Drunk driving charges were recently leveled at a recovering alcoholic who was the director of the SAFE program in a Virginia county. He has been the director at the Substance Abuse Free Environment Inc. for several years and guided it to national importance. The drunk driving charges have given him cause to resign from his position heading the association.
According to police, he was pulled over late one evening and was charged with driving under the influence. A report did not state what prompted the officers to pull the man over. A report did say there was a hit-and-run incident around the same time and in the same vicinity. There was insignificant damage to some property at that scene. Investigation is ongoing as to whether the man was involved in that incident as well.
The man had been a major force in fighting the sale of alcohol to minors by convenience stores. He had also received several awards for his work in helping to curb the abuse of inhalant substances by minors. Washington, DC, had chosen the SAFE program as one to evaluate to see what makes it so effective in controlling the use of abusive substances to minors.
In Virginia, a person facing drunk driving charges may have to serve jail time, face license suspension and pay fines. These charges can be defended, however, by getting them reduced or even dismissed. The best defense for people facing these same allegations is to understand their rights as they fight the charges brought against them.
Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch, Chesterfield anti-substance-abuse advocate resigns after DUI arrest, Mark Bowes, Jan. 8, 2014