I traveled to Texas and went to court yesterday for my DWI arrest last October. The only other time I have been in court is as a juror. It was quite interesting being on the receiving end of justice this time. I was offered two years probation, no jail time, 1000 dollar fine, two years of having an interlock device and 80 hours of community service. Hmmmm. I can't leave the country while on probation. So I asked my lawyer to see what I would get if I went to jail instead. Wow. What a difference. No fine, no interlock device, no community service, no probation if I serve 3 months in the county jail. Hmmmm. Now mind you, three months is a fair amount of time to spend in jail I reckon. However, my drivers license was suspended for three months as well.
These negotiations all happen really fast. I did a quick calculation in my head. Interlock device costs 85 dollars a month, so roughly 2000 dollars plus probably another 1000 for probation fees plus the 1000 dollar fine comes to 4000 dollars I would avoid by going to jail instead. Not to mention avoiding 2 years of probation that would keep me from leaving the country until 2017. No question. I took the three months jail time if it means I can get back to South America sooner rather than later. My drivers license will be valid by the time I get out. I report to jail next week on May 14th at 1 P.M.
So this blog will be on hiatus until mid August. There may be some interesting stories of life in a Texas county jail to tell when I get out. I will report back what I find so you don't have to learn from first hand experience. Sort of an Orange is the New Black, Texas style. For all you folks reading these stories from Asia, Australia, Europe, South America and Africa, I apologize for Netflix inside jokes.
As luck would have it, a tornado came through Veriest1's ranch last week so I have been able to help out installing a new electric meter and panel as they were ripped off his house. His dad took me to town to go to court and bought me a thank you breakfast before court. Really nice family. So I am in good hands with more hospitable Texan ADVriders.
Of course I'll be broke by the time I get out of jail. So a few months work before I head back to South America for more travel tales from the roads less traveled next winter. But time flies when you're having fun. And obsessions die hard.
Adios amigos.
I was once on a train and had dinner with someone that had just gotten out of jail in Texas. He said that in Texas you serve ALL the time you are sentenced to.
ReplyDeleteDo you know how severe the facility will be?
Hi Keith,
DeleteIt was the same county jail I was taken to when I was arrested last October. It has a library, TV, and common area that you hang out in during the day, then bunk rooms they lock you up in at night with rather sparse bedding and a ratty blanket. The food is awful but edible. It is not as severe as being locked up in a state penitentiary.
So I will be reading a lot. Plus they give you paper and pens, so I'll have plenty of time to write stories and interview inmates. The drunk driver in front of me in court was sentenced to the same place. Pablo didn't speak English and had a court appointed translator, so I'll get to practice conversational Spanish with him since he got sent to the same place for three months.
I'll report back here when I get out in August. I head to jail in three days. Should be interesting.
Tio, you can do 3 months standing on your head, with your hands tied behind your back, in the dark, underwater. This is cheese to someone with your experience. You will be the yard celeb in no time, and considering it's county time instead of Federal, you will have and ever changing audience eager to hear tales of far horizons and beautiful foreign women.
ReplyDeleteI will look forward to your return.
Hey Scootard,
DeleteYou got that right. Texas county jail is like a cheesy hotel in Honduras. I am well suited for it.
Later,
Cool Hand Juan
Your decision makes sense to me. How do you look in orange? May your time served pass quickly my friend.
ReplyDeleteHi SC,
ReplyDeleteOrange brings out the highlights in my sideburns. Good to hear from you. :-)
I truly hope this three months goes well for you-may God protect, comfort, and preserve you during this time and that it goes as well as it can. Given your excellent travelogue, which kept me going so well during a no-driving stretch of my own over the 2013/14 winter, I'm sure by August you'll have more than enough material from this stretch in the carcel to write THE definitive Great (Pan) American Novel. God bless, all the best! KB/RBT
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind works Mr. Saint. I like your thinking. Life would be a dull affair if everything went according to plan. It looks like I'll be back in South America next winter to continue my travels and provide you with more entertainment.
DeleteGood luck JD. 3 months passes pretty quickly normally but I reckon it passes quite a bit slower in jail. I look forward to your future reports from South America.
ReplyDeleteHi JAB,
DeleteThe older you get the quicker time passes. Before you know it I'll be in the Andes riding the roads less traveled and reporting back what I find.
Thanks!
It’s good that you can avoid paying all those fines and fees by opting for jail time, though that would mean 3 months of limited options. Though as you’ve said, 2 years’ worth of probation would be a bigger setback for you in the long run, so it was pretty much a no-brainer at that point. Anyway, I hope you’re doing well, and that you can bounce back easily after you get out of it. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteEliseo Weinstein @ JRs Bail Bond
Yeah honestly it depends on your finances. If you can’t pay fines and can spend time in jail then it’s the best bet you got. However, when my cousin got charged with DUI, he hired best DUI attorney Los Angeles as he was in a good job and couldn’t afford to lose it.
ReplyDeleteThree months of jail time? That’s quite a long time. But on the other hand, it keeps you from having to pay those fines, and I guess that’s the lesser evil at this point. Well, I hope those three months fly by quickly, John! I hope to hear some of your stories when you get back. Take care!
ReplyDeleteNatashia Khan @ Waukesha Criminal Attorneys
I didn't realize there was such a difference in options in how you serve. I always thought you were proven guilty and that was it, you go to jail. If I was in your place I wouldn't have even have thought about asking my lawyer about my options. I probably would have just done the two years probation. I'm glad that you were able to pick the one that you suited you best.
ReplyDeleteStephanie Waters @ Chastaine Law