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Cited for Public Drunkenness

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  • 01-02-2011, 03:30 PM
    T2bcristlk
    Cited for Public Drunkenness
    My question involves criminal law for the state of: PA I was at a friend's house on NY eve (2010). I went outside to get my purse from my locked car before I went to sleep. (I was supposed to sleep on the couch.) Before I even got in my car I was approached by an officer who instantly insisted I put my hands behind my back. I refused and he summoned help. A second officer arrived. I was intoxicated, but definitely not to the point where I didn't know what I was doing, etc. I was upset and confused because I have NEVER had any interaction with the police for anything like this. I have NEVER even been in a police station. My speech was slurry and that is what the officers are saying is their proof, as I refused a field breath test. I cannot remember the last time I even had a drink..this was a one time thing. I had 2 drinks between and a tiny cup of champagne between 8 PM and the midnite. The officers MANHANDLED me...I have bruised wrists, a fat lip...and the person I was going to stay with watched the whole thing from their window. The officer put me in the car and took me to the station. I was VERY upset and crying. He kept telling my to calm down. I kept asking for my purse to get my anxiety medicine, but he would not let me have it. He repeatedly told me he was a former firefighter and had lots of experience with this. I told him I felt scared and shaking inside. He said" don't worry, you're not going to die". (he's not a medical dr.!)He told me if I only had 2 drinks that means I am a lightweight. I don't know what that meant, but I am not skinny so that confused me also. I told him I am on disability and have a pacemaker and asked over and over for my medicine. He asked what I was on disability for?? (what should that matter?) He said that you can't take that medicine if you've been drinking. Again...he is NOT an M.D. or anything similar! He didn't ask the name of my medicine or anything. (When I got home, I looked at my medicine bottle and it said NOTHING about not taking it if you are drinking!!!) I explained that my I do lots of volunteer work in the community and my son is 19 and has never been in trouble.We try to make where we live a better place by setting an example. I had a VERY hard year last year with my health, finances and such and just at the last minute decided to go to a friend's house instead of sitting home alone. We live in a section 8 development that has a very bad reputation in this small town. I felt like I was being lumped in with all that negativity and the other officer confirmed that he only knew my from the times I've called in for problems in our complex. (and this police department isn't even the one that covers where we live?!) He also knew my son's name...even though my son does NOT drive and has NO record or prior interaction with any police ever. There is no amount specified on my citation, and when I asked the issuing officer about it, he said "you'll have to call the court Monday. It'll be up to the judge. I didn't want to fine you. We are not angry with you. But you fought us and so I have to write you up. No...call the court Wednesday, not Monday." When I asked why I should wait (He said I only have 10 days to respond) he said they might not have me in the system yet??? After I had calmed down, he asked me to walk over to the wall and back, which I did. But he told me I walked too fast?! I am confused, upset, injured...help?!
  • 01-02-2011, 03:55 PM
    cbg
    Re: Cited for Public Drunkeness in Pa
    Well, you didn't die, did you?

    And taking any kind of anxiety medication when you've been drinking is a very, VERY bad idea. You don't have to be a medical doctor to know that.
  • 01-02-2011, 05:25 PM
    T2bcristlk
    Re: Cited for Public Drunkeness in Pa
    If you knew anything about such disorders, you would know one feels their heart race, etc. and feels as though they will die. Again, my medicine says nothing about drinking nor did my doctor or pharmacist.

    ANyway, if someone can at least tell if the way the police handled this appropriate?
  • 01-02-2011, 05:43 PM
    cbg
    Re: Cited for Public Drunkeness in Pa
    I know far more about such disorders than I want to. I have several family members with such conditions. Don't assume.

    The fact remains, whatever you felt like, you didn't die. And the fact remains that drinking while on anti-anxiety meds is not recommended.
  • 01-02-2011, 09:14 PM
    LawResearcherMissy
    Re: Cited for Public Drunkeness in Pa
    Quote:

    He told me if I only had 2 drinks that means I am a lightweight. I don't know what that meant, but I am not skinny so that confused me also.
    It means you can't handle your booze. It has nothing to do with your weight.

    Quote:

    If you knew anything about such disorders, you would know one feels their heart race, etc. and feels as though they will die.
    So? Did you die?

    Quote:

    Again, my medicine says nothing about drinking nor did my doctor or pharmacist.
    Horsepuckey. The insert in your medication very clearly tells you not to use alcohol when you're on it. This is true of ALL anti-anxiety medications, because NONE of them should be mixed with alcohol. It's your responsibility to read the package insert that comes with your scrip. And really? Isn't it just plain old common sense that mixing mood altering substances is a bad idea?

    What, precisely, do you think the cop did wrong? You were, in fact, drunk in public. When the nice man in the blue uniform, WITH A GUN, tells you to put your hands behind your back, you say "Yes, sir", and you PUT YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOUR BACK. This is not astrophysics. You do not fight with the man with the gun, no matter how badly the past year sucked, how much you had to drink, or what sort of disability you have.

    Call the court as instructed. If you want to fight the citation, hire an attorney.
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