Man Arrested Driving Drunk - For The 28th Time

[matcom]

<snip>

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - Bernalillo County sheriff's deputies have arrested a man on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, marking his 28th such offense. Joseph Brill, 53, was driving on a revoked license when deputies saw him park in a driveway in a northeast Albuquerque neighborhood and fall out of his pickup truck Wednesday evening. He smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech, according to a criminal complaint.

Deputies said they tried to give Brill a field sobriety test but he could not complete the test. He then refused to give a breath test.

Deputies also found an open container of beer in his truck.

"People like Joseph Brill will never get it. They don't care," Sheriff Darren White said. "He needs to go to prison, and that's the way we're going to insure he does not drive a car drunk."

According to the complaint, Brill had 27 prior DWI offenses with at least 14 convictions before his arrest Wednesday. Records also show that he has had his license revoked five times and has spent nearly four years in New Mexico jails and prisons on DWI charges.

At the time of his arrest, he was on parole for two of the convictions, according to records.

Linda Atkinson, executive director of the Albuquerque-based DWI Resource Center, said she had never seen someone with 28 DWI arrests.

"It's pretty disgusting to see someone who can continue to defy the odds with a history like that," she said.

http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20070317/D8NTJ80G1.html

[ellisonz]

1. Alcoholism is a disease.

Maybe they should try treatment as the first option? Not to excuse his behavior...

"Under New Mexico law, the maximum sentence for a seventh or subsequent DWI is three years in prison, a $5,000 fine, alcohol treatment and lifetime driver's license revocation. "

[thefool_wa]

3. I see where you are comming from

But with over 4 years of jail time and THAT many offenses - I think we are probably talking about a lost cause.

You have to want to be sober and want to do the right thing - no one can make you and treatment only works if you wnat it to. Forcing someone into treatment doesn't help them.

I know these are broad stroke comments - I don't know the man - but something about this story says this guy doesn't want help.

[ellisonz]

6. I get your point...but I think you might have misunderstood me...

He should have gotten treatment after the first time.

He's a lost cause now...as much as I hate that cliche.

[thefool_wa]

10. Ah yes

After the first one, or maybe even the fifth one, there may have been hope.

But, if there is one thing our judicial system is NOT about, its actual rehabilitation.

I know a guy who recently did time for domestic abuse. This guy could be on his way to recovery from the drug and alcohol abuse that led to the psychical altercations if ANY of the programs they required him to attend were available in prison.

But no - he got to spend all of his time in his bunk reading. Not going to meetings, not trying to fix whatever got him there, just sitting there waiting to get out so he could get drunk, get high, and go back to all the things that the prison time should have been there to steer him AWAY from.

And, now that he's out, all the classes, courses, and meetings are still required, but he is re-immersed in the lifestyle that caused the problems in the first place and none of it will do him any good.

I pray for this guy - but after everything that has happened and where he ended up within days of his release - I want nothing to do with him anymore.

(unexpected tangent rant - sorry)

[ellisonz]

12. That's what I'm doing right now!

The soberest spring break ever...

I know the situation and have seen it with friends and family (fuck you meth) and basically you have to ditch the friends (except for the bestest) and tend to family.

[thefool_wa]

13. I agree

FUCK crystal meth!

[datasuspect]

14. it isn't a disease

that's therapy-speak for evading responsibility for one's actions.

the project of the therapy industry has been to pathologize practically every human behavior.

there is no medical evidence that supports the claim that alcoholism is a disease, or has a genetic component.

[grannylib]

2. Can't they put one of those devices on his car that won't allow it to start

if he's over the limit??? I mean, honestly...or after a certain number of violations, can't they declare him a 'chronic public nuisance' or some damn thing and lock him up for the good of society in general? In principle, I am not a big fan of incarceration for a lot of things, but in this case it seems as though it may be a viable option.

I lost a child to a drunk driver; I really have little patience for this shit. I realize that alcoholism is a disease, and yes, let's try treatment as first and maybe even second option, but if it doesn't work, and efforts at rehabilitation continue to fail, I think the public needs to be protected from those who just aren't able/ready to recover.

[thefool_wa]

4. His car, yes

The car of everyone he knows or any he may be able to borrow: highly unlikely.

[grannylib]

5. Yeah, I suppose that is the bad part. Wonder how many people would lend

him a vehicle if they knew the reason he wasn't driving his own. And for how long he could keep borrowing other folks' cars...

What the hell is wrong with people?

[thefool_wa]

9. I don't even pretend to know

but there was a guy here in washington a year or so back who had 14 convictions and they slapped a breathilizer on his car after the 5th one (when it became available for use in this manner).

You can't really stop someone who REALLY wants to do anything without physically detaining them. And after this many violations of this nature - I do not oppose prison terms.

If I have 2 drinks I am reluctant to get behind the wheel - any more and I just don't. I may feel I'm ok to drive and not a danger to anyone at the third (and I am fairly certain I am right), but the risk of DUI anymore is too steep to risk. I don't understand people who don't get the point, even after an obscene amount of arrests and convictions.

:wtf:

[grannylib]

11. I'm with you on the self-limitation. "One and Done" is my motto. I drink very

little, and it doesn't take much at ALL to fuck me up BAD.
So one would be the absolute limit for me, and I try not to even do that.
I don't go out to the bars much at all (MAYBE once or twice a year) and if I drink at all, it's usually at home when I know I won't have to be going anywhere.

[Little Wing]

7. He made it!

:wtf:

[reyd reid reed]

8. I wish I could say that's unbelievable....but for some reason,

I can believe it. There are so many states that have more loopholes than laws when it comes to DUIs.

Seven offenses before jail time?

GAH!

In Colorado -- I can't speak for other states -- it's something like:

1st offense: Alcohol education classes, therapy, fines, probation, victim impact panels, community service. And endless court dates.
2nd offense: Mandatory jail time, plus all of the above. License suspension. Higher fines, more court dates, more hours of community service (following the jail time) etc. Mandatory antabuse.
3rd offense: Mandatory jail time (longer than 2nd offense), plus all of the above and revocation of license (two years) and, upon reinstatement, a restricted license for at least a year that requires an interlock device (the thingie that you have to breathe into before you can start your vehicle). And a FORTUNE in fines and court costs, etc. Enough community service hours to get you to retirement age. Mandatory antabuse.

Beyond three, I don't know.

:shrug:

[likesmountains 52]

15. New Mexico is notorious for stories just like this...I knew it would be NM

before I clicked on the story...The lawmakers keep saying they will crack down on drunk drivers but these people somehow keep getting behind the wheel..

[taterguy]

16. Am I the only one who thinks driving is part of the disease?

I have been shit-faced dumbass blind drunk on more than one occasion. There were nights when I couldn't remember how I got home and one night when I woke up in the ER.

However, I have never ever driven a car when I was impaired. I walk or take a cab if I want to go to a bar. It helps that I live within two miles of all my favorite bars but that's part of the reason I live where I do.

When are we gonna have the PSAs warning people about auto-addiction? I guess there wouldn't be time to squeeze them in between all the car ads on TV.