Texas Judge Arrested For Driving While Intoxicated - Again

According to KGBT-TV Channel 4 ("Action 4 News"), a Texas municipal judge from Mercedes was recently arrested for his third drunk driving incident.

The judge, Rogelio Garcia, was pulled over after state troopers caught him speeding. He failed a field sobriety test, and then refused to submit to a breath test. The troopers said he appeared highly intoxicated. Because this is his third arrest for DWI, he faces a felony DWI this time around.

Garcia was first arrested for DWI in 1984. He was convicted and got two years probation. His second arrest was in 1995. For that DWI he was convicted in 1996 and received one year probation and a $350 fine.

In the Marine Corps, one DWI is called an alcohol related incident. It is an episode of substance abuse. Three such incidents and the abuser will be screened for alcoholism. This in no way implies or suggests that the judge here is alcohol dependent. But just maybe he should reflect upon his conduct. For the rest of us, we can reflect upon what three arrests would do to our families and professional life.




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Butte County Deputy District Attorney Arrested for DUI

According to local CBS affiliate, KHSL, Butte County, California Deputy District Attorney, Orin Brent Redelsperger was arrested last month on suspicion of DUI.

Redelsperger apparently refused a field sobriety test and was arrested. His two children were in the vehicle with him at the time, so he was also charged with child endangerment. His wife recently filed for divorce.

According to the Chico Enterprise-Record, Redelsperger crashed his car while on a private road. The California Highway Patrol says he had an alcohol level of 0.37, which is nearly five times the legal limit for intoxicated driving in California.

A blood alcohol level of 0.37? Yikes! According to this chart on Wikipedia, a man over 200 pounds would have to consume over 10 drinks to get that drunk. And the effects of 0.37 can be quite serious. Redelsperger is innocent until proven guilty. But it should be noted that crashing a car while driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.37 is only to be expected.

No matter what the outcome, let this serve as a reminder that alcohol does not discriminate.

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Mississippi Attorney Arrested For Cocaine Possession

According to an article in the Clarion-Ledger, Oxford Attorney Michael Wall was arrested last month on felony drug charges.

Wall was arrested by agents of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics at Lafayette County Justice Court on two counts of delivery or transfer of cocaine and two counts of possession of cocaine.

Only about five grams of cocaine, were involved, which had an estimated street value of $100. The article indicates that Wall was booked into the county jail with his bond set at $20,000.

Everyone knows that cocaine is a illegal why do it? We don’t know why this attorney started his abuse of cocaine, but we know that it is powerfully addictive. Cocaine affects normal brain function by interfering with the manner in which one’s brain processes chemicals that create feelings of pleasure. The result is that a cocaine user often needs more of the drug just to feel normal. People who become addicted to cocaine may lose interest in other areas of their life, such as school, work, and friends. As Wall's arrest illustrates, substance abuse occurs in practically every profession, including the legal profession.

If you know or strongly suspect a friend is using cocaine, encourage that person to stop or seek professional help. For information and referrals, call the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 800-729-6686.




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