Crime Notebook: Student hyperventilates after breathalyzer test (w/documents)
A University student was charged Saturday morning with DUI, underage possession or consumption of alcohol, failure to maintain lane and distracted driver, according to an Athens-Clarke County Police report.
An Athens-Clarke County Police officer pulled over Alyssa Anne Sanders, 18, after he witnessed her hitting the curb. She also “appeared to be typing a text message,” according to the report. She pulled onto the sidewalk in front of Raising Cane’s on Baxter Street.
The officer smelled alcohol and asked if Sanders had been drinking, according to the document. She said no, and when he said he could smell alcohol on her breath, she still said she had nothing to drink. She said she was coming from a fraternity house.
She gave the officer her license and agreed to blow into a breathalyzer. She had a BAC of 0.135, according to the report.
She got out of the car, dropped her purse and wallet, and “displayed poor balance.”
She agreed to field sobriety tests. During the tests, the officer asked Sanders, “You don’t drink very often, do you?” according to the document. She answered no.
Sanders was arrested and transported to Clarke County Jail, where she attempted to take a second breathalyzer test. After she could not blow hard enough into the machine to make it register her BAC, “she became very upset with me/herself and began to hyperventilate,” according to the officer.
The failed attempt was considered a refusal of the test.
“I couldn’t take a breathalyzer,” Sanders told The Red & Black on Monday evening. “I, like, hyperventilated. I’ve really just never been in a situation like that before.”
Sanders said she requested a blood test after failing to complete the breathalyzer. She was put into a police car to be taken to the hospital for the test, but the officer backed into another parked police car, Sanders said.
“I got put back in a holding cell for over an hour, and I had to scream to even get my phone call to contact my parents,” Sanders said. “I just want everything to be fixed. This is, like, the worst situation ever.”
Student charged with DUI and possession of marijuana
A University student was charged Monday morning with possession of less than one ounce of marijuana, DUI, possession of drug-related objects and failure to maintain lane, according to an Athens-Clarke County Police report.
Two Athens-Clarke County Police officers went to the Golden Pantry on Jefferson Road after a report of Brian Jason Romm, 22, driving a damaged car with part of the passenger side door “dragging,” according to the document.
The officers saw Romm’s car driving on Prince Avenue, followed it onto Loop 10, and saw the car couldn’t maintain its lane. The officers pulled Romm over.
Romm told the officer that “he was totally lost and had no idea where he was,” the officer wrote. He said he had been living in Athens for about five years.
Romm said the car belonged to his friend and gave the officer his license. The officer could smell the odor of alcohol, according to the report. When questioned, Romm said he had “a couple of beers.” He agreed to field sobriety tests.
After the tests, the officer placed Romm under arrest. The officer found a pipe and an Iron Maiden metal tin containing marijuana in Romm’s pockets, according to the document.
When the officer asked for a BAC test, Romm said “he would not agree to anything without speaking to a lawyer,” the officer wrote.
Romm was transported to Clarke County Jail.
Student kicks bartender in groin, arrested
A University student was charged Sunday morning with public intoxication and disorderly conduct, according to an Athens-Clarke County Police report.
An Athens-Clarke County Police officer arrived at Boar’s Head Lounge to see a bouncer on top of Kevin Tai-Yue Chak, 22.
The bouncer said Chak was “intoxicated and tried to force his way into the bar,” the officer wrote. He said Chak also kicked him in the groin.
The officer handcuffed Chak. He noticed the odor of alcohol coming from Chak’s breath and bloodshot eyes, according to the report.
The officer asked him “what was his problem,” and Chak “laughed at me and was staggering from side-to-side,” the officer wrote. Chak said he had consumed “several drinks.”
Chak was arrested and transported to Clarke County Jail. He declined to comment to The Red & Black on Monday afternoon.
Student found walking on Loop 10
A University student was arrested Saturday morning on charges of underage possession or consumption of alcohol, pedestrian under the influence of alcohol, pedestrians on highways and use of a fake ID, according to an Athens-Clarke County Police report.
An Athens-Clarke County Police officer was dispatched after reports of a pedestrian on Loop 10 near the College Station Road exit. The officer witnessed Alexander Conrad Walgren, 19, “staggering back and forth” on the right side of the road, according to the report. The officer pulled over but Walgren “was oblivious to my patrol car” and did not stop walking until the officer “called out to him to stop and come to me using my patrol car’s P.A. system.”
The officer immediately noticed Walgren’s eyes “were bloodshot and had a glassy appearance,” according to the document. Walgren said he was walking home from a friend’s house, and said he was “aware” that he was not allowed to walk on the highway. The officer noticed the smell of alcohol, and asked for Walgren’s ID. Walgren gave the officer his license but said he had nothing to drink.
A second officer arrived as backup and confirmed the odor of alcohol “coming from both his breath and person,” according to the report. Walgren was asked to blow into a breathalyzer and refused.
Two fake IDs were found on Walgren.
He was arrested and taken to Clarke County Jail.
“I was just trying to get home and I was completely sober,” Walgren told The Red & Black on Monday evening. “I find it interesting that the police are going after college students instead of actual crime in Athens.”
Student finds picture of penis on her car
A University student found a picture of a penis on her car Friday morning, according to a University Police report.
The student told an officer that “an unknown person or persons drew an offensive picture of a penis on the back glass of her car” while it was parked at the East Campus deck, according to the document. The incident occurred between Nov. 30 at 11 p.m. and Friday at 5 a.m.
The picture was drawn with a marker designed for drawing on cars and was easily removed. The student didn’t know anyone who might draw the picture on her car.
