(10-80 10-50) I & D stood for “Injury or Death” – Part 2
Yes, the pickup driver was DUI on that early Saturday morning. Zone deputies began to arrive and detoured the traffic around the accident scene through the ballpark’s parking lots. E.M.S. covered the victim’s body with a white sheet. The blood immediately began soaking through. I attempted to contain the crowd. About 30 parents and many more kids were watching from all 3 ball fields by now. Everyone trying to push closer. Lieutenant Cain was sitting in his patrol car, just staring at his steering wheel. Before Troop arrived and after EMS clearance, I placed the drunk driver under arrest. I read the violator his Miranda Rights and Implied Consent. He agreed to the State test.
Troop arrived to start the official investigation. I gave him the pertinent information that I had garnered, and also told him about the chase. The Implied Consent Law. “Under Georgia code #****, the State of Georgia requires you to submit to a State administered chemical test of your blood, breath, urine, or other bodily substances to determine the amount of alcohol or drug content.” “Under Georgia code #****, you also have the right to an additional test of the foregoing substances at your own expense if you so desire.” “However, this additional test in no way satisfies your obligation to the State administered chemical test of your blood, breath, or urine.” “Should you refuse my request, your driver’s license will be suspended for a period of six months.” “Will you submit to the State administered chemical test of your (breath) under the implied consent law?” Or at least that’s the best I can remember off the top of my head these decades later.
It is cheaper for the State taxpayers to have the breath testing at the jail as opposed to going to the local hospital emergency room for a blood or urine test. Can you imagine the cost of taking every D.U.I. suspect to a hospital for testing? I had to read those Miranda and implied consent laws so many times that it went deep into memory. The driver registered over the legal limit for operating an automobile. I don’t remember the exact test numbers, but he was over the line.
While the trooper was still at the scene, my investigation continued. I found the tag on the truck involved belonged to another person and not to the violator/driver. I continued my investigation, trying to locate the truck’s actual owner. Just trying to help Troop. The drunk driver gave me the owner’s name and phone number. I called the owner of the pickup truck and told him of the accident involving his truck. I asked him why the violator had his truck. The owner said that his roommate and he were both drinking all Friday afternoon and into the early hours of Saturday morning. “The last I saw him; he was passed out on the floor.” “Then I guess I passed out also until the phone woke me up.” The owner said that he did not know specifically why the violator had his truck. “But he knows he can use my truck any time he wants to.” I then told the owner of the accident involving his pick-up truck and the death. I then asked the owner for his automobile insurance information. The phone went silent with a pregnant pause. So much so that I had to ask, “are you still there?” The owner said his auto insurance card was in the truck, so he didn’t have any insurance numbers to give me.
Later in our conversation, I think the owner suddenly realized his liability. He then made it very clear that on that “particular” morning, he did not give permission for the driver to have his truck. Thus, he took out a motor vehicle theft report with the Trooper. I guess the owner thought this would relieve him and his insurance company from all liability or monies that were to be forthcoming. Further warrants and citations were issued against the driver by Troop. That was the end of it for me.
I found Lt. Cain sitting in his cruiser in the jail parking lot. He had me drive him around for the rest of the shift. Lieutenant Cain never let anyone drive him around, he wanted to always be in control. Oh yes, we went straight back to work around noon. I didn’t say a word to him until he started to talk near the end of our shift. I figured he was working out what happened and trying to deal with it in his own way. Silently. You L.E.O.s know what I mean.
The picture above shows Sergeant Cain from his night shift patrol supervisor days. The lieutenant never said a word, and I was not going to start any conversations while he tried to work things out in his head. Just a cop with his own thoughts. Enough of those and you’re P.T.S.D. bound sooner or later. Sometimes both. But definitely later. I think he was probably trying to bury the tragedy deep inside, never to be dredged up again. Speaking for me, my crutch was alcohol. I can’t say what it was for others. About a week or so later, I was called at home and told to come in early to meet with a GBI agent.