It doesn’t matter who you are. If you’re driving while intoxicated in Georgia, you will be arrested and charged with DUI. That goes for police chiefs as well. On November 25th at about 11:30 pm, the Chief of Police at Georgia State University learned this the hard way.
Chief Joe Spillane was traveling along GA 54 near the Stevens Entry when he was pulled over by police. His car had been weaving in and out of the lanes. The police could tell right away that Spillane was drunk. After conducting a field sobriety test, the police cuffed Spillane and took him to the Fayetteville County Jail.
The jail refused to take Spillane. They said he was simply too drunk. Two days later, he was booked into the jail and released on bond a few hours later. He had been charged with DUI and failure to maintain lane.
This was the second DUI for Spillane. He had been charged and convicted of his first DUI back in June of 2017. At that time, he was pulled over with his wife in the car. On the police officer’s recording, you can hear Spillane’s wife begging them not to give her husband a field sobriety test. At that time, he was charged with DUI, open container and failure to maintain lane. He was convicted of all three.
Last time he was arrested and charged with DUI, Joe Spillane was placed on unpaid administrative leave from the university. This time, he resigned right away. Assistant Chief Anthony Coleman has been named interim chief for now.
As this story shows, even a police chief isn’t above the law. His criminal record now sports not one but two DUI.
If you or your teen has been charged with DUI, contact a Georgia DUI attorney right away.
Source: https://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-state-police-chief-resigns-following-2nd-dui-arrest/2TO45XGEUJCFFNB4GZ72YHAXYI/