Georgia Police "DUI Expert" Arrested for DUI

A Georgia police officer considered to be an "expert" in DUI charges was himself arrested for driving under the influence (DUI). Officer Kevin Yarborough, age 38, of the Glynn County Police Department, was arrested Monday, March 4, 2019. He was arrested by Georgia State Trooper Sgt. 1st Class Chad Gray. 

Based on the reports of Georgia State Troopers, Yarborough purportedly crossed a white line in preparation to make a left turn, and then soon after crossed the double yellow line in the road. Yarborough was given a roadside breathalyzer test, and he tested positive for the presence of alcohol. Yarborough then took a blood alcohol test back at the station. He has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation of his alleged actions.

Yarborough was recognized as Georgia's drug recognition expert of the year in 2016 and 2017 in an annual report by the Governor's Office of Highway Safety. As a "drug recognition expert," his is one of more than 200 law enforcement officials in Georgia who received special training, and are considered "experts" in their field.

Yarborough is charged with DUI less safe and failure to maintain lane.

If you or someone you care about has been arrested for DUI, an experienced Georgia DUI attorney can defend your case and protect your rights.

Drug Recognition Experts

So-called drug recognition "experts" are specially trained officers who are supposedly able to identify when a person has been driving under the influence of illegal or prescription drugs. Unlike with DUI alcohol, DUI drugs or DUI prescription drugs do not have a roadside breath test that can be used to determine whether a person is intoxicated by drugs in the field.

Instead, typical officers rely on things like field sobriety tests, which are known to be inaccurate and often lead to false positive indicators of intoxication in an otherwise sober driver. Drug Recognition Expert training is supposed to be the answer to this issue, teaching special recognition techniques to officers to allow them to "know" when a person is high.

However, in many studies, drug recognition expert officers were often only able to determine 50-50 if a person was under the influence of drugs, which is about the same as officers who have not gone through the special training. This means that there are still a great number of false positives, even by these so-called "experts."

Defending Your Case

These officers often try to convince juries of their expert status, but with real science, you can put forward a truly valid offense in order to protect your rights.

The training of these officers, as well as their individual conclusions, can be challenged in court in order to present your defense.

Consult a Georgia DUI Attorney

Drug Recognition Expert testimony is an attempt by Georgia law enforcement to prove their case with junk science. You deserve to have knowledgeable help to make sure your rights are protected. An experienced Georgia DUI attorney knows how to present and defend your case. Contact us today for a free consultation of your case.