On Saturday morning July 19, 23-year-old Austin Reese Chadwick of Woodstock was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol and fleeing the scene of an accident, according to a news article at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Chadwick had called 911 to obtain medical assistance for injuries he sustained in an accident between himself and a tractor-trailer rig. He is a Cobb County sheriff’s deputy, and was off-duty at the time of the accident.
Chadwick apparently called 911 from his home at approximately the same time that police in Cobb and Cherokee Counties were trying to locate him after discovering Chadwick’s identification inside a vehicle at the crash site. Chadwick suffered a serious leg injury, and was arrested at his home; he confirmed that he had been drinking.
Police claim to have detected a strong odor of alcohol about Chadwick, who agreed to sobriety testing. He was charged with failure to report an accident, failure to maintain lane, and DUI. Chadwick had worked for the Cobb County Sheriff’s Department for over two years, and is currently on administrative leave pending an investigation by Internal Affairs. There was no mention as to whether the driver of the tractor-trailer rig was injured in the accident.
Fleeing the scene of an accident is never a good idea, however when a person is even slightly intoxicated he or she often has poor judgment. When someone chooses to drive after consuming alcohol or drugs, that person puts not only his or her life in danger, but everyone else on the roadways as well.
Driving while under the influence is a very common offense. Even though criminal penalties are tougher than ever and lawmakers continue to fight against drunk driving, people still do it. Many think, “I’ve only had two or three drinks, I’ll be fine to drive home.” Others drink to the point they can barely stand up, and still get behind the wheel.
As highly regarded Michigan DUI attorneys, we know that as humans, we all make mistakes. However, if you find yourself arrested or charged with a drunken driving offense, it is vital that you contact a capable lawyer immediately. It may be a learning experience, but you must protect your legal rights and freedom. An attorney who is willing to fight on your behalf can often minimize the damage so that you can put an unfortunate situation behind you.