving while intoxicated and two were made for misdemeanor drugs.

Four people were arrested on outstanding warrants, 13 speeding citations were issued along with 10 for seat belts along and three for careless and imprudent driving.

There were 220 warnings written by patrolmen.

The special operation was funded from the Highway Patrol budget and a grant from the Missouri Department of Transportation's Office of Highway Safety.

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Deputies arrest trio for DWI in Rolla

Rolla, MO

Deputies from the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department, participating in a statewide effort to crack down on drunken driving, made three arrests for DWI during a three-day period.


Working with other law-enforcement agencies, Sheriff’s Department officials stopped 84 vehicles, which resulted in 61 warnings, 13 citations for various moving violations, two arrests for driving on a suspended license and three arrests for driving while intoxicated.


The officers also arrested one for person for failing to maintain financial responsibility.
The crackdown was between May 2 and 5, and it included extra sheriff’s deputies and a coordinated effort from several statewide policing agencies.


“Hopefully, these efforts, combined with those from other agencies, will make the streets of Phelps County and Missouri a little safer,” said Sheriff Don Blankenship.
“This is the second such program we have participated in this year and if it saves just one life, it will be time well spent,” he said.


Non-traffic arrests included one for possession of methamphetamine, two for possession of marijuana and four warrant arrests.


In 2007, the Sheriff’s Department made 25 arrests for driving while intoxicated. To date this year, that number has increased to 48, as a result of these programs.


Meanwhile, the Missouri State Highway Patrol at Troop I in Rolla, will be conducting sobriety checkpoint in Phelps Count.


The checkpoint will be staged in an area and on a highway where numerous alcohol-related traffic crashes have occurred.


The Patrol urges all motorist passing through the checkpoint to use extra caution by slowing down, keeping eyes on the road and vehicles ahead for any sudden stopping, and to follow the directions of the officers.


Motorists passing through a checkpoint should have their driver’s license and insurance papers ready for inspection by one of the troopers.


“We can all help make our roads safer by simply making the wise decision to not drink and drive,” Capt. Randy Becker said.

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Cinco de Mayo patrol nets 11 DWI arrests in Kansas CIty

Kansas City, MO

Kansas City police made 11 intoxicated driving arrests in a special Cinco de Mayo Day patrol.

The patrol was held from 8 p.m. Monday to 4 a.m. Tuesday. During that sweep, police issued seven tickets for driving with a suspended or revoked license as well as 17 hazardous moving violations and 30 other traffic violations.

Also, one person was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, and four others were arrested on warrants.

An additional DUI crackdown, which was held between Friday and Sunday, netted six DUI arrests, 21 hazardous moving violations and three other traffic violations.

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Man issued DWI summons after inured in one-car accident

Springfield, MO

A 49-year-old man from Success was issued a summons for driving while intoxicated, failure to stop at a stop sign and careless and imprudent driving after he was injured in a one-car crash Friday night at the intersection of Missouri 32 and Route 17, according to a report from the Missouri Highway Patrol.

Tommy L. Sutton was flown to St. John's Hospital in Springfield late Friday with injuries described as serious by the patrol.

Sutton was hurt when he failed to stop his 2000 Dodge Dakota at a stop sign, went off the road, struck a tree and his truck caught fire, according to the report. It was not clear whether Sutton was wearing a seat belt, the report said.

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Columbia car chase suspect arrested for DWI, possession of marijuana

Columbia, MO

A Columbia man known for leading officers on car chases failed to stop for authorities again last night, police said.

Officers tried to stop a vehicle at about 11:50 p.m. yesterday for an equipment violation. The driver was also suspected of trespassing in the area of Claudell Lane and West Worley Street. The driver refused to stop and led officers on a 15-minute chase through several central Columbia neighborhoods.

A set of road spikes to deflate the car’s tires was set up at Garth Avenue and Worley Street, but the driver stopped just short of the spikes, police said.

The suspect refused to submit to chemical testing, and a court-ordered search warrant was granted to obtain a blood sample. Results were not available.

The suspect was later arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, possession of less than 35 grams of marijuana, felony resisting arrest, felony driving with a revoked license and multiple traffic infractions. He was booked into the Boone County Jail, where he was being held this morning on $50,000 bond.

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Motorsyclist killed in funeral-procession crash, driver of SUV arrested for drunken driving

Kansas City, MO

A 51-year-old Blue Springs man, injured last week when he was struck by a sport utility vehicle while escorting a funeral procession has died, police said today.

Steven Keith was on a motorcycle and guiding the procession along Woods Chapel Road in Blue Springs when he was struck by the SUV. The impact forced the motorcycle off the road and into a brick pillar.

Keith died this morning, said Blue Springs police spokesman Jeremy Dickstein.

After the collision, police arrested the 20-year-old driver of the SUV on the suspicion of drunken driving.

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Springfield, MO PD's “DWI Saturation Enforcement” effort results in 5 DWI arrests, 19 traffic citations

Springfield, MO

Five drivers were arrested for driving while intoxicated Saturday, part of the Springfield Police Department’s “DWI Saturation Enforcement” effort, according to a news release.

The effort also resulted in one person arrested for an outstanding felony warrant for fraud and a total of 19 citations issued for other traffic violations.

The operation included seven police officers whose primary objective is to catch drunken drivers, according to the city. The multi-agency operation was citywide and is funded through a Missouri Safety Center grant.

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DWI crash suspect charged with manslaughter

Columbia, MO

A St. Charles man has been charged with manslaughter in connection with a vehicle crash that killed MU professor Charles D. Fulhage.

A man with the intials W.C.D., 33, was arrested Feb. 22, after he crashed into the back of Fulhage’s truck while driving westbound on Interstate 70 near mile marker 122.

Investigators determined the man was under the influence of marijuana, cocaine and prescription drugs at the time of the crash, according to a probable cause statement from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

After searching the man's truck, police discovered a generic form of Valium in his car. At the time of his arrest, the man was serving two years of supervised probation after pleading guilty in October to driving while intoxicated in St. Charles.

Several witnesses dialed 911 before the crash and reported the man was speeding and making abrupt lane changes.

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Man arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated (DWI) after hitting parked car in Columbia, MO

Columbia, MO

A Columbia man was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated after his vehicle hit an unoccupied parked car early Thursday morning, Columbia police officer Alan Hulett said.

[Name witheld], 42, was charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI), operating a vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner (C&I) and leaving the scene of an accident.

The driver was driving northbound in the 1700 block of Parker Street when he crashed into the car at about 2:08 a.m., Hulett said. The driver was taken to the MU Health Care University Hospital emergency room with minor injuries. He was driving alone and was not wearing a seat belt, according to a police press release.

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Man seriously hurt in Howell County crash is cited for DWI

Howell County, MO

A West Plains man suffered serious injuries in a Thursday crash in Howell County and received two citations, the Missouri Highway Patrol reported.

Bryan K. Harmon, 37, was injured in a 6 p.m. crash on U.S. 160 five miles west of West Plains when his westbound 1989 Chevrolet truck went off the roadway and hit a tree. Harmon was taken to Ozark Medical Center and then was flown to St. John's Hospital in Springfield for treatment.

The investigating trooper issued Harmon summons for driving while intoxicated (DWI) and careless and imprudent driving (C&I), the patrol reported.

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Springfield DWI sweep after game nets 10 arrests

Springfield, MO

More people were arrested for driving while intoxicated on Super Bowl Sunday than on New Year's Eve, according to the Greene County Sheriff's Department. The department arrested 10 people on suspicion of driving while intoxicated after the Sunday night game, the sheriff's department said in a news release.

The arrests occurred during a "saturation patrol" as deputies worked heavily traveled roads from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.

A similar effort New Year's Eve netted four DWI arrests.

"For a saturation patrol, (10) is a pretty good number," Greene County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Jim Arnott said.

Arnott said Super Bowl Sunday is "one of those known times" like New Year's Eve when a lot of people are expected to be drinking and driving.

"There's a national trend of the highest DWI-related arrests, and one of them is Super Bowl Sunday," he said, adding that New Year's Eve and Cinco de Mayo are also on the list.

Greene County deputies made about 78 car stops, issued 28 summonses for different offenses and served six active arrest warrants after the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Arnott said 14 deputies worked overtime during the saturation patrol. Overtime pay for the deputies was funded by a grant from the Missouri Department of Transportation.

The extra enforcement is part of an ongoing effort to curb alcohol-related crashes, injuries and deaths in Greene County, according to the news release.

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Repeat drunken driver may be charged with murder in fatal crash, whishes was dead

Kansas City, MO

Murder charges could be in store for a man charged with driving drunk, now that a 17-year-old high school senior has died.

The Wyandotte County Prosecutor said Saturday's arrest of Eric Snitz may not be the first time he was arrested for DUI.

The prosecutor said if Snitz has two prior DUI convictions he could be charged with felony DUI instead of the misdeamor he now faces. More >>

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Five arrested in Springfield, MO in driving while intoxicated (DWI) stops Friday night

December 23, 2007 (Springfield, MO)

An effort to stop intoxicated drivers Friday night resulted in five DWI arrests and the issuance of more than 50 tickets, according to the Springfield Police Department.
In all, eight officers made 40 traffic stops that resulted in the DWI arrests and 56 traffic violations.

Overall, the two DWI Enhanced Enforcement sessions this month carried out by police through a Missouri Department of Transportation grant have resulted in 21 arrests.

The Greene County Sheriff's Department took part in the effort by providing transportation and booking officers, according to a police news release.

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Suspected drunken driver hits Clay County patrol vehicle

December 21, 2007 (Clay County, MO)

A Clay County Sheriff’s deputy suffered minor injuries this morning when a motorist suspected of driving while intoxicated (DWI) slammed into his unmarked squad car on Route B near U.S. 69.

The accident was reported just after 8:40 a.m. along Route B in Liberty.

The deputy, Matt Hunter, was northbound and was crossing the intersection at U.S. 69 when his squad car was struck on the driver’s side by a pickup that reportedly failed to stop at the traffic light. The pickup was driven by a 41-year-old Excelsior Springs man, said Sgt. Scott Meyer with the Missouri Highway Patrol. More >>

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Sen. Graham pleads guilty to DWI

December 14, 2007 (Columbia, MO)

State Sen. Chuck Graham, D-Columbia, pleaded guilty Friday morning to driving while intoxicated at Callaway County Courthouse.

Graham also paid the maximum fine of $500, as well as $122.50 in court costs, according to the clerk of court’s office.

Graham currently has driving privileges; whether he will keep them will be decided in a future administrative hearing.

Graham was arrested Oct. 20 after he was involved in a three-car accident on Green Meadows Road. Graham refused a Breathalyzer test the night of the accident.

In a statement from his office, Graham said he had “made a major error in judgment” and “learned a valuable and life-altering lesson.”

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13 arrested in DWI project

December 16, 2007 (Jackson, MO)

As part of a Missouri crackdown on people who drink and drive, area law enforcement personnel arrested 13 people late Saturday and early Sunday for allegedly driving while intoxicated.

About 25 officers from the Blue Springs, Independence and Kansas City police departments and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department participated in the project. The statewide effort was coordinated by the Law Enforcement Traffic Safety Advisory Council and was funded by the Missouri Department of Transportation.

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Graham pleads guilty to DWI, gets $500 fine

December 15, 2007 (Columbia, MO)

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Missouri Sen. Chuck Graham pleaded guilty yesterday in Fulton to driving while intoxicated and was fined $500. Appearing before Associate Circuit Judge Carol England, Graham also was ordered to pay $122.50 in court costs on the Class B misdemeanor.

Graham

Graham, D-Columbia, was arrested Oct. 20 at Green Meadows Road and Bethel Street after his Chevrolet Monte Carlo rear-ended an eastbound vehicle at a stop sign, pushing it into a third vehicle. Graham suffered bruises, but no one else reported injuries. more >>

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High school principal is charged with DWI

December 14, 2007

SALEM, Ark. -- The principal of Viola High School is charged with drunken driving.

Salem police were called to check out a car along Arkansas 9 and found it in a drug store parking lot. Officers say they asked Frederick Robinson to show his driver's license and, instead, were given a lottery ticket.

A police report says Robinson failed every DWI test and had a blood alcohol level of .29 percent, nearly four times the legal limit for drivers of .08 percent.

The school district will say only that Robinson is still employed. more >>

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Jackson County deputy charged with DWI

December 13, 2007 (Jackson County, MO)

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office has suspended a deputy who wrecked his vehicle and is facing drunken-driving charges.

Police arrested Darrin L. Willoughby, 38, early Wednesday morning after he lost control of his vehicle while on Missouri 291 and ended up overturned on Interstate 70. No other vehicles were involved and Willoughby was not injured. He is charged with driving while intoxicated and unlawful use of a weapon.

Independence police spokesman Tom Gentry said the weapon charge was filed because Willoughby is suspected of carrying his weapon while drunk.

According to the sheriff’s office, Willoughby was placed on administrative leave Wednesday. more >>

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16 Drivers Arrested in Springfield DWI / DUI Sweep

December 9, 2007 (Springfield, MO)

Springfield, MO Saturday night DWI / DUI crackdown nets 16 arrests for driving while intoxicated.

Springfield police officers arrested 16 people for driving while intoxicated Saturday night as the result of a citywide DWI enforcement project, according to a department news release.

The operation ran for five hours, and a total of 11 officers were assigned to the operation. The Greene County Sheriff’s Department provided two officers to help transport and book the DWI suspects, the news release said. More >>

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Tony LaRussa DWI arrest: Field sobriety test video now is online

November 30 2007

Embarrassing. No doubt. But perhaps the worst part, the harshest penalty, in Cardinals skipper Tony La Russa's DUI plea deal this week was not the fine and loss of driving privileges, it was the release of the arrest video.

The video is a cringe-inducing montage of La Russa stumbling and bumbling during a roadside sobriety check in Jupiter, Fla., on March 22. The dashboard camera of a Palm Beach County sheriff's deputy captured La Russa struggling to walk and failing to recite the alphabet: "... T, U, V, V, Z, T, U, V, X, Y, X, Z."

Authorities released the tape Wednehttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifsday, the same day the intensely private La Russa pleaded guilty.

And from there, the video spread far and wide. It was played and replayed and, for good measure, played again on TV newscasts, ESPN Sports Center and across hundreds of websites, including YouTube, sports blog Deadspin.com and this newspaper's STLtoday.com.
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The video gave a second wind to an incident the Cardinals would prefer to see go away. And it graphically displayed the degree of La Russa's impairment, even though he registered a blood-alcohol level (.093) barely above the .08 legal limit.

"He looked completely sauced in the video," wrote one commentator on the official St. Louis Cardinals site. More >>

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Graham Charged in DWI Case

November 24, 2007 (Columbia, MO)

State Sen. Chuck Graham was charged Wednesday in Boone County Associate Circuit Court with driving while intoxicated. The charge stems from his arrest last month after an automobile accident in Columbia.

Graham, D-Columbia, was arrested Oct. 20 at West Green Meadows Road and Bethel Street after police said Graham’s Chevrolet Monte Carlo rear-ended an eastbound vehicle at a stop sign, pushing that vehicle into a third one.

Bob Murray, Graham’s attorney, has filed a motion for a change of venue, stating that the defense and Cole County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Richardson, special prosecutor in the case, have agreed to move the case to Callaway County, according to court records. Murray previously had waived formal arraignment for Graham and entered a plea of not guilty.

Driving while intoxicated is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail. Richardson, Murray and Graham could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.

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Sen. Chuck Graham Charged with Driving while Intoxicated

November 21, 2007 (Columbia, MO)

Just over a month after his arrest, Sen. Chuck Graham has been charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI).

Because this is Graham's first DWI charge, it is a Class B misdemeanor, and punishable by up to six months in jail.

Columbia Police arrested Graham on October 20, after an accident involving the senator and two other drivers.

Police say Graham ran his Chevy Monte Carlo into the back of another car, which then hit another car.

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Boy, driving for dad, charged with DUI

first published Thursday, November 15, 2007

A police officer checking on a truck that got stuck in the mud at a city park was startled to find a 13-year-old boy behind the wheel. The boy's father, who was sitting in the passenger seat, told police he had had too much to drink and let his son drive. The boy had been drinking, too, police said.

"(The boy) even said he didn't want to drive because he was too drunk," McLellan told The Flint Journal for a story published Thursday.

Open containers of beer and liquor were found in the vehicle, said Clio Police Chief James McLellan.

The father, a 41-year-old Flint-area man, is facing several misdemeanor counts, including child endangerment, allowing an intoxicated person to drive his vehicle and allowing an unlicensed minor to drive, police said.

The boy has been petitioned into juvenile court on charges that include driving while intoxicated, police said.

The two were arrested Nov. 8. They apparently were trying to get home when they turned into the park to turn around. The truck rolled off the pavement and became stuck in the muddy soil.

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DWI News Coverage Comparison

first published Monday, November 12, 2007

COLUMBIA - Sarah Hill examined and compared KOMU's coverage of the DWI arrests of Cole County Judge Byron Kinder and State Sen. Chuck Graham.

KOMU's Your View Executive Producer Kent Collins asks: "Why does one public figure get repeated mentions in the news media because he was arrested for DWI and another one gets only one mention."

Two public officials. Two arrests for driving while intoxicated. Two very different news judgments. State Sen. Chuck Graham was on the air night after night, with his mug shot to tell the stories. His DWI arrest received a lot of air time. But Judge Byron Kinder, the Cole County judge arrested earlier this week for DWI, got only two nights of coverage with no mug shot. So what is the difference?

"In the case of Sen. Chuck Graham and the addition to the actual arrest, he was involved in an accident which two other vehicles were damaged. After the accident when he was at the hospital, for an injury he seemed to get into a confrontation with police over some evidence collection. That again seems to take the story in another direction. Finally, all of this is against the backdrop that he is running for re-election," KOMU Executive Producer Holly Edgell said.

"On the other hand, with Judge Kinder we have someone who is semi-retired, not very much in the public eye. Once the aspect of the DWI was over, we didn't hear anything else from police about that case. Basically they arrested him on probably cause on DWI, and that is where it rested," Edgell said. "So really, you had two different men, two different types of stories with two different types of circumstances."

Judge Kinder pleaded guilty to DWI charges Friday. He will serve two years of court-supervised probation.

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Judge Byron Kinder ticketed for DWI

Judge Byron Kinder ticketed for DW

First Published: Wednesday, November 7, 2007 2:49 PM CST

According to the Jefferson City News Tribune, Cole County Senior Judge Byron Kinder was ticketed over the weekend by the Missouri Highway Patrol for allegedly driving while intoxicated.

Some details of the case could not be released because the investigation into the incident is continuing. But the Patrol's Troop F commander, Capt. Dale Schmidt, said Monday a trooper stopped Kinder's vehicle on Route T near Elston around 11:15 p.m. Friday.

The trooper noticed the driver of the vehicle was committing lane violations and driving carelessly, Schmidt said.

Schmidt said Kinder was asked to perform field sobriety tests.

Then, at his request, Kinder was taken to the Prenger Juvenile Center - not the Cole County Jail - where a breathalyzer test was performed.

Schmidt could not say what the reading was, but reported it was enough to issue Kinder, 74, a summons for DWI. The judge then was released.

The news reverberated through the county courthouse Monday.

Kinder's law career in Cole County includes service as both assistant prosecutor and prosecutor before he became a circuit judge in 1973. More >>

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Cole County judge cited in DWI case

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A Cole County judge was cited over the weekend for suspicion of drunken-driving, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.

Senior Judge Byron Kinder, 74, faces a likely charge of driving while intoxicated after a Highway Patrol trooper stopped Kinder's car on a rural road outside Jefferson City on Friday night.

The trooper reported seeing Kinder's vehicle committing lane violations and driving carelessly. The judge was issued a summons for DWI and released.

The effect of the citation on his judicial caseload is unclear. Kinder did not immediately respond to a telephone message left at his home Tuesday seeking comment, and court officials did not reply to an Associated Press interview request.

The Highway Patrol did not disclose the result of Kinder's blood-alcohol test, pending a review of the case by Cole County prosecutors.

Kinder is a well-known legal figure in Jefferson City, serving as both an assistant prosecutor and county prosecutor before becoming a circuit judge more than three decades ago.

He was elected circuit judge five times before retiring from full-time work and continued to handle many cases, usually preliminary hearings.

Circuit Court Judge Patricia Joyce told the Jefferson City News Tribune that Kinder is "considering what his future plans will be" following the citation. Cole County judges may also ask the state to appoint a special judge until Kinder's case is resolved, she said.

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Missouri Judge and Senator Arrested for DWI in Central Missouri

Another High-Profile DWI Bust

You've got to hand it to central Missouri--the cops in those parts are on the case.

Byron Kinder, a semi-retired judge from the Cole County circuit who has handled many a high-profile state case, was issued a summons for DWI on Friday after a Highway Patrol trooper noticed his vehicle weaving. Charges haven't been filed but are likely.

On Oct. 20, police in Columbia arrested state Sen. Chuck Graham, a Democrat, after he allegedly rear-ended a car at a stop sign. DWI charges are also likely in his case.

Over the years, at least a few other notables in Missouri politics have faced DWI charges as a result of police vigilance around the state capital.

Kinder has said he'll reassess his career status if and when charges are filed. Graham has given no indication of reconsidering his re-election plans, but his opponents are rubbing their palms together.

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