ABC News reports that the Pinal County Sheriff's Office arrested County Assessor Lewis Paul Larkin on February 7 after he failed field sobriety tests and allegedly had a BAC level above the legal limit of .08 percent. Yet the most interesting part of his arrest story is how authorities were actually able to catch the county official and make the DUI arrest. Apparently an anonymous note was sent through the Pinal County website that read:
The Pinal County Assessor frequents the Kokopelli Moon Saloon everyday (Monday - Fri) around 3 p.m. until around 5 p.m. then, inebriated, he gets into his late model silver Dodge Dakota and drives home. Why does the Pinal County Sheriff turn a blind (sic) on this?
It looks like the sheriff’s office decided not to turn a blind eye after receiving the letter. Larkin was reportedly stopped by deputies on Monday after leaving the Kokopelli Moon Saloon after the deputies had observed him weaving on the road in his Dodge Dakota. A preliminary breath test showed that Larkin had a blood-alcohol content level of .099 percent, but the official BAC level results are pending on a blood test that the county assessor submitted to at the time of his arrest.
This case shows that county officials are not above the law when it comes to DUI crimes. If convicted of driving under the influence, Lewis Larkin will likely face serious penalties that include jail time, probation, fines, community service, alcohol education classes, and the mandatory installation of an ignition interlock device in his vehicle.
Related Resources:
- Find a Phoenix DUI Attorney (FindLaw)
- Arizona DUI Law (FindLaw)
- DUI Arrest (FindLaw)
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