2008 Woodie Awards
Math department head charged with DUI despite blowing under legal limit (w/incident report)
JULIA SEVY
Issue date: 8/19/08 Section: News
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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.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 17
CaveMan
posted 8/19/08 @ 9:31 AM EST
Too bad he doesn't play soccer.
O Friendly
posted 8/19/08 @ 10:03 AM EST
He did everything wrong.
A - Don't drink and drive. You could kill somebody or yourself.
B - If you had a drink and you are driving (see A) don't draw attention to yourself by driving recklessly like, um, going the wrong way on an exit ramp. (Continued…)
kell
posted 8/19/08 @ 10:03 AM EST
Police at UGA and ACC are so silly. Don't let them fool you. DUI is quite a profitable industry in this town. Even this weak case will probably cost the "offender" thousands of dollars even though no law was broken. (Continued…)
Mike Collins
posted 8/19/08 @ 11:51 AM EST
Proof that education doesn't make you smarter!
Baron Kelly
posted 8/19/08 @ 6:50 PM EST
This is ridiculous. If you blow under the legal limit than you are not Driving Under the Influence according to the law. Period. Just because a cop says you are drunk does not make it so. (Continued…)
anonymous
posted 8/20/08 @ 7:21 AM EST
The guy is either an idiot or was driving while impaired. Simple.
Either he's an idiot who doesn't know how to drive, going the wrong way up a one way ramp and all. (Continued…)
Skeptical
posted 8/20/08 @ 10:21 PM EST
Field sobriety tests are notoriously unreliable. My advice: if you ever get in a similar situation, don't agree to it! Insist on the breathalyzer, that is the only reliable test. (Continued…)
DawgFan
posted 8/21/08 @ 11:58 AM EST
Yeah, if this guy doesn't agree to roadside tests and only agrees to blow into the Intoxilyzer at the jail he probably walks. Instead, he willingly gave the officer all kinds of evidence demonstrating just how wasted he was (being belligerent, staggering during the walking test and failing the vision test). (Continued…)
Mark
posted 8/21/08 @ 6:27 PM EST
The legal limit is already really low to begin with. Most DUI accidents occur somewhere between 0.3 and 0.4. At 0.08, most people wouldn't even be able to tell. (Continued…)
DawgFan
posted 8/21/08 @ 9:30 PM EST
Read the police report. That was my point...by taking the roadside sobriety tests, which he failed miserably, Mr. Fu guaranteed a rather easy conviction. (Continued…)
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