I snagged my first DWI (DUI, same thing here).
I've never been one to crazily drink and drive, though I do admit there have been times where I'd throw back a few beers and not hesitate to drive myself home. I felt, and still feel, okay with that as anytime I closed in on the stage of "drunkeness" I have been responsible enough to not drive. I even received my first two "Drunk In Public" charges this past year from sleeping in my car--parked in a public place--with the key in the glove box to avoid drinking and driving (once after celebrating my graduation and once after the celebration of a colleague's graduating).
..this time, however, I fucked up big time! 
I drove out to the local college bar to hang out with some friends I hadn't seen in a while. I had been going out drinking more frequently than normal the past three months as I had been locked away in my apartment or at work for a good year+ and seemed to crave the social interaction. The plan was to have a beer or two and head home (as I always do--never been all that crazy on the over-drinking) but something came up and my friends had to leave unexpectedly. I ended up staying by myself, joining up with a group of people I had seen at this bar the week before, and having another beer... and then another. I remember drinking four beers total.
After a bit of chatting, I decided to call it quits and head home. Didn't think twice about driving, though I did comment mentally how fucked up I felt. I hopped in my car and headed out. All seemed normal, I came to a stop sign, lit up a cigarette, thought again on why I felt so fucked up, and pushed forward.
Weeee-ooohhh--weeee--ohhhh. Flashing lights.

I pulled over into a parking lot. They had pulled me over for a "California stop" at the stop sign. They smelled the alcohol and asked me to do a sobriety test. I failed. They were shocked because they had apparently been following me for over a mile and I was driving way better than my sobriety test would have suggested.
I also refused the breathalyzer test as I was under the drunken impression that I did not have to.
Arrested and taken to jail. Honestly, don't remember many details from the evening.. which sucks as you really have no defense under those circumstances. I do remember offering to subject myself to the breathalyzer after they told me I was catching a second charge because of it; having already refused, they are not required to give me a second chance.
Long story short, I spent a couple days in jail waiting for a bondsman, am being charged with my first DUI, have spent over $3,500 (already) on getting my car out of the lot, towing it home, getting cabs, and paying my lawyer. I have to attend probation once weekly until the end of my case, will most likely have another $4,000+ in fines after being charged, have to attend ASAP classes for 6 months, and get that creepy mechanism installed in my car for 6 months. I lose my license for a full year (with no restrictive work driving) if my lawyer can't get that "Refulse to Blow" charge dropped--meaning I will lose mah jerb.
Mr. Big Expensive Attorney Man is sure I'm going to have to plead guilty to the DWI I've been charged with. He was recommended to me through the owner of the company I work for and is supposedly a high-end lawyer.. but I'm not sure he can help me much (nor does he seem too willing to work some magic to at least get the fines reduced some).
Anywho, when all the stressful crap was taken care of, I got home and noticed that all my cash was gone (was carrying $220 in my wallet) and my bank statement showed another five charges to my debit card at the price of two drinks each. That may explain why I don't remember anything.. but it does not explain how I managed to pass over into that level of drunkness without realizing it was coming.
DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE KIDS. IT'S EXPENSIVE. ...really though, it's dangerous. I'm lucky I didn't kill someone.
-------------------- "You can peel it [language] off the ceiling and make it dance in front of you" - McKenna <3 .
Edited by Cynosure (12/27/13 07:45 PM)
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