A Georgia Man’s Dog is His Designated Driver

On July 2, 2014, Georgia law enforcement officers arrested a man in Oconee County for driving under the influence. The man insisted that he had not been driving, but rather, his dog drove him to the store.

The Oconee County Sheriff's Office responded to an emergency call reporting a dog locked in a parked car at Bell's Food Store. The law enforcement officers arrived to find the dog in a car that was 123 degrees inside.

Officers report that when the officers located the dog's owner, Wesley Mark Terrell, 60, they noticed that he appeared to be highly intoxicated. When the officers approached Terrell, he explained to them that the dog had driven him to the store to buy corn.

Animal Control has taken custody of the dog, and Terrell has been charged with DUI and animal cruelty.

This case, among other things, spotlights the effects that alcohol can have on your judgment. This man was clearly impaired if he believed that any officer would accept his explanation. While creative, Terrell's clarification that he was not driving, but his dog was his designated driver, will likely only worsen his case. Unfortunately, judges do not grant points for creativity in DUI cases.

Mr. Terrell will need a top-rated Oconee County DUI Lawyer.