Late last year, an EMS official had to resign after receiving a DUI. The official was serving as second in command for Gaston County Medical Services at the time. However, he quickly found himself having to step down after facing arrest and a BAC of .23%.
EMS Official Receives DUI and High BAC: What Happened?
In this particular case, police were alerted to an erratic driver by other drivers on the road. One driver said that he witnessed the EMS official’s truck veering into oncoming traffic. Furthermore, the reporting driver told police that the truck crossed the center line several times. This driver told police that he felt compelled to report, because he fully believed that the driver would end up bringing harm to someone else if he didn’t get off the road. At the end of the day, the reporting party very well could have saved someone’s life.
When police found the driver…
…He was in his personal driveway, in park, with the engine still running. In fact, police found the EMS official asleep behind the wheel, likely due to his intoxication. It wasn’t until police beat on the window that this official finally woke up. Police then had the driver leave the vehicle and perform sobriety tests. Following field tests, the driver took a breathalyzer which displayed the BAC of .23%. As we all know, the legal limit is .08%, which puts the driver at about three times the legal limit. It was a no-brainer for them to charge the EMS official, who later resigned from his position.
Watching for other drivers
The person who called in made an honorable choice. While no one wants to get anyone else in trouble, there are some moments in time when that is completely necessary. A DUI is difficult to deal with, but what’s worse? A DUI or costing someone their life because you let it go? Thankfully, the driver was able to get off the road before falling asleep. Through this, and the reporting party, a few lives just might have been saved.
So, if you’re ever in a position when you see one driver acting recklessly, swerving, or acting out of the ordinary— do your part, and make the call. Get yourself to safety, and give all information possible. You never know what happen if that driver continues on their way…