Thursday, December 18, 2008

DUI Takes Toll On Skills, Privileges

Justin Veenhuis fails a sobriety test under the watchful eye of Deputy Mike Harris of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department.

By Misty Volaski
Drinking and driving don’t mix, as Justin Veenhuis discovered in an OVN drunk-driving simulation Tuesday night.
“The handcuffs are reason enough not to drink and drive!” Veenhuis lamented after about 20 minutes in the steel constraints.
The 6-foot-2-inch, 170-pound Ojai Valley resident drank three cocktails, a beer and a shot, and then was taken to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department-Ojai Substation and put through a mock DUI traffic stop with Deputy Mike Harris.
After asking a series of questions designed to assure that Veenhuis’ suspected drunkenness wasn’t a result of any physical or medical disabilities, Harris administered all the tests as he would on an actual DUI traffic stop: having Veenhuis track the officer’s finger with his eyes without moving his head (failed); tilting Veenhuis’ head back with eyes closed and silently counting out 30 seconds to himself (failed); having Veenhuis walk nine steps, heel to toe, in one direction, then the other (failed); having Veenhuis lift one foot for 30 seconds, then the other for 30 seconds (failed miserably and nearly fell over); and having Veenhuis close his eyes and touch his left and right index fingers to his nose as Harris requested (failed with bravado).
Then came the preliminary alcohol screen, the pre-breath-test test. Harris took two readings, finding that Veenhuis had a blood alcohol level (BAC) of .11 and .12 percent — well over the legal limit of .08 percent for adults over age 21. The real breath test came next, finding similar results and creating a printout of Veenhuis’ BAC.
Veenhuis could have refused the breath test, or requested a blood test (which would have been done at Ventura County Medical Center). Had he attempted and failed one test, then refused the other, he would have been arrested and automat-ically had his license suspended for one year. He would also then be required to give a blood test anyway, even if it had to be forced (and, if convicted, he would face additional penalties for this refusal).
After taking into account all of Veenhuis’ test results (which weren’t pretty), his physical movements and the stench of alcohol on his breath, a very patient Harris had enough evidence to convince him that Veenhuis was drunk.
So away went poor Veenhuis, cuffs and all, to the Ojai Substation’s holding cells. Officer Harris demonstrated the operation of the on-site breath test device, which showed Veenhuis had BAC levels consistent with those found in the field.
Another Ojai Substation officer, Jacob Valenzuela, explained that all of these tests, both in-station and in the field, are designed to give the officers two types of information. One, officers gauge suspects’ “ability to follow our instructions. And two, their ability to carry out the tasks,” said Valenzuela.
To say Veenhuis was intoxicated and failed all his tests — instruction-following included — was clear. Throughout the test, our OVN guinea pig kept reiterating, “I am so, so glad this is not real!”
Had this been an actual DUI stop, Veenhuis would have been taken to the Ventura County Jail and booked, where he’d spend from four to 12 hours before signing an agreement to appear in court and being released. If convicted, Veenhuis would have faced a possible 48-hour jail sentence, three months of alcohol school, three years of probation, court fines of around $2,800 (which does not include traffic school costs or the thousands of dollars he’d pay his lawyer), and the doubling or tripling of his vehicle insurance costs.
And that’s just for a first-time offender with a BAC under .15 percent, no injuries or fatalities involved, and with no children under age 14 in the vehicle at the time of the traffic stop.
Add a couple of those in, and the district attorney can slap you with delightful “special enhancements” that can include years in prison, and 18 months of alcohol school (which will throw an additional $2,400 to your bar tab).
Oh, and you have to buy and install your own Ignition interlock device in your car to prevent you from driving under the influence again (that’s another $730 per year). And for repeat DUI offenders holding a Class A license? Forget it — you’ll never drive a semi again.
According to Harris, the repeat offenders are numerous, and their BACs often startling.
“Once, we had a guy with a .52 BAC,” he said. “Walked right into the station without help.”
“But doesn’t a .40 usually mean you’re, ya know, comatose?” I asked him.
Shockingly, Harris explained that alcoholics can often function at a .30 BAC. Pretty scary for the rest of us on the road. In California alone, an average of 130,000 people are arrested for DUI each year — that’s roughly one drunk driver for every 142 licensed individuals. Add to all of this statistics from Mothers Against Drunk Driving, which show an average of only one of every 88 drunk drivers on the road are actually pulled over, and you begin to see the problem.
And the necessity for strict laws and steep fines. The bottom line: not only do drunk drivers kill 12,998 people a year and injure 500,000 more (2007 statistics, National Highway Traffic Safety Admini-stration), they also cost you a ton of money, time and pride.
So get a cab or designated driver. Bribe a buddy with a free dinner. His $50 surf ‘n’ turf is roughly $7,950 less than paying for a DUI. Even Wal-Mart can’t offer you those kinds of savings.
Just a little something to consider before leaving the office Christmas party this weekend.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interview - Busted Creators - Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ9PZdNzAiw&feature=channel

Anonymous said...

An interesting and timely report. I understand the message here of drinking and holiday parties, but the article does not mention driving under the influence of drugs. It needs to be remembered that DUI of even prescribed drugs is as bad as alcohol.

Anonymous said...

The Alex Jones Show -Dec. 16 2008 With Wayne Madsen Pt. 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6e9b0dtc70&feature=related

Makes perfect sense drugs you take to help you live are just as bad as drinking way too much knowing you cant walk straight so you decide to drive.wtf?

People should know not to drink and drive,and if they do it anyway than "the fear of arrest" just is not going to detour the 130,000 every year that stupidly drink and drive

Anonymous said...

how about an article about local DUI/crash of member of prominent family that involve crashing with kids in the car and running from car leaving kids in the crashed car?? funny how that never makes it into the paper. wonder why?? more cover up by our red hot local paper

Anonymous said...

So what did they do, go down to the hub for drinks (except the cop who had to sit and watch) before the exam? Or does he drink all that at the police station? That much alcohol would make me puke rendering the test results inaccurately.

Anonymous said...

Instead of "tests" why not just report on who arrested for DUI and circumstances ... would that not teach better and more effectively????We have enough real drunk drivers in this town cops should nail them report it -- we sure don't have to create this situation like a lab test ...

Anonymous said...

yes sirry bob -- we got the real deal no need for experiments!!!

Anonymous said...

12/19 8:12 am sounds bitter!

Anonymous said...

I think its funny and right!!!

Anonymous said...

'Occifer,,, Occifer ,,,hahesty I ony had tee martoonies!

Anonymous said...

Exactly!!! your tax dollars at work!! This is hilarious .. li

Anonymous said...

Too bad #4 found out too late the mate was damaged.

There are probably two sides to THAT story!

Anonymous said...

We residents of Ojai are fortunate to have a free ride home from any local bar when tipsy. The service is paid for by our local bars' owners in an effort to keep our streets safe.
Please give this service the publicity it deserves.

Anonymous said...

as an aside re comments here ---being an alcoholic is that persons responsibility and fault .. his alone -- blaming other people for being an alcoholic and behaving like an idiot is the behavior of an alcoholic-- sort of the definition. Getting help and being sober is a choice and the alcoholic him or herself is the only one who can make it . The hallmark of a functional adult is taking responsibility for ones actions and not trying to blame others for the mess they have made of their own life. Choosing to drink and be an idiot is a choice so is sobriety and good parenting.

OVN administrator said...

To 12/20, 11:53 a.m.:
We have published three stories on the free rides this year. If you are interested in reading them, you may search this blog in the months of January, March and May. There will be another this coming week. This report was published in May:

After 19 weeks of the downtown shuttle service, business is hopping. Driver "Dutch" Van Hemert said that the idea of shuttling locals out on the town back to their homes is catching on and, with the recent addition of the Hill Top Bar, the service has expanded into Oak View.

The shuttle was the brainchild of Van Hemert and The Village Jester's Nigel Chisholm. "I was sitting in The Jester one night and they said it's really hard to do anything in Ojai. No buses, no taxis," said Van Hemert, a 19-year veteran of airport shuttle driving.

The idea of forming a weekend shuttle for nightlife patrons took seed and Chisholm got in touch with other merchants to see what they thought of the concept.

Soon, other establishments around Ojai that serve alcohol got on board with the idea. The participating merchants cover the cost of gas and the vehicle Van Hemert drives, but because several of the merchants dropped out of the program, the budget remains tight and Van Hemert's time is not compensated for. "The only thing I get for my time is, hopefully, tips," said Van Hemert, but he admits those are few and far between.

"I've put thousands of dollars of my own money into it. Maybe at the end of the year we can say we've had fewer DUI-related accidents and that would be my payment."

Started up in winter, shuttle use was slow at first. Now, some patrons call Van Hemert early to arrange for 7 p.m. pickup, as well as their return trips. The driver said there were a lot of events going on two weekends ago and so he drove steadily for eight hours.

"People are using it. I get new customers every weekend," said Van Hemert.

"We like it a lot," said Sonia Miller, bartender at the Hill Top Bar. "Dutch is such a great guy anyway and he comes in and lets us know he's here." Miller said the shuttle gets to the Hill Top at 45 minutes past the hour from 7 to 11 p.m. and that she sees more people going back and forth between Oak View and Ojai because of it. "He'll take you right to your front door," said Miller.

The route begins at 7 p.m. at The Village Jester and progresses to Antonio's, Azu, Feast Bistro, The Hub , Suzanne's Cuisine, The Hut, Q-Time BBQ & Sports Grill and the Hill Top Bar. Van Hemert also makes stops along the way at the bus stops on El Roblar Drive and La Luna Avenue, Ventura and Woodland avenues, and in front of Rite Aid on the return. He is on call for the Blue and Emerald Iguana inns and can pick people up anywhere along the route boundaries and take them home.

"I accommodate 100 percent of my customers," Van Hemert said.

At the end of the six-month trial period, the merchants will meet with Van Hemert to determine if the program will continue. Until then, the free shuttle service is available Fridays and Saturdays from 7 to 2:30 p.m. by calling Van Hemert at 646-8141 after 6 p.m.sondra@ojaivalleynews.com

Anonymous said...

To the person who made the fourth comment: The person you write about obviously has a serious illness. My guess is that you would like to see this info out there for some sort of revenge. My guess is it involves the kids in the car with this person when the crash occurred. Thank God no one was hurt, and the possibility is that eventually there will be an injury or worse caused by this driver. It seems to me it is not a story for the public as it is for you and the person's prominent family to try and deal with. I am sure the kids involved would appreciate their lives not be played out in their small town newspaper. Sounds like they have enough issues to deal with.

Anonymous said...

lack of consequences is the reason many crimes are committed there is nothing vengeful about wanting to avoid these terrible situations where, in this case, very easily two little children could have been killed in the crash, and then as happened, left alone while the drunk driver ran away. The question is not whether the children would prefer not having this story in the paper and their parent exposed, the real question is, by not reporting it, by covering it up in essence, are those children in the end, and other innocent drivers in our town, at more risk. To say nothing of the drunk who feels entitled and enabled by the cover up to continue the behavior which of course, true to form, has occurred. Children should know the consequences and feel safe by adults enforcing reporting and consistently adhering to them. Thats the way you protect and show children the right path to travel.

Anonymous said...

I also do not feel this is the appropriate forum for the former spouse of this person with a disease to vent their frustration with their personal problem.

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear the bars chip in but any restaurant that serves alcohol should pay a percentage.
Willingly only because dutch helps their customers get home safely.
Saves lives,tax payer money police service's and insurance falls slightly because of the reduction in DUI arrests in the zip code.
I don't believe it should be left up to the police to try to prevent something that people should be smart enough not to do in the first place.

Anonymous said...

pathetic attempt to shift the focus -- and its not the spouse. Just feel so darn bad for those kids. Grow up buddy.

Anonymous said...

NAMES PLEASE. ENOUGH OF THE COVERUP BY THE BLOGGER. LET'S GET THE DIRT OUT!

Anonymous said...

tell that to our paper which does not print DUI names which it should do to inform and protect our community it does not help anybody, including the offender, to cover it up and it certainly does not help keep their or anybody elses children safe ..