Posted on 03/19/2007 12:38:06 PM PDT by SmithL
CHATTANOOGA — State Sen. Jerry Cooper surrendered Monday on a drunken driving warrant that shows his blood-alcohol level was 0.18 percent in a Feb. 7 wreck that left him injured and delayed his federal land fraud trial.
The Morrison Democrat surrendered and was released on a self-recognizance bond pending a May 11 court hearing, said his attorney, Jack Mitchell of Murfreesboro.
Mitchell said the warrant shows that Cooper's blood-alcohol level was 0.18 percent. Tennessee drunken driving laws define intoxication as 0.08 percent.
Mitchell said he had not seen investigation records from the single-vehicle accident on Interstate 24 but Cooper would ''plead not guilty from the start.''
Cooper had attended three Nashville legislative receptions where alcohol was served before the single-vehicle accident.
A Department of Safety spokesman initially said preliminary reports showed no alcohol in Cooper's vehicle, but at least one witness who stopped said there was an empty bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey nearby.
The handling of Cooper's single-car wreck and subsequent DUI charge raised questions about whether the lawmaker possibly got preferential treatment. The Tennessee Highway Patrol's commander rushed to the wreck behind working patrol officers and emergency responders and although Cooper was charged with driving under the influence and speeding, the result of the DUI test was withheld until he surrendered Monday.
Col. Mike Walker, commander of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, has said Cooper received no preferential treatment from him or the patrol. District Attorney William Whitesell also said withholding the blood-alcohol test results until Cooper's surrender was not unusual.
(Excerpt) Read more at knoxnews.com ...
So they guy's an alleged crook in addition to being an alleged drunk?
Didn't he know that checking into Re-hab fixes everything?
Cooper also has federal charges pending against him of bank fraud, mail fraud and conspiracy to commit bank and mail fraud, related to a land deal.
Reminds me of that scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
"See the violence inheret in the system!"
Cooper on the way out of court; "I don't know about you, but I could use a drink."
Constituent outreach? Is Lynchburg in his district?
-PJ
Damn suprised they mentioned this guy is a democrat.
I agree with the Colonel. It probably is not unusual where politicians are concerned but what about the ordinary working class stiff Colonel?
Is this not an illustration of how far beyond absurd the "drink/drive" laws have become?
I'll lay odds that *I* can drive ANY under 30K lbs vehicle at a breathalyser level of 0.16 at least as well as ANY of the "lawmakers" who want to reduce the "legal limit".
Hell, I'll go drink for drink, with a cellphone in hand for good measure!
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