OWIs result in jail time, fees

At 8 a.m. Thursday, Cameron woke up in the “drunk tank” of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department trying to reconstruct the previous night. Three hours earlier he was booked for OWI, Operating While Intoxicated.

After an evening at a local bar, Cameron got behind the wheel of his SUV before he was pulled over.

Two Monroe County Sheriff’s Department squad cars intercepted his vehicle. An officer approached his driver-side window and asked him if he had been drinking.

Cameron was then asked to step out of his vehicle. He failed a field sobriety test and consequently was asked to turn around against the car where he was handcuffed.

Generally speaking, if a driver refuses to comply with either a field sobriety test or a breathalyzer, a blood sample is taken at a local hospital, Mike Pershing, chief deputy of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, said.

When Cameron awoke Thursday morning he was with three other men in a holding cell commonly referred to as the “drunk tank” or the “detox.” It has an exposed toilet, sink and a ledge mounted  six inches above the tile floor.

“That day I did a lot of thinking,” Cameron said. “Looking at these guys — repeat offenders — made me feel like garbage.”

He said he tried to remain awake as long as possible by talking to his cell mates and even completing a set of decline pushups with the help of the ledge.

Lunch consisted of a piece of pork that looked like a sausage patty, broccoli, peaches and an indiscernible concoction of what seemed to be rice and spinach, he said.

“The guys in there said Monroe County jail food is the best jail food around,” Cameron said. “My dog wouldn’t eat that.”

After having been detained for nearly 24 hours, Cameron was escorted out of his cell. He was about to be moved into the jail several levels above him called “A Block.”

He took a shower with lice-killing soap and was given orange pants, orange sandals and an orange vest. He said the officers allowed him to keep his white T-Shirt, but he was forced to remove his black socks and black underwear.

After he was given a knapsack with toiletries, Cameron and the escorting officer rode the elevator up to the cell block.

When he arrived in his new cell at around 5 a.m. Friday, Cameron said he got more than five consecutive hours of sleep — something he hadn’t been able to do in
more than a day.

At 1 p.m. Friday he heard his name called on the intercom. After 32 hours, he had finally been bailed out. 

Although jail is in the past, Cameron will be paying his debt to society for months to come.

“Every county is different in how they deal with convictions,” said Bob Miller, chief deputy prosecutor for Monroe County.

The arrested individual will make a first appearance before the judge, where he or she will be advised of the charges and informed of his or her constitutional rights.

Miller said, generally speaking, for the first OWI offense — a Class A misdemeanor — there is a 90-day suspension of the arrested individual’s license.

First-time offenders will perform between 30 and 50 hours of road crew or volunteer work, attend alcohol education classes and be subjected to random drug testing and probation for one year, Miller said.

Additionally, OWI convicts will go before a “victim impact panel,” consisting of family victims impacted by drunk drivers. Although the court costs associated with a first-time OWI offense are roughly $600, the lawyer fee is what racks up the bill.

“The going rate for a lawyer in a drunk driving case is 2,000 to 2,500 dollars,” Miller said.

He said most first-time OWI offenses are not taken to a jury trial.

As Cameron reflected on his decision to drive that night, he said he wished he could redo his actions.

“A 20-dollar cab ride is better than spending any amount of time in jail,” Cameron said. “Looking back, I could have seriously harmed myself or someone else, and I am very fortunate that wasn’t the case.”