A City Council member from Holland, Michigan failed sobriety tests and then blew more than twice the state's legal limit for driving. Fortunately, he was arrested for operating while intoxicated.
The story from the Holland Sentinel is here.
According to the article, the person that voters’ trust to enact and uphold local laws slid off of a highway connecting ramp and ended up on the median. Police observed the helpless politician’s headlights from highway and went to the rescue.
For reasons not given, the officer suspected the 15 year city council member had been drinking. Perhaps it was the slurred speech or that he reeked of alcohol. At any rate, the politician blew a 0.18 on the breathalyzer. That’s more than twice the state’s legal limit of 0.08.
What does it take to get to a 0.18? We don’t know how much the 58-year-old elected official weighs. But according to one Wikipedia chart, a 180 pound man would have to consume about 7 drinks to get that smashed.
His arraignment on the misdemeanor charge is set on a walk-in basis and he must appear before Feb. 18.
The mayor said the alleged offense will not have any effect on the councilman. The charge doesn’t disqualify the councilman from continuing to serve on the city council. Furthermore, the council was not expected to discuss the incident. That’s because the incident does not affect any legal requirements of his being part of the council. Hmm? I guess the council doesn’t mind its members getting sloshed and driving around town blitzed. After all, he has a clean record up to this, only two speeding tickets since 2003.
Hey, I’m not saying don’t drink. But drinking and driving? What about exercising good judgment? Is that asking too much of the people elected to public office? This local leader is damn lucky he didn’t kill anyone. Hopefully his arrest will serve as a wake-up call.
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