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Drunks Arrested For Parking Under the Influence

Next time you go partying, you may want to think before you drink. That advice from Morgan County Sheriff Greg Bartlett.

"All you got to do is prove they are intoxicated. Most of the time it's obvious if they are passed out in a vehicle," said Bartlett.

Some drunk drivers crawl behind the wheel, taking their chances on the highway. The one's caught driving under the influence are given a breath test, then handcuffed and taken to jail. But did you know you don't have to be driving drunk to get a DUI?

"It's not for them to decide if they are too drunk to drive. It's for us to decide," said Bartlett.

Here's how the state's DUI law works. You are out drinking. You decide to leave the bar and get into your car. Even if your car is parked and the keys are in your pocket, an officer can charge you with DUI. The same is true sitting in your own driveway.

"What if they woke up at 2 a.m. and decided to look around. They didn't see anybody and decided to drive then they still may be under the influence and still hurt somebody," Bartlett explains.

Forcing drivers like Shelia Acklin to worry everytime she goes somewhere.

"If it was not enforced there would be many lives taken from innocent people,' says Acklin.

While not everyone agrees with the state's law, Bartlett says its better to be safe than sorry.

"We know they can start driving at anytime. You can't sit there and watch them. It gives the officer a chance to get them off the road."

DUI is a misdemeanor offense. The punishment is a fine and loss of driver's license. The fourth offense is a felony, which includes jail time.