Posted on 09/14/2005 3:42:43 PM PDT by elkfersupper
Dalworthington Gardens, Texas police will draw the blood of drunk driving suspects.
After completing a training course, Dalworthington Gardens police officers have been certified to draw blood from any motorist whom they suspect of driving under the influence of alcohol. The small North Texas city joins three counties -- Montague, Archer and Clay -- which have recently adopted similar policies.
These jurisdictions are seeking to make drunk driving convictions less vulnerable to court challenge as mounting evidence shows breathalyzer machines can be inaccurate. Under the new policy, a suspect will be brought to a police station and asked in a videotaped interrogation to submit voluntarily to a blood test. If the request is refused, police will call one of the judges who have agreed to remain on-call to obtain a warrant. If approved, police will draw the blood, by force if necessary. Anyone who refuses a blood test, even if not convicted or formally accused of a crime, will surrender his license to drive on the spot and will not see it again for at least six months.
"It's kind of eerie," Frank Colosi, an attorney who works with the Fort Worth chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union told the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram. "It's kind of grotesque that the government can come and take your blood."
Section 724.017 of the Texas code requires that, "Only a physician, qualified technician, chemist, registered professional nurse, or licensed vocational nurse may take a blood specimen at the request or order of a peace officer....'qualified technician' does not include emergency medical services personnel." Dalworthington Gardens believes their twenty-hour course meets this standard.
There are situations where I wouldn't issue tickets only because the incident was criminal in nature either for vehicular assault or homicide. As an example if you had broken some bones or other significant injury, Doofus would be getting a blood draw if it appeared alcohol or reckless deiving was a factor. In your case, not being there, I've issued many a negligent driving citation for rear enders. I hope you're doing okay. I've been slammed into like that twice and it hurt like hell. And I was in a car, once in my patrol car!
Take the total population of drivers, divide them into subsets of drunks and non drunks and compare the accident rates.
Why do you "think" the rates are less for drunk drivers than sober ones? Have you done the research/calculations? Not trying to be a smarta$$ here, just wondering. It seems counterintuitive that drivers who are impaired have less accidents than those who are not, but I could certainly be wrong. I was just wondering if you knew that to be the case, or just thought so.
>>Have you done the research/calculations? Not trying to be a smarta$$ here, just wondering
No, I haven't.
Just looking at the number of drivers who are drunk, say at 2pm of Friday night after the clubs close and go home.
For a bunch of "unguided missiles", as they were characterised by a state trooper, amazingly few crack up.
That's why. Just a little tongue in cheek, four sheets to the wind humor.
"Aluminum shampoo".
?
A little cop lingo there.
Those Magnalite multi-cell flashlights are made of aluminum. So are some batons.
An "aluminum shampoo" is what happens when the same is applied to the head area of a perp or suspect. Also known as "stick work", "tuneup", "attitude adjustment", and dozens of other clever euphemisms
Single-celled organisms will fight captivity. Human beings, the highest form of life on this planet, will vehemently insist that they be enslaved. Never content with their own enslavement, some will fight to the death to insure that the rest of humanity join them in their servitude.
This should keep you busy for awhile thinking up alternative methods to make us all go sit in your box. Numerous references to the right to operate a motor vehicle.
If you're happy and you know it, shake your chains.
14 constitutional , state and local statute citations, 33 case histories and 20-page brief here:
Brief on Traveling as a "Right," Not a Government-Granted Privilege
I guess you would have sat in the school bus lot in New Orleans, surrounded by refugees because you nobody had a "license" to drive a school bus.
I agree. However the definition of "guilty" has been dialed down so much that it includes the accused (and very nearly everyone else who attracts the attention of LEO).
Yes, I was charged with DUI when I had an epileptic seizure once. That was the first one I ever had. Was *very* lucky to not have it on my record. The second wreck they took me to the hospital and I got diagnosed.
When I was at court, I heard a lawyer in front of me talking about trying to charge someone with DUI over taking too much Ibuprofin.
How to Raise Your Blood-Alcohol with Rolaids
Driving a New Car? Don’t take a Breath Test!
Asthma Inhalers Cause High Breathalyzer Results
Driving Under the Influence of....Paint?
Many more such things at the linked site.
I lost a job opportunity with the DUI, since they counted it as guilty first. So I put I hadn't been convicted on a job application, it came back that I had a DUI, lost a great opportunity that sent my life into a long term tailspin.
I'm lucky I didn't get convicted though.. It would've screwed me out of my CHL.
Up to 2 million stories a year now just like yours (only with the conviction).
People cannot know how to comply with the law, there are no victims for the most part, and there is no defense.
You see, the real, dangerous "drunks" can't pay the fines, so they may or may not be prosecuted.
Everybody else? Well........
So, which are you? The Single-celled organism or the slave?
Why not ban sugar soft drinks? They cause massive ill-health and early death by contributing to obesity.
I'm sure we can think of lots of other things to ban, since we're in do-gooder mode.
Neither.
I drink too, but don't drive.
Funny thing, the cops won't let you see what your blood test results are until trial, if you're lucky.
Now I get it. Also called thugspeak.
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