He Was Rushing Eliot Spitzer to a Meeting at the Mayflower
Alexandria, Virginia, Police Chief David P. Baker was arrested on Saturday night for driving under the influence after a two-car crash that sent him and the other driver to the hospital. The Washington Times describes the possible consequences:
According to Arlington County police, Chief Baker, who has held his post for three years and served almost 20 years in the department, took a Breathalyzer test that registered his blood alcohol content (BAC) at .19, more than twice Virginia's legal limit of .08.
The chief faces serious consequences under Virginia's tough drunken-driving laws, including up to 12 months in jail, a one-year suspension of his driver's license and mandatory alcohol safety classes….
Because Chief Baker is accused of blowing above .15 BAC—Virginia's threshold for a series of stiffer penalties—any guilty verdict will require him to serve five days in jail, pay a $250 fine and lose his license for 12 months…
The city of Alexandria could be sued by the other vehicle's driver for damages if it is determined that Chief Baker was using the government-issued car in the crash on official business…
If the results of the Breathalyzer test hold up in court, Chief Baker will have to attend mandatory Alcohol Safety Action Program classes to determine whether he has a pattern of drinking excessively.
Even after a convicted Chief Baker would become eligible to have his license restored, the license would have as a condition for a further six months that he drive only vehicles equipped with ignition-interlock devices. These electronic gadgets prevent the car from being started unless the driver blows into a tube that determines whether he or she is legally intoxicated.
And the payoff you were waiting for:
Chief Baker coordinated a sobriety checkpoint for Alexandria in June, and alerted drivers in a press release about the stiff penalties faced for being charged with driving under the influence.
