An Oldham County High School principal is on paid leave after being charged with driving under the influence and reckless driving. Though she will take one week off to address personal issues, she will remain employed with the board of education while charges are pending. Her continued employment will be decided pending the outcome of this incident.
A police officer observed a woman crossing the center line several times on in the early hours of a Sunday morning. Upon pulling her over, he noticed that she had slurred speech and smelled strongly of alcohol. The officer asked the woman to step out of the vehicle, where he then performed a sobriety test and obtained a blood alcohol reading. The woman failed both, with her blood alcohol registering at 0.11 percent. The legal blood alcohol limit for driving in the state of Kentucky is 0.08 percent. She advised the officer that she “was out with friends.”
In addition to DUI, the woman was also charged with reckless driving. In Kentucky, this charge is a misdemeanor carrying a possible sentence of 90 days license suspension, or even incarceration. She will also incur 4 points applied to her license, which will remain active for two years from the date of a conviction. Any individual who incurs 12 points on a license within a two-year time period is subject to administrative action by the state. Generally, this results in a license suspension for a minimum of one year. Points can be deducted once per year by the completion of a Kentucky driving school. Points also tend to increase automobile insurance costs.
An attorney can negotiate with a prosecutor in these types of cases, often resulting in plea deals, lesser charges, and suspended sentences to allow a person time for rehabilitation and restitution. He or she may also be able to offer guidance in situations such as this one where employment hinges on an outcome.