Yes, been awhile. to answer a few questions first.
No, wasn't prison.....although some think I still should!
And No, I didn't ignore/avoid anyone.
Naw, the situation arose stemming from a simple DUI arrest back in '09 before I even knew any of you
I thought it was over and done with. And was, according to new information and the DMV I just dealt with Monday to get my shiney new license! ( albeit a picture of this half bald, grey haired guy weighing 200 lbs and not my ORIGINAL picture from 20 years ago.........Fukin' DMV..........)
This was the WORST legal battle I had ever been involved in. This is including the custody battle for my kids back in '00 or '01 or so. Don't even care to look it up. I won, DMV lost, lets have a few!
Some of you know, some don't, so I'm gonna outline what happened. And why it turned into a military quarantine, well, we'll get into that. But if you live in Az? Pay attention!
I had taken my brother and SIL to the lake in March, '09. The sole purpose was to find a spot to hold my SIL's oldest daughters graduation party. Grandparents would be there from Iowa, ETC. OK .
Day at the lake, Wednesday. Not even a full day, and yes, I had a beer or 5.........
We make it back to Tempe to drop by brother and his wife off to pick up their car. Kinda funny now, but he say "you OK to drive?", I'm like, "no different than normal or ever"
Got not even 2 miles from the shop on the 101 when the cop showed up. Not even gonna get into the tricks and BS he tried to get me to swerve whatever. Pulled me over for my license plate on my boat trailer swinging and he couldn't read it. I had the Moo boat at the time, and yes it was on a hinge to save it from launching/recovery. Kill me. Yea I blew .081.
Nope. Statie wanted my ASS at that point. So I faced and was charged with 4 counts of aggravated extreme DUI.
I dug through this for a couple years thinking "surely, SOMEONE WITH COMMON SENSE IS GOING TO SEE THIS"
Nope. ALL trucks rated rated over 10000 lbs combination are rated "commercial" and thus require special "tags" (we'll get into the tags later, this is gonna be a long post). I drive an F350. Guess what? YUP Commercial vehicle, guess what else? I've had and maintained a CDL for many years only to help out my late father when and if I needed to. Trailering a boat, AND my kids in the truck! A$$wipe made the trifecta!
So back to the arrest, yes, it was a 5'4" (or less) guy fresh back from Iraq or Afganistan, who knows or cares, they ALL are. Cops piss me off in general because they think they are above all us, first, but SHORT cops? HEH! Whole different category! Napoleaon Complex, Short Man Syndrome, whatever you want to call it, somebody thought it a bright idea to give them a gun and authority......go figure........
Any cop under 5'10" Screw you...... You're automatically a dick............
So anyway, I get a lawyer (Almost as bad as a short cop, but he doesn't have a gun....) We head into court first day. This was the first time I realized I was facing 15 years in prison for what I thought was maybe a well deserved DUI..........
This is the end of '14. And its FINALLY OVER!
Have I gotten any of the $17K involved in the fight? No
Did I Recoup any money " Yeah..... RIGHT!
I did, however, win that one cell or nucleus of a cell, of dignity in winning and THEN begin my fight with the DMV beauracracy........That was 2 years ago when I found out, through the Gilbert PD, that my license was in fact, suspended. Got real ugly over there, and to this day, if I ever see that cop again, his car, his well being, and anyone anywhere near him that know him are in serious jeopardy and peril......
2 years after that, the DMV says "Hey! you can get your license back"......Like THAT has stopped me.......and so today, I spent the $95 to get it officially restored.