01-21-2007, 03:48 AM
There was a DUI checkpoint last night (Friday 01/19/2007) on Cortez Road, right past Wal-Mart.
I have a drinking problem; and even worse, I have a really bad case of "I'm fine to drive" when I am totally not fine to drive.
Last night was no exception. On my way home from Bradenton Beach bars, I decided that Wal-Mart was the perfect place to go for some munchies.
Concerned friends followed behind me in their car. When they saw that I had safely made it to Wal-Mart, they continued East on Cortez.
They went through the check point which thankfully I missed.
These friends called me today to inform me that had I driven 50 yards further than I drove, than I would be in jail.
That phone call scared the living $hit out of me. Literally, I was shaking and crying in my room imagining all that I could have lost by drinking and driving.
Just because I'm in the LE field, that does not mean that I am above the law. Had I driven through that checkpoint, my life would be over right now.
I would lose EVERYTHING. My career, my relationship, my freedom, EVERYTHING. Not to mention the fact that [/b] I have NO BUSINESS endangering the lives of other innocent drivers.
I want to thank the respective agencies who initiated that DUI checkpoint.
That phone call from my friends today changed my life. Had there been no checkpoint, I wouldn't have had the sense knocked into me.
Because of that checkpoint, I attended my first AA meeting today. I made a promise to myself and to God that I WILL NOT EVER put innocent lives at risk again. I will not lose my career, my freedom, and the respect of the people I love because I think that I have the right to drink and drive.
Tomorrow I will be at church - I haven't been to church in years. I will be praying for the strength, courage, and wisdom to STOP being so reckless.
I will also be thanking God for this wake up call, and praying for the safety of all of my fellow law enforcement Officers.
Thank you for changing my life.
I have a drinking problem; and even worse, I have a really bad case of "I'm fine to drive" when I am totally not fine to drive.
Last night was no exception. On my way home from Bradenton Beach bars, I decided that Wal-Mart was the perfect place to go for some munchies.
Concerned friends followed behind me in their car. When they saw that I had safely made it to Wal-Mart, they continued East on Cortez.
They went through the check point which thankfully I missed.
These friends called me today to inform me that had I driven 50 yards further than I drove, than I would be in jail.
That phone call scared the living $hit out of me. Literally, I was shaking and crying in my room imagining all that I could have lost by drinking and driving.
Just because I'm in the LE field, that does not mean that I am above the law. Had I driven through that checkpoint, my life would be over right now.
I would lose EVERYTHING. My career, my relationship, my freedom, EVERYTHING. Not to mention the fact that [/b] I have NO BUSINESS endangering the lives of other innocent drivers.
I want to thank the respective agencies who initiated that DUI checkpoint.
That phone call from my friends today changed my life. Had there been no checkpoint, I wouldn't have had the sense knocked into me.
Because of that checkpoint, I attended my first AA meeting today. I made a promise to myself and to God that I WILL NOT EVER put innocent lives at risk again. I will not lose my career, my freedom, and the respect of the people I love because I think that I have the right to drink and drive.
Tomorrow I will be at church - I haven't been to church in years. I will be praying for the strength, courage, and wisdom to STOP being so reckless.
I will also be thanking God for this wake up call, and praying for the safety of all of my fellow law enforcement Officers.
Thank you for changing my life.