To the editor:

Is it still true (or not) that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty? When a person is arrested, the charges are posted in the police news. If then, later that person is found innocent or the charges are dropped (due to insufficient evidence or lack thereof), is that information published? Maybe it should be.

Here’s the story: A man leaves the bowling alley after league play. He drives less than three blocks and makes a left turn for home with no other traffic in sight. After a few more blocks, he sees flashing lights in his rear view mirror and pulls right to let the police cruiser pass. Instead, it pulls directly behind him and stops. The officer informs the guy that he failed to use his left blinker. Whether or not the officer smelled beer or knew the man had just come from men’s bowling night, he arrested him for DUI. (Truth is, the guy had three beers in the course of the entire evening.) 

Anyway, the man blows .05 on 3 different breathalyzers. (As most already know, .08 is the cutoff, so the man is not legally drunk.) The officer then deems him impaired and has him perform a field sobriety test. (The guy is a 68-year-old retiree. I would dare anyone over the age of 60 to proficiently pull off that heel/toe maneuver!) Next, he is subjected to a blood test (assuming they’re looking for drugs would be my guess). Came back clean. The man bonds out so he doesn’t have to stay in jail until his court date. This whole procedure took about six hours in the middle of the night.

Court date arrives, and the man is notified that he does not have to appear on that date. Weeks pass and he is not notified of the new court date. He calls, but still no date has been set. Thinking he might miss it and be arrested again, he calls and asks for formal written notification. Three months after his arrest, the man finally receives it - “no charges filed.” It only (sarcasm) cost this guy $100 bail money, a smear on his name, and a good bit of grief. (I’ve since heard there have been two others stopped at this same location. Do ya suppose it’s a sting operation?!)

So folks, the moral of the story is: use your blinkers! BTW: Where are these guys when absent minded people are driving in the pouring rain (or fog) without their headlights turned on?

Reatha Michaelis

Great Bend