A deputy with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina was recently arrested and charged with DUI. He is accused of drunk driving after allegedly being found asleep behind the wheel of his truck at a traffic light. While the charge against him may only be a misdemeanor, having a DUI on his record can potentially hurt his personal and professional life.
According to a report, a Summerville police officer pulled up behind the accused’s vehicle which was stopped at a traffic light at about 4 a.m. on Jan. 24. The accused, a 26-year-old male from Summerville, allegedly failed to go through the intersection when the light turned green, despite the police officer honking his horn. When the light turned green again, the police officer on scene reportedly approached the accused’s truck and claims to have found him asleep.
The accused supposedly declined field sobriety tests and a breath exam, resulting in his driver’s license being suspended. He was detained and released later the same day. He expected to appear in court in mid-February.
A drunk driving charge, even at a misdemeanor level, can carry fairly significant penalties in South Carolina. As is true for anyone facing criminal charges, this individual retains the right to employ legal counsel who will be able to assist in finding the best course of action to pursue in this case. Getting through a DUI charge can be difficult; however, with help, the accused may be able to successfully fight the charges at hand or seek alternative sentencing which may assist in reducing the severity of the consequences commonly seen with a conviction.
Source: postandcourier.com, “Charleston County deputy faces DUI charge after falling asleep in traffic, police say”, Andrew Knapp, Jan. 23, 2016