http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20101216/NEWS02/712169923
Published December 16, 2010 in the Rutland Herald
Area man jailed on 4th DUI charge
By ERIC FRANCIS
CORRESPONDENT
CHESTER – A Springfield man who had pleaded guilty to his third DUI last month was sent straight to jail Wednesday following his arrest for another alleged drunken driving episode in Chester late Tuesday night.
George Arnold, 50, was ordered held without bail after he entered an innocent plea to felony DUI – fourth offense – during a brief arraignment Wednesday afternoon in Windsor District Court.
Chester Police Officer Paul Larochelle wrote in an affidavit filed with the court that he arrested Arnold at the Chester Sunoco station on Route 103 just before midnight after an off-duty firefighter, Matthew Goyette of Chester, called to say that a white Jeep Cherokee had just driven up and rear-ended his car while he was pumping gas into it.
Larochelle said when he arrived and glanced into the Jeep, he noticed a rifle lying on the passenger seat with a clear acrylic magazine full of .22 caliber ammunition clipped into it. Walking inside, Larochelle said he immediately spotted Arnold, “attempting to pour himself a cup of coffee,” because he was the only customer in the store at that hour.
“I asked Arnold repeatedly for his driver’s license to which he replied that he had none,” Larochelle said, adding, “Arnold was not cooperative in my preliminary questioning. At times I could not understand him. He was swaying back and forth, his eyes were red, watery and bloodshot (and) I could smell the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage upon his breath.”
When police dispatchers relayed the information that Arnold was under suspension for life because of numerous prior convictions, Larochelle handcuffed Arnold without incident and then went and checked the rifle in the Jeep, which, he said, turned out to have a round in the chamber.
Larochelle said Arnold refused to provide a breath sample at the gas station, but later the Springfield jail reported that he blown a 0.179 blood alcohol level — more than twice the legal limit for driving in Vermont — during a test given while he was being booked into that facility.
Should he be found guilty, Arnoldcould be sentenced to a maximum potential penalty of up to 14 years in jail on the new charges in addition to his underlying sentence on last month’s conviction.
Area man jailed on 4th DUI charge
By ERIC FRANCIS
CORRESPONDENT
CHESTER – A Springfield man who had pleaded guilty to his third DUI last month was sent straight to jail Wednesday following his arrest for another alleged drunken driving episode in Chester late Tuesday night.
George Arnold, 50, was ordered held without bail after he entered an innocent plea to felony DUI – fourth offense – during a brief arraignment Wednesday afternoon in Windsor District Court.
Chester Police Officer Paul Larochelle wrote in an affidavit filed with the court that he arrested Arnold at the Chester Sunoco station on Route 103 just before midnight after an off-duty firefighter, Matthew Goyette of Chester, called to say that a white Jeep Cherokee had just driven up and rear-ended his car while he was pumping gas into it.
Larochelle said when he arrived and glanced into the Jeep, he noticed a rifle lying on the passenger seat with a clear acrylic magazine full of .22 caliber ammunition clipped into it. Walking inside, Larochelle said he immediately spotted Arnold, “attempting to pour himself a cup of coffee,” because he was the only customer in the store at that hour.
“I asked Arnold repeatedly for his driver’s license to which he replied that he had none,” Larochelle said, adding, “Arnold was not cooperative in my preliminary questioning. At times I could not understand him. He was swaying back and forth, his eyes were red, watery and bloodshot (and) I could smell the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage upon his breath.”
When police dispatchers relayed the information that Arnold was under suspension for life because of numerous prior convictions, Larochelle handcuffed Arnold without incident and then went and checked the rifle in the Jeep, which, he said, turned out to have a round in the chamber.
Larochelle said Arnold refused to provide a breath sample at the gas station, but later the Springfield jail reported that he blown a 0.179 blood alcohol level — more than twice the legal limit for driving in Vermont — during a test given while he was being booked into that facility.
Should he be found guilty, Arnoldcould be sentenced to a maximum potential penalty of up to 14 years in jail on the new charges in addition to his underlying sentence on last month’s conviction.
States are cracking down on drunk driving. DUI and DWI laws across the nation are becoming stricter and being enforced with greater diligence.
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How is it that this man even has access to a vehicle? I should hope that charges also include driving without a license. I am appalled that he is walking free and has the means to put himself (and others) in this kind of danger time and time again. What will it take to get him put behind bars for a very long time? Injury? Death?
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ReplyDeleteReally, many strict laws should be on drunk driving . Already I faced twice in longer .
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