CHL carrying after drinking at restaurant

[Keith B]

Being a diabetic I can tell you that you can be impaired without any drugs, meds, or drinks (low blood sugar). I was pulled over once (made an illegal turn to get to food)while I was trying to get to food and the cop would not let me get to food, and took almost 30min to write the ticket. My blood sugar was in the 50's (almost needed help to eat) by the time he was done and I walked the 10 feet into the restaurant with help.

Told this story to the DA. She turned white as a ghost, apologized profusely and dismissed not only my ticket but the ticket of my friend that was following me making sure I was safe. I was fine to drive and the situation was fine until I was delayed.

Yikes! That's quite a story. Hope you complained to the relevant department, and the officer got a lesson on diabetes.

Not to take it too far off topic, but I called in a suspected DWI once when I had a lady responding to other issues in traffic very slowly and crossing the lane dividers frequently. The PD got her pulled over and EMS responded. Apparently she was diabetic, had worked a long day and had failed to eat something early enough for her blood sugar to stay stable. When I spotted her she had pulled out of KFC and had apparently gotten dinner and was heading home. EMS validated the blood sugar, and they gave her a something to bring it back up and she perked up. I got a call from the responding officer thanking me for calling it in and said the woman actually sent her thanks for me calling it in since she really didn't realize how bad she was and how dangerous her driving was.

I also had an incident where a lady was all over the road. When she stopped at a stoplight I got her to roll her window down and convinced her to pull over and wait until the police showed up to see why she was driving so badly. Once the police arrived, it was determined she was manic/depressive and was off her meds. The family was called and someone came to drive her and the vehicle home.

So, bottom line, these types of things CAN happen, just like Outrbreaker said. Just think about adding one drink to someone who's blood sugar is low and you may well be far enough along that they determine you WERE intoxicated and convict you.

[seamusTX]

Sometimes people who are having medical crises have been thrown into "drunk tanks" and suffered serious health consequences. The possible DUI conviction is the least of their worries.

That happened in Phoenix years ago to someone I used to work with. He won a lawsuit, though he was more concerned with educating the police than winning a settlement. Perhaps with the growing number of diabetics, the police are more aware of those issues now.

- Jim

[Outbreaker]

I was not even trying to get out of the ticket. I did the crime....I will do the crime.

I was talking with the DA to just try and get the officer to realize when someone tells you they are diabetic....AND SHOWS YOU THEIR GLUCOSE LEVEL....that you need to let them fix it. I probably should have filed a formal complaint but did not. I just hope the DA passed on the message and the civil liability issues.

[driver8]

Nope, it was not passed on and the cop never heard a word about it, you can bet on it.