August 2010 Archives

There's a myth that drinking coffee or consuming other forms of caffeine will help sober somebody up. However, a report from Arizona State University states that this myth is not true and while a person may feel more alert after drinking a shot of espresso, the person's blood-alcohol level will remain unchanged with the caffeine.

According to ASU, a person's BAC level only diminishes at a set, slow pace as the liver metabolizes the alcohol that has been consumed. Taking a shower, exercising, or getting a burst of energy in an alternative way has no effect on how alcohol is metabolized, hence the best way to sober up is to simply wait.

Clerks at Safeway stores are going the extra mile and doing more than just checking a person's ID when the customer purchase's alcohol. The store now requires a customer to swipe their ID card on a credit card device and sign on the PIN pad after the ID is checked.

The Arizona Daily Star reports that these signatures are not required by state law, but can protect the store of legal trouble if there was ever an investigation. With this system, Safeway can prove that its clerks were diligent about checking IDs. If a store does not have records of a person's signature, the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control states that a judge can presume the clerk did not check for ID.

Arizona is one of 43 U.S. states that outlaws the possession of an open container of alcohol while operating a vehicle or while within the passenger compartment of a vehicle. While an open container violation does not carry the same consequences of a DUI, the state of Arizona does have one of the harshest open container laws in the country.

It is against the law in Arizona for a person in a vehicle to have an open empty container that once contained an alcoholic beverage or an open container with an alcoholic beverage still in it. According to Arizona Revised Statute 4-251, a person that violates the open container law can be found guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor, which is punishable with a fine of up to $750 and up to four months in jail. Other states simply have a fine that is less than $50 for such a violation.

When driving through a school zone in Pima County, make sure that you're following the designated speed limit and that you're mindful of any little pedestrians that may be crossing the street. KVOA News reports that Pima County Sheriff Deputies are dedicated to enforcing the traffic rules in school related zones and writing tickets to any violators.

The Sheriff's Department says that they have "speed enforcement" patrols that are making rounds to the various schools in the area. On Wednesday, deputies reportedly staked out in front of Flowing Wells Junior High School in Tucson to catch people speeding.

A third grade Spanish teacher at Dr. Williams Chapman Elementary school in Miami-Dade County, Florida was charged with driving under the influence after her dramatic arrest on August 4. However, the Miami Herald now reports that the suspect Joann Tomas will not be returning to her classroom this week. Instead, the woman has been reassigned to office work pending the disposition of her case.

In addition to drunk driving charges, the woman also reportedly faces charges of battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer with violence. These charges come after allegations that the suspect threatened police officers and that the suspect kicked an officer in the groin after throwing handcuffs at him.

Arizona State University has developed a reputation for being a party college with lots of booze flowing through the ASU campus and Tempe area. Yet with ASU students scheduled to move in this weekend, city and campus authorities say that they will be cracking the whip on the university's drinking policy.

The Arizona Republic Reports that off-campus housing facilities in Tempe have also started to regulate underage drinking and develop alcohol consumption policies. Officers with the Tempe Police Department enforce such policies and will target a particular apartment complex when they receive multiple complaints from that complex.

Dana Anderson was arrested earlier this month in Prescott after crashing into a traffic sign on a State Route 89 off ramp. Police say that the 54-year-old woman from Chino Valley seemed dazed and confused after the crash and police asked her if she had hit her head in the collision. She replied that she had not, which led police to conduct field sobriety tests.

The Prescott Daily Courier reports that once Dana Anderson failed the field sobriety tests, she was booked into the Yavapai County Jail in Camp Verde on charges of super extreme DUI over .20 BAC, extreme DUI BAC greater than .15, DUI of .08 or more, DUI, felony endangerment, and felony criminal damage. Apparently, it's going to cost $5,000 to repair the road sign.

Did you know that August 5 is International Beer Day? Yesterday people around the world, including many Arizonians, celebrated and honored beer culture by drinking their favorite pints of brew.

ABC News reports that International Beer Day first came about in 2007 by a few people that hail from Santa Cruz, CA that simply just wanted to celebrate beer and the people that provide it. Carly's Bistro in Phoenix and Dos Gringos in Scottsdale were just a couple bars in the Valley that carried out celebrations of beer yesterday, as stated at http://internationalbeerday.com/.

The Tucson Police Department has been taking on efforts to reduce the number of drunk drivers on the road, including conducting a Tucson DUI checkpoint on Saturday July 31 on N. Oracle Rd. at W. Simmons Rd.

According KVOA, over 1,000 drivers proceeded through the DUI checkpoint, where 23 police officers were utilized. The officers made a total of 18 misdemeanor DUI arrests, three of which were also charged with extreme DUI for having an alcohol concentration above 0.150 BAC. Tucson officers also made two felony DUI arrests at the checkpoint for aggravated DUI. Aside from the numerous DUI arrests, officers issued 127 other traffic citations at the checkpoint.