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A police officer from Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, has resigned his position after being arrested on suspicion of driving while impaired. The former officer resigned last week, although the criminal case has not been resolved, and an internal investigation within the department has not been completed.

The 25-year-old former police officer was arrested earlier this month at a DWI checkpoint. Troopers with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol say that the driver was showing signs of impairment at the DWI checkpoint.

The off-duty cop reportedly blew a 0.08 percent alcohol level during a breath test. The sobriety checkpoint operation was set up in the area of Wrightsville Avenue and Arlie Roads on July 12 and 13. The off-duty officer was checked out at the sobriety checkpoint around 1:30 a.m. that Friday morning.

The accused officer was taken to the New Hanover County Jail after his DWI arrest. He reportedly posted ,000 bond and was released around 6:39 a.m. that same morning.

It is unclear from the media why the officer resigned his position. The officer had been with the department since 2010, and sources say that the officer was well respected in the department. The police chief says of the incident that, “it was just a moment of poor judgment on his part but as far as being a good police officer, he was one of the best we had.” The department had not completed its internal investigation, and no disciplinary action had been taken, according to media reports.

The story highlights how people from all walks of life can face DWI allegations in North Carolina. Obviously, DWI checkpoint operations have their own niche in DWI cases. Generally, law enforcement needs to have some kind of suspicion before being lawfully authorized to conduct a traffic stop.

DWI checkpoints have their own unique rules. It is important for anyone accused of DWI in North Carolina to consider speaking with an experienced DWI defense lawyer to learn what legal defenses may be available in an individual case.

Sources:

• Lumina News, “BREAKING NEWS: WBPD officer Davis resigns after DWI arrest,” Cole Dittmer, July 17, 2012
• Star News Online, “Wrightsville police officer resigns after DWI arrest,” F. T. Norton, July 17, 2012

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The North Carolina Highway Patrol says a Randolph County deputy was arrested Sunday evening after being involved in an accident with a deer. Apparently the man ran into the deer on U.S. 220 around 8:20 p.m. Sunday evening. A trooper arrived at the accident scene sometime after the crash and says he smelled the odor of alcohol coming from the driver allegedly involved in the accident.

The man was taken into custody on suspicion of DWI and agreed to submit to a breath test. Law enforcement claims the man blew a breath test reading of 0.08 percent. The test result equals the exact blood alcohol reading where North Carolina law presumes impairment.

DWI charges in North Carolina can lead to harsh sentencing consequences. In addition to potential jail-time and fines, a driver may lose their privilege to drive. However, there can also be other consequences not directly related to the legal system. This blog has discussed the impact an underage DUI can have upon a college student’s future.

With an increase in background checks when seeking employment, more and more Americans are finding that criminal convictions can have an adverse affect on future job opportunities.

The Randolph County deputy resigned his position earlier this week after the DWI arrest. Before the DWI charges arose over the weekend, the deputy was assigned to patrol the Trinity area. The Trinity Mayor says the circumstances are unfortunate, but the city will move past the incident.

The former deputy is scheduled to appear in court on the DWI charges on Dec. 14.

Source: High Point Enterprise, “Randolph County deputy charged with DWI,” Nov. 4, 2011

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Allegations of DWI can often have far reaching collateral consequences. Any Greenville DWI defense attorney knows that a DWI conviction can haunt many people in future job searches. Many businesses and professions conduct background searches for prior criminal charges including DWI.

In some cases allegations alone can cause people hardship in the workplace. Saturday, the principal of a Martin County school turned in his resignation from his position. The resignation followed a Washington County arrest for DWI on April 8. The principle was allegedly driving while impaired on North Carolina 45 in Washington County.

Law enforcement set up a driver’s license checkpoint near the Bertie County line on N.C. 45 April 8. Police claim the 54-year-old veteran educator was stopped during the April 8 operation. The former high school principle reportedly was administered a breathalyzer test after being stopped at the checkpoint. Police arrested the educator at roughly 6:24 p.m. Law enforcement claims the breathalyzer results exceeded a reading of .08 alcohol content; the legal limit is .08 in North Carolina for the purposes of DWI law.

The former educator reportedly also faces charges of possession of an open container of an alcoholic beverage and driving without a license. The 54-year-old is scheduled to appear in court to face the charges on June 28.

In addition to the criminal charges, the 54-year-old is subject to license revocation. License suspensions and revocations can make travel very difficult for people in North Carolina. Once suspended, many people face additional suspensions after being pulled over in subsequent investigations. An experienced driver’s license reinstatement attorney can assess what options may be available for drivers who have lost their driving privilege.

Source: The Daily Reflector, “Principal arrested for DWI resigns,” Brenda Monty 15 Apr 2011

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