Alcohol & Drugs: MIP, MIC, Intoxication Spring Break Trouble

[keepinitreal]

OK, Here's my story. I live in Marianna, FL which is about an hour away from Panama City where I was vacationing at about a week and a half ago. While there some friends and I decided to go ride the strip. ("The strip" is a stretch of road in Panama that all the srping breakers ride up and down all night. It is usually bumper to bumper traffic and everyone stops in traffic and gets in and out of their vehicles) Before we left I told everyone to leave their drinks at the hotel. We got about 30 yards from our hotel when I had to use the restroom. I asked the person in the passenger seat to take the wheel while i go pee. Traffic was not moving at all when my friend got out and walked around the car and got in the drivers seat. When I got back from using the restroom at a nearby store, we got pulled over. There was 6 people in the car and I was in the passenger seat. The cop asked to see my license and registration even though I was not driving. He then went to his car and came back and gave the driver 2 tickets. One for switching drivers in traffic and one for open container. He then gave me a court summons for "Unlawful possesion of alcohol." I was the only one to recieve a summons and was wondering what I should say to the judge when I go and if there was any way I could get a copy of the police report before I go to court.

 

[Michael Wechsler]

Will the police report help you? You can request one from the station, I believe. However, if you were guilty, you were guilty and open contianer offenses mean that you had an open container in the car and you don't have to be the driver. What you describe can be potentially dangerous and that is why the offenses exist. Perhaps you could speak to the Assistant DA prosecuting the case beforehand for a plea bargain arrangement. Good luck.