In less than a week, two high-profile drunk driving cases underscore for a segment of the American public that not all persons arrested and facing DUI charges are "criminals" or likely to encounter law enforcement agents in the future as repeat offenders.
In fact, most motorists in Georgia and elsewhere throughout the country who become embroiled in a DUI-related matter have clean driving records overall and are first offenders.
Judges and attorneys on both sides of the matter know this, as do most Americans who have encountered the legal system on a DUI charge or undoubtedly know of another person -- family member or friend -- who has.
We recently posted the story of a former Miss USA pageant winner who was charged last week with drunk driving in Michigan. She was a first-time offender.
So, too, is Randy Babbitt, who was the chief of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) until this past Wednesday, when he resigned as a result of being charged with drunk driving last Saturday evening in Fairfax City, Virginia.
Babbitt, who had broad bipartisan support for the work he did while at the FAA, cooperated fully with police officers following his arrest, and took swift action following the incident by announcing his resignation.
"I am unwilling to let anything cast a shadow on the outstanding work done 24 hours a day, seven days a week by my colleagues at the FAA," he said at a news conference announcing his departure from the agency.
Source: Washington Post, "No. 2 FAA official takes charge after administrator resigns in wake of drunken driving arrest" Dec. 7, 2011
