There is an adverse list of consequences associated with a drunk driving conviction in Tennessee, and it is lengthy.
For starters, and as we note on a page of our website focused on Tennessee DUI charges and potential repercussions at the Nashville Law Offices of Thomas T. Overton, it includes entries like these:
- license suspension, even for a first offense
- Time spent behind bars
- Ignition interlock installation
- Punitively high level of fines and related fees
And that is far from being an inclusive compilation of the potential downsides. As we stress on our website, there are “other consequences,” too, that can stem from a DUI arrest.
A recent story surrounding the roadside involvement of police with a top-tier American celebrity and cultural icon underscores what those consequences can be in a given case.
We’re referencing last week’s arrest of famed golfer Tiger Woods for suspected drunk driving. Woods was found by police on the side of a road unconscious, with his vehicle motor running.
One national media account of the incident notes that much of the public was seemingly quite willing to instantly judge Woods guilty of a drinking-related offense.
As truth revealed itself, however, it became clear that Woods had no alcohol whatsoever in his system. In fact, an administered breathalyzer test showed that the golfer had a blood alcohol content of 0.00.
Woods has steadfastly contended that his “sluggish, sleepy” demeanor referenced in the police report owed to a reaction from several prescribed drugs he was taking following surgery.
That assertion will be fully tested of course, but, in the interim, it is clear that Woods had not imbibed any alcohol at all, despite conjecture in the mainstream media and on online suggesting otherwise.
Any person — not just famous tabloid figures — can suffer a reputational hit from an under-the-influence police stop and investigation, even if an arrest does not ultimately yield a conviction. For many people, the stigma linked with even a perceived connection with behind-the-wheel inebriation can be every bit as pernicious as any of the bulleted consequences cited above.
Proven defense attorneys well appreciate that concern, as well as all the others that arise pursuant to a DUI stop. Experienced legal counsel will take every necessary step to safeguard the reputation and promote the legal interests of a client involved in a DUI or other driving-related matter.
