DUI
TN DUI News
Metro police Officer Arrested for DUI in Nashville
Nashville, TN Police officer crashed an unmarked patrol car.
An officer with the Nashville Metro Police has been charged with driving under the influence in Tennessee. John Cumberland crashed an unmarked police cruiser into a ditch around 12:30 early Thursday morning. A witness reported the accident to authorities.
Cumberland reportedly showed signs of impairment during field sobriety tests. He consented to a breath test and registered a blood alcohol content of .12%. The legal limit for DUI in TN is .08%. He was also charged with possession of a firearm with under the influence of alcohol.
Cumberland, 32, is an East Precinct Crime Suppression Unit Officer and he finished his shift around 8:00 pm Wednesday. He has been removed from duty and an administrative investigation has been started.
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NFL Player Arrested for Tennessee DUI
Tennessee Titans wide receiver stopped for drunk driving in downtown Nashville.
Chris Davis, reserve wide receiver for the NFL Tennessee Titans, was charged with suspicion of driving under the influence in Nashville last weekend. Metro Police stopped him for speeding in downtown Nashville around 2:00 am Friday morning. His 2007 Cadillac Escalade was reportedly traveling at 44 in a 30 mph zone.
The arrest report indicated that Davis had bloodshot, watery eyes and smelled of alcohol. He performed a breath test and registered a blood alcohol content of .11%, above the .08% legal limit for intoxication in Tennessee. Davis was cooperative during his arrest for DUI in Tennessee. He posted a $5000 bond and was released around 4:35 am.
Davis, 25, was a fourth round draft pick out of Florida State. He did not travel with the Titans to their pre-season game against the Dallas Cowboys due to a hamstring injury. A spokesperson for the team said that they were aware of Davis' arrest for DUI in TN and were still gathering information.
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Sheriff Cleared of Tennessee DUI Ticket Fixing
Investigation yields little information leading to sheriff being cleared of wrong-doing
An East Tennessee county sheriff has been cleared of fixing a ticket for drunk driving in Sevier County. Sheriff Ron 'Hoss' Seals was accused by a former deputy of helping a TN DUI suspect avoid prosecution by allowing the motorist to be taken from the scene by a third party.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation conducted a four month long investigation and was unable to corroborate the allegations. The deputy who made the accusation could not provide the name of the individual arrested for DUI, the name of the third party who took the individual from the scene, nor the date of the alleged DUI traffic stop. The TBI could not locate a record of the suspect’s car being towed.
The Sevier County District Attorney, citing lack of information and evidence, agreed with the TBI's decision to conclude the investigation.
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Tennessee Considers 'Shame' Plate for DUI Offenders
Those convicted of drunk driving in TN would have to purchase yellow license plates.
The State Legislature is considering a measure requiring a special license plate for those convicted of driving under the influence in Tennessee. The proposed bill would require a judge to sentence all found guilty of TN DUI to obtain a yellow license plate with 'DUI OFFENDER' in red letters. The license plate would have to be on the offender’s vehicle for at least one year.
The House Judiciary Committee delayed action on HB1837 until early May. A companion Senate bill has been stalled since February.
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Tennessee DUI for Man in Parked Car
Police called by someone who thought vehicle was suspicious.
The Greenville Police Department responded to a 1:30 am call from a citizen reporting a suspicious vehicle at an old car wash near Stan’s B-B-Q. The officer found Eric Donahue asleep in the driver’s seat with the car keys in his hand.
After reportedly detecting alcohol, the officer ordered Donahue to perform field sobriety tests. After performing the tests poorly, Donahue, 25, was charged with first offense driving under the influence in Tennessee. He was transported to and booked at the Greene County Detention Center.
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Tennessee DUI Reforms Suffer With Weak Economy
Efforts to reduce drunk driving in Tennessee curtailed by limited budgets.
Gov. Phil Bresden has made the fight against driving under the influence in Tennessee a high priority during his tenure. In early 2006 he formed a task force that established a number of legislative goals aimed at reforming Tennessee DUI laws. A severe revenue shortfall in the state, however, has led to a narrower focus.
The governor’s spokesperson, Lydia Lenker, said that, “when the state’s economy took a downturn, we had to set...legislation aside.” There was a decision to push for one change that had the most impact, Administrative License Revocation, which called for the immediate seizure of a driver’s license from those suspected of drunk driving in Tennessee. The proposed legislation made it through both houses of the state General Assembly before studies showed that the law would create no revenue and would cost $2.8 million in the first year alone. There was little opposition to the bill though the sponsors abandoned the effort for budget reasons.
Lawmakers say that public safety remains a key concern, but acknowledge that there has to be fiscal responsibility in any legislative effort. Some of the smaller DUI changes that were enacted in 2008 included: - Reinstating a 48-hour jail sentence for first offenders of Tennessee DUI and 24-hours of roadside trash pick-up wearing vests that say ‘I am a drunk driver’. Previously the law called for 24-hours each of incarceration and trash pick-up. - Removing the two hour limit for conducting breath or blood tests after an arrest for suspected TN DUI. - Clarifying prosecution in cases of child injury in a alcohol related accident.
The legislative priorities of anti-DUI advocacy groups call for resurrection of the license revocation bill as well as lowering the legal threshold for intoxication from the existing BAC of .08% and making the installation of ignition interlock devices mandatory for all convicted DUI offenders. Ms. Lenker said that cost neutrality will be the key during the upcoming legislative session. With the governor working to reduce spending and close a $1 billion budget gap, adding programs that require new positions and costs is not feasible. DUI related issues, like license revocation, will need to wait for a better economic outlook.
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Tourist Gets Tennessee DUI After Stealing Trolley
Michigan man takes, then crashes, trolley in downtown Nashville.
A Michigan man is accused of stealing a Nashville tourist trolley, driving under the influence, and crashing the special vehicle.
The legitimate driver had just finished a regular tour of the downtown area when he parked the trolley at the Hard Rock Cafe along lower Broadway for a bathroom break. He left the trolley unlocked with the doors open so people could board for the next tour. In fact six tourists from Texas were on the trolley when Jason Carl Farmer, noticing the keys were in the vehicle, jumped on board and drove off. Farmer, 38, hit a pole and was was persuaded to drop the others off. He then continued driving west until he crashed with an SUV in the Belle Meade area of Nashville.
Police detected alcohol and noticed Farmer’s speech was slurred. Farmer admitted to having been on a drinking binge, stating that he had just moved to Nashville from Michigan and he had come to town to party. He also tried to justify his actions by stating that he had a chauffeur's license and claiming his father owned the party bus. They arrested him on suspicion of Tennessee DUI in Nashville. The results of a test for blood alcohol content are pending.
The trolley suffered damage estimated between $50,000 and $60,000. The legal driver was cited for not parking the vehicle widely and for leaving the keys in the vehicle.
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State Senator Wants to Ban Tennessee DUI Defense Attorney Ads
Democratic senator pushing amendment to prohibit certain ads for drunk driving defense in Tennessee.
Prominent state senator Rosalind Kurita wants to ban certain advertisements used by Tennessee DUI lawyers. She was successful in adding an amendment to a bill that would prohibit ads stating that the lawyer was a DUI specialist, offered a discount rate, claimed more expertise in drunk driving defense or guaranteed an outcome in the case. She says the amendment was in reaction to drunk drivers not being convicted.
Other Tennessee General Assembly law makers publicly say the provision violates First Amendment free speech rights. Senator Jim Kyle said, “If you’re in a legitimate business, you ought to be able to advertise.” Kurita countered that she is only concerned about certain advertising claims, especially one that states the drunk driving defense attorney will get you off.
The ethics rules of the Tennessee Supreme Court, however, already prohibit attorneys from guaranteeing a case result. Attorneys are also prohibited from claiming that they are specialists unless they have completed state certification in an area of specialization. In addition, Kurita’s amendment violates a 1990 U.S. Supreme Court opinion that allows attorneys with specialist certification to advertise that accomplishment.
The amendment calling for the advertising ban was approved by voice vote in the Senate Finance Committee and attached to pending legislation.
If you have been charged with Driving Under the Influence in Tennessee, you will need to seek legal representation from a DUI Defense Lawyer in Tennessee that can advise you of your legal rights and possible consequences if you are convicted of a DUI in Tennessee.
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'Bug-erceptor' Fights Crime in Tennessee
VW Bug turned into police cruiser "Bug-erceptor" after it was seized in a Tennessee DUI case.
The Blount County Sheriff's Department in eastern Tennessee has a unique vehicle to help in its fight on crime; a 1973 Volkswagen Beetle. Dubbed the 'bug-erceptor', the car was seized by the sheriff's department as part of a Tennessee DUI case.
The Assistant Chief Deputy spent about $2,000 of his own money transforming the vehicle. It has all the required equipment for a police vehicle, including sirens, radio, fingerprint kit and traffic cones. All of the official sheriff's department decals were scaled down and fabricated by the same company that produces the markings for the full size cruisers. A 1960's-vintage red bubble light on the roof finishes the look.
The 1600-cc engine only yields a top speed of about 70 miles per hour, leading to a humbling experience when motorists are pulled over.
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Police Officer Charged with Tennessee DUI in Nashville
Officer suspected of driving under the influence in Tennessee, having wreck and fleeing scene.
Metro Nashville police officer Stephanie Callahan has been charged with Tennessee DUI following an incident last Sunday night. Callahan wrecked her Ford Explorer while trying to make a turn and then drove away without notifying the property owner of damage. A fellow officer responding to the crash scene reportedly contacted Callahan and had her return.
Callahan admitted to being the driver of the vehicle at the time of the accident. A breath test revealed a blood alcohol content about twice the legal limit for drunk driving in Tennessee.
Callahan graduated from the police academy less than two weeks ago and she was undergoing field training. She has been placed on desk duty until an internal investigation has been completed.
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