Former Coos County D.A. Paul Burgett Arrested: DUII
Breaking News
Former Coos County District Attorney Paul Richard Burgett, 63, of Coos Bay, was arrested and booked into the Coos County Jail Saturday evening on charges alleging driving under the influence of intoxicants.
According to police, a Coquille police officer stopped the vehicle Burgett was driving about 10:21 p.m. on Highway 42 outside of Coquille for a traffic violation. After approaching the vehicle, the officer smelled a moderate odor of an alcoholic beverage, according to a press release. Burgett was administered a field sobriety test and was subsequently arrested for DUII alcohol.
According to Coquille Police Chief Janice Blue, Burgett’s Blood Alcohol Content was .04, half the legal limit of .08.
“He failed the field sobriety test, he was impaired,” Blue told Coquille-Today.Com.
Coos County District Attorney Paul Frasier said a district attorney’s office other than Coos County would have to handle the case.
I want to say I admire this news site for reporting this. Nobody has ever had the guts to report when someone official or former official DA ,Judge or police officers has been arrested for crimes they daily prosecute people on.. Kudos to admin.
My concern with this story is that I have a severe Vitamin b12 defeciency. Is there something we should carry with us that says “May not be able to pass a field sobriety test?”. I can feel unsteady on my feet on my best day…I could easily fail a field sobriety test stone cold sober. I’m just wondering…it doesn’t interfere with my ablity to drive a vehicle….but I could trip on the silly ground. I know diabetics who have said the same. If the person driving is under the legal limit…it just concerns me that you can still be arrested for DUI. Please explain if you can.
It is a police officer’s duty to remove anyone from the road they determine to be a danger to themselves or others. As I’m sure you know, police departments have paid huge monetary settlements for failing in that duty.
However, there may be some other things to consider.
Alcohol dissipates from the human body at a rate of about .02 percent per hour. If it took an hour from the time Mr. Burgett was stopped until he received the Breathalyzer his blood alcohol would have decreased by .02 percent making him likely a .06 at the time of the traffic stop. The effects of alcohol are much different upon a person who drinks regularly as opposed to someone who rarely drinks. A Breathalyzer is specific for alcohol and does not determine whether a person may have a prescription drug in their system.
GOOD POINTS. THANK YOU!
Unless the Chief was at the scene of the arrest, how would she know whether a guy who blew a .04 was impaired? .04 isn’t illegal. Is she just automatically backing her officer? That figures.
Chief Blue witnessed the field sobriety test.
I was just informed that the person has the right to proove that they were not intoxicated or that other factors were involved in their failing the field test. I’m with Robert…I’d rather have them off the street and let them proove their case later.
Chief Blue was not on the scene and did not personally witness the field sobriety test.
There are people out there driving when they should not be driving – and that’s what the law is for. In this case, the officer was wrong. Paul blew a .04. Period.
I see it the whole thing likely going no where.
BUZZ DRIVING IS DRUCK DRIVING: Have you seen this on TV? Paul knows the laws and should know any amount of booze and driving don’t mix.Many people have been found guilty of DUII with a low BAC.If you hold a CDL 0.4 is legally drunk. A man who spent his life prosecuting DUIIs should certainly know this.
I was once stopped and arrested for DUII, I failed the field sobriety test because while standing on one leg with one foot raised, arms outstretched and looking at my raised foot (per the police instructions)I glanced up at the officer and asked if that was correct. They arrested because I “did not follow their instructions” (which was to look at my raise foot). No charges were ever pressed because I had had one drink 5 hours previously and blew a 0.01. I did get to spend 4 hours at the police station waiting to be processed, while being accused of being on drugs (which tests also proved to be false).
So while I do not want drunk drivers on the road either, I think that the police often arrest just because they want to.