What kind of SHIT is this?



McNair owner of vehicle driven by drunken driverAssociated Press


NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Baltimore Ravens quarterback Steve McNair was charged with driving under the influence Thursday even though police said his brother-in-law was behind the wheel of the pickup registered to the former Tennessee Titan.


McNair




Although McNair was just a passenger, he was charged with a misdemeanor under a Tennessee law that prohibits a vehicle owner from letting it be driven by someone who is inebriated.

Police said officer Harold Taylor pulled over McNair's 2003 Dodge pickup just before midnight Wednesday because it was speeding. The driver, 31-year-old Jamie Cartwright, smelled of alcohol, failed a field sobriety test and refused to take a breath alcohol test, police spokesman Don Aaron said.

Cartwright said he was McNair's brother-in-law and acknowledged drinking at least two beers, police said.

The law used to charge McNair doesn't consider whether the vehicle owner was drinking, but only if the driver was impaired. Aaron said Nashville police have used the law to cite 42 other people this year.

"We are aware of the situation, but we're getting most of our information from the media," Ravens spokesman Chad Steele said Thursday. "We've not spoken with Steve, so we're not sure at this time if we will have a statement."

McNair declined to comment when he was released from custody. He was accompanied by a friend, nightclub owner Robert "Big Daddy" Gaddy, who told WTVF-TV that McNair had done nothing wrong.

Greg Aiello, an NFL spokesman, said it was too early to determine whether McNair would face any punishment from the league.

"Any law enforcement matter that involves any of our people, we look into it to determine whether there is ultimately any violation of our policies," Aiello said.

McNair was arrested on DUI charges once before in Nashville in May 2003, when he also was charged with illegal gun possession.

After a year of legal wrangling, a judge dismissed those charges, ruling that police didn't have sufficient reason to pull over McNair.




Copyright 2007 by The Associated

Drunk friends don't let drunk friends drive drunk.

Good... other states have similar laws where other passengers can also be charged for letting a drunk drive. i am 100% for it... even if most drunk drivers make it where they are going just fine...

SlamGlam said:

I'm with you on this.

Illustrator said:

Drunk friends might not be the best judge of someone else being drunk. I can understand the law to some degree, although it seems like piling on to get both for the same thing.

live4lust said:

I say good. When some drunk a-hole gets behind the wheel, that car becomes a two-ton bullet. I've seen too many horror stories to have any sympathy for Steve McNair.

live4lust said:

same argument could be used to defend drunk drivers...

In Texas if you’re charged for DUI the server/bartender of the establishment or where ever you got drunk at gets charged as well. Meaning if you were at a party or family function, whatever, they go and arrest that person even if they tried to keep you from leaving they still go to jail. On the electronic signs on the road was encourage turning DUIs in if you see them on the roads and people do, they truly mean "don't mess with Texas"

statuesqque, are you sure? I not think that is true. i think the law you are referring to only applies to (even if the wording of the code is weird) places with a liquor or beer/wine licenses.

Yes, my uncle is an HPD accident investigation officer and that's how he explained it to me because I thought the same thing. It couldn't possible be as broad as it sounds, it's just for bars and establishments like that but he said no. If I gave a party and one of my guest drove drunk and was stopped or caused and accident I am also held responsible because I served them alcohol so basically I am the server/bartender so to speak also keep in mind that this is the home of MADD their corporate office is in Irving TX.

SlamGlam said:

i don't follow.

live4lust said:

a drunk would say "it is not my fault, i did not know how drunk I was"

SlamGlam said:

yeah, except he's driving! he's the one committing the crime. why don't they go after the car companies too?

live4lust said:

and it is now a crime to let someone drive drunk.

blah
[Edited 5/11/07 11:56am]

live4lust said:

i did not write the law... but come on you can tell when a buddy has had too much to drink.

live4lust said:

don't try to understand slam's reasoning...you'll most likely end up with a sore head, wondering why there's blood all over your keyboard.

keynothead edit
[Edited 5/11/07 12:01pm]

evenstar3 said:

ahhh my plan must not be revealed!

evenstar3 said:

I actually appreciate SlamGlam, God only knows why....

xplnyrslf said:

here sure... but maybe not so much on the P&R board

Doesnt the 'D' in DUI stand for Driving? How can you charge the passenger for driving under the influence? Ive written plenty of DUI's and DWI's, all of them stuck, why go after the owner of the car when you have the driver?

StDrew said:

when the law of your jurisdiction says you can?

SlamGlam said:

StDrew said:

do you only enforce the laws you agree with?
[Edited 5/12/07 17:48pm]

SlamGlam said:

No, of course not, but this is not a law here yet; and its still an odd one.