UGA incident report

Math department head charged with DUI despite blowing under legal limit (w/incident report)

By: JULIA SEVY

Posted: 8/19/08

Joseph Fu, head of the University's mathematics department, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol Friday.

But, Fu's breath sample of .057 grams was less than the legal limit of .08 grams for people over 21.

A University police officer pulled Fu over after he drove his 1986 BMW 528E onto a one-way exit ramp on Loop 10 and violated a Do Not Enter sign, according to the incident report.

After Fu received his breath sample results at the Athens-Clarke County jail, he "demanded to be released because he had not blown over the per se limit in Georgia," the report states. The arresting officer explained the DUI - Less Safe process to Fu, and he "became highly agitated" and said it was "unjust that he could be held under arrest based solely on [the officer's] testimony," according to the report

The DUI - Less Safe process states that a driver still can be charged with DUI even if the driver's breath sample is less than the legal amount, University Police Chief Jimmy Williamson said. Officers often look for reckless driving when determining if a driver should be charged with DUI, Williamson said.

Fu told the officer he was at Copper Creek, where he consumed four India Pale Ale beers, the report said. Fu said he had also consumed alcohol at his home prior to going to Copper Creek, according to the report.

Fu was pulled over at 10:09 p.m. but was not booked until 11:20 p.m. because he said "he did not know anyone who could remove [his] vehicle from the scene" and needed to wait until Barrett's Towing arrived, the report said.

Fu said the arresting officer "lacked basic human integrity or decency" when he refused to transport his friend - who was in the vehicle with Fu - home due to liability policies.

According to the report, Fu's mannerisms "oscillated from combative, angry, and insulting to cooperative yet condescending."

Fu also was charged with failure to obey a traffic control device and traveling the wrong way on a one-way street, the report said.

Attempts to contact Fu Monday were unsuccessful.