Frustrations!

Alright. I have tried to avoid it, but I can't help myself any longer. I must rant! 

My whole life I thought that getting a DUI was a serious offense. That the punishment was a tough one. Boy howdy, was I ever wrong!!! As all 4 of my followers (thank you, by the way) most likely know, I was hit by a stupid a-hole drunk driver on the 4th of July about a block away from my house. He totaled the car I was driving, which happened to by my Mom's, and did a lot of damage to his vehicle too. When the officers showed up they did field sobriety tests on him and when they opened the vehicle they found several alcohol bottles. After he hit me, however, he got out of his car and started throwing OTHER alcohol bottles into his trunk... I am assuming so he wouldn't get an open container ticket on top of his DUI. Yes, folks, you are correct. This was NOT his first rodeo. He was cited for DUI and Improper Lookout on the scene and taken away in cuffs. 

NOW! Pay attention!

The officers took him to their station to perform a breathalizer on him. I was under the impression that he would then be booked into jail, as that is where drunk drivers should go, yes? Yeah, well, think again! He was taken to the station where he blew a .16 (.08 is the legal limit), but then the officers brought him BACK to the scene of the accident and RELEASED HIM to someone sober. So good news for all that like to drive tipsy now and then. In the City of West Valley (and, come to find out, most other places around the valley) you can drive drunk, total a car, HIDE THE EVIDENCE THAT YOU WERE DRINKING WHILE DRIVING, and STILL make it to your holiday barbecue on time. What a deal!

As angry as this made me, I stupidly believed that the Justice system would come through. I have worked for a court. I have worked for a prosecutor's office. I have worked for a law firm. I am pretty familiar with the law. As I did research on DUI's, especially in West Valley, I found that the judge in that city is A JOKE! And not a very funny one! After dragging this case on since July (yes, six months), the lovely fella who hit me decided to plead guilty to DUI on December 18. As his punishment, hold on to your hats, he received 48 hours community service and a fine. THAT IS IT! Does anyone else feel this is preposterous? 

To add insult to injury, the judge who was handling his case has a reputation of being extremely easy on his DUI reviews. For example, he had a defendant who had dirty urinary analysis' (meaning he was still drinking while on probation), he took almost a full year to complete one alcohol class, and had not paid his fine. What did our honorable Judge McCullaugh do? NOT A DAMN THING!Just put him back on his probation. Set him up for another 'review'. Are you kidding me?

I understand that people make mistakes. One of my dearest friends got a DUI. But he has paid severely for it. And you know what? He will never drive drunk again. 

The very worst part of this whole thing is that there is NOTHING I can do. I never got a chance to speak in court. My voice was never heard because the Judge doesn't care! There HAS to be a way to change things, right?