Tuesday, 15 October 2013

Council approves harsher drunk driving laws



The city council approved more stringent laws regarding drunk driving, despite opposition from some councilmembers.  

The ordinance, which passed last night by a vote of five to three, will take effect on December 31 of this year. The new law will require those convicted of their second drunk charge to serve a minimum of thirty days in jail and a suspended driver’s’ license for six months. 

“I think the new law will save the lives of a lot of people,” Councilman Clarissa Atwel, said. Atwel sponsored the change. 

The council chamber was full of both opponents and supporters of the new law, including members of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). 

Les Honeycutt, a councilman opposed to the change, said he felt the laws against drunk driving were strong enough and that they needed to be enforced more rigidly.

Honeycutt’s comments received hoots and jeers from the crowd, and at one point council president Harley Sanders threatened to have some of the audience evicted.

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