No drunk driving urged ahead of minister’s hearing
(CNS): Government Information Services released a tip sheet on the dangers of drinking and driving on Monday as part of a March safety campaign to raise awareness about not using alcohol before getting behind the wheel. The tips come just one week ahead of when Education Minister and Deputy Premier Rolston Anglin is expected to return to court to hear what punishment will be meted out to him following his arrest and conviction for drunk-driving last year. Anglin originally denied being intoxicated behind the wheel when he was involved in an accident on the West Bay Road in May and arrested for DUI at the scene.
Anglin was with a mystery female passenger when his car veered off the road in the early hours of the morning and ended up in the bushes by the Avalon Condos on 23 May. When the trial opened in traffic court last November before magistrate Kirsty Ann Gunn, the crown claimed that the minister gave three different accounts of how the car smash which led to his arrest for DUI occurred. The court also heard how police officers who responded to theaccident report managed to ‘lose’ the mystery female witness who was a passenger in the car.
According to the prosecutor, Anglin recorded 0.136 in a roadside breathalyzer just before his arrest at around 3:45am.
Crown counsel Matthew Coles told the court, in a detailed opening statement relating to the case, that Anglin had given his first account sometime around 2:30 in the morning to the then Chief Inspector Angelique Howell, saying he had been involved in an accident after falling asleep at the wheel. The second account was to the sergeant who arrived at the smash, when he said he had swerved to avoid an on-coming vehicle. Then in his final account in his formal statement to police, Anglin said he had attempted to turn his car around as he had forgotten to buy dog food.
On his return to court following the adjournment of the trial after the first day, Anglin changed his plea to guilty and is now expected to be sentenced on Tuesday 19 March.
Since then the minister has assumed the post of deputy premier after he and four of his former UDP colleagues sided with the opposition in a no confidence in government motion, which resulted in the ousting of McKeeva Bush from the office of premier following his arrest on suspicion of theft and corruption related offences in December. As a result, Anglin now has a car and driver with his new job, at least until 22 May when Cayman goes to the polls to elect a new government.
Driving drunk is a criminal offence and goes on an individual’s permanent criminal record. It carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison, a $1,000 fine, and a loss of license for 12 months for a first offence.
According to the tip-sheet released by government officials Monday, alcohol slows reactions, creates a feeling of over-confidence, impairs judgment of speed and distance, and reduces the field of vision. Officials urged people to assign designated driver, walking to the restaurant or bar, calling a cab, or asking the bar or restaurant staff for help. They also encouraged people who see friends that have been drinking to follow the steps to keep them safe and keep the roads accident free.
Related article on CNS:
Anglin told 3 stories say cops
Category: Crime
Did the police ever found out who the visiting dignatary was?That should not be hard to find out.
Was disciplinary action taken against the police officer who "lost" her.
If what is reported is correct and he called a police inspector friend saying he had fallen asleep (like he did some months ago in West Bay, when he crashed into a wall) did the police investigate whether this was an attempt to pervert the course of justice?
Even though he has not yet done the "decent thing" and resigned as a Minister, I notice the letters JP behind his name. I was under the impression that a JP guilty of a serious crime had to resign from the Bench.
They seem to give that designation Justice of the Peace (JP) to anyone these days, look at the class of them
CI professional dui driver lol!
Caymanian
"The tips come just one week ahead of when Education Minister and Deputy Premier Rolston Anglin is expected to return to court to hear what punishment will be meted out to him following his arrest and conviction for drunk-driving last year."
There is something really, REALLY WRONG with that sentence!! Where do we begin?
Poor Rollie..
Give im a chance na? Him na ga drink n drive no more…
Him na ga going out with tha secret women no more…
Him ga be really good from now on…
Himga go ta church like Mac and Helio…
give him a break …he does put a lot of hours in at 'the office'!………
What a shining example Anglin is for our young people – NOT!!!
Apparently Rolston is putting his experiences to use and has helped draft the upcoming multiple choice mathematics exam.
Here it is
"The Minister of Education is having a few drinks at the Office. If there are two units in a beer and four units is the DUI limit, how many units can the Minister have before he drives home?
1) One
2) Two and hope the best.
3) All he wants, because the mystery lady passenger wants a ride somewhere."
We don't forget and he should have resigned.
He is a drunk driver. The PPM has a convicted drug dealer standing for them. Dr. Frank is a convicted criminal too. No doubt a few more criminals will consider themselves worthy of election. And that is ignoring those under investigation at the moment. Welcome to Lalaland.
Dont disagree with your sentiment but the Constitution considered this and explicitly set a benchmark as to when a conviction should bar an individual from office. All these individuals do (or are likely to given the sentencing guidelines for the case presently awaiting sentencing) qualify.
Lobby to get the rules cahnegd and in the meantime exercise your choice not to vote for them because of your view of their past conduct. Other than those options it is what it is.
SO WHAT XXXX. STOP being petty and narrow minded. I have never met the perfect Man or Woman. A person is allowed to make a mistake in their youth and be forgiven. That being said Mr Anglin is no spring chicken, but still deserves forgiveness, as he has been the only Minister in the last 4 years to actually achieve anything.
Petty and Narrow minded…No one on this post is being petty and narrow minded but you for even making a statement like that. Have you lost a loved one because some idiot decided to get into his or her car drunk and drive? Luckily Anglin didn't kill anyone, but again the law is the law and he shouldn't get any breaks just because, if anything it should go worse for him for he is an example and HE LIED!!!!! Not only is he a drunk but having a strange woman in his car who no one can identify states alot about his character also…yes I agree it isn't agaist the law to have a woman in your car, but drunk, don't know her name, wee hours of the morning??? LOL comeo on wake up and smell the roses….
Anywhere else in the World an Education Minister, driving drunk, in the early hours of the morning, with a woman he claims not to know would have either immediately resigned or been sacked.
What happens in Cayman….. he is promoted to Deputy Premier.
If it was not so serious it would be funny. But what message is he sending out to Cayman's young people.
I hope and pray that the voters make sure that he is "sacked" in May.
Well he be teaching the public the correct way to hold a bottle & to lie to the police & then have a dream & confess his guilt?
Braca
Lock him up for twenty years. The minister is a disgrace.
Is this the same MLA who said that 90% of the students from a particular school (which he closed down) were either dead or in prison? Maybe he needs to state now what % of MLA'S should be in prison, when there is much misappropriation of funds and people without jobs and starving.
He's a joke.
Lying to the police obviously boosted your image, right Mr. Anglin? Wow…even being condescended by a teenager… that must say something surely.
The Traffic Bill 2011 – Section 82, sub-section (1) appears to state that on conviction on a First offense of driving a vehicle when the blood alcohol content of the driver exceeds the legal limit, the sentence will, IN ADDITION to any fine or period of imprisonment imposed by the Court, include a period of disqualification from driving, for a period of 12 months. The Law does not appear to provide the Court with any discretion to alter the period of disqualification, EXCEPT to they extent that they MAY impose a LONGER period than 12 months. QED.
Offenders must also enroll in a rehab or alcohol awareness program, though few actually finish these courses.
Set an example and resign. What precedent are you setting for the new politicians that will be getting in?
Who would vote for a guy like this?
Lots of people……he is a man of the people, just like us.
He nah lak me.
Really? Just like us? So when I go out and make a choice to break the law and perpetuate that offense you won’t mind if I go to Government and demand a driver and car when I lose my license….oh wait I forgot once you reach a certain level in politics you have lost all ability to think and therefore should not be allowed to operate a motor vehicle….excuse me but how dare you compare this person to the average person who would already be serving a sentence! I can state I do not drink and drive and when my family and friends gather they don’t because I make a conscious choice to obey the law and make sure they do by being the designated driver or calling for and paying for a taxi, grant you I have never had any mystery women or men show up in my car. Nope I am sorry he may be part of your crowd and in that case may you never have to bury a loved one because of such actions as his but he isn’t part of my crowd.
You hit the nail on the head. I bet you three-quarters of the candidates running that you will vote for instead of anglin have driven under the influence on more than one occasion. Remember the test is not whether you think you are okay to drive but what’s the legal limit.
Agree he’s not a great role model but it’s not the best thing to differentiate your candidates by because the rest will be primarily made up of those who do the same but have not yet been caught.
He said he prayed for help, so the religious fanatics in this country will fall for that.
Prayed for help after changing his story three times. I have think what Jesus would say to such a man who is a politician and only repents when his lies have all failed?
Okay good Christians. Forgive him, but do not condone him with your votes.
They all pray when problems hit their backside, I bet he wasn't praying to have the cravings for those nice tasty alcoholic beverages, commonly referred to as "liquid courage" taken away when they were going down so smoothly. Give me a break!
No way. Mystery booty-call woman in car after boozing it up, lying to the police, chaging his story, this is disgraceful and I will call out every single church-goer that thinks voting for him is okay. How are you going to say he is a good Christian now? Repenting? Nope… it took a YEAR for him to plead guilty. This man is a disgrace and should not be re-elected.
CNS: "As a result, Anglin now has a car and driver with his new job, at least until 22 May when Cayman goes to the polls to elect a new government" ????
Since WHEN do all our politicians need drivers??? I recall only the Governor had a driver and that was only a protocol respect for the Queen. We accepted one silly salary for pomp & circumstance and a bit of flair to show our toursits when the Guv drove by….but a "eed or requirement" for drivers and bodyguards?! Come on! Your crony career politicians are no Obama, you don't need secret service or a motorcade or bodyguards.
Voting public, please demand no more bodyguards or drivers! These dozen foolish jobs (along with park rangers) are taking money right out of your family's pockets.
Do you know our government does not have a budget for supply (sub) teachers? When teachers get sick, assistance teach the class. Sooooo, would you rather have your elected officials driven around and guarded or would you rather have a few extra teachers (or nurses, govt accountants, or social workers, or..?) on the Govt payroll? Your call..
Voters: put up with greed OR demand good
I agree with you, Mr Status. I will call out all my don't-go-to-church friends and tell them not to vote for him either. That sucker ain't got a chance.
100% correct…he got rewarded for his drunk behaviour…who is paying for the driver, car, gas etc…yep the people of the cayman islands!!!! lets shovel some more ……….into our laps
Curious to see what the courts have previously meted out as punishment to other offenders of similar "criminal offences". As we know, this is not his first accident at a very late/early hour of the day. Seems he is a repeat offender who, as yet, has not received a punishment to fit the crime – – – in a way which might deter repeat offenses. It is clear that our leaders are treated with kid gloves, which only encourages more misbehaviour – which curiously degenerates into worse behaviour.
I trust the maturity of the courts will see the need to treat Mr Anglin as they would any other drunk driver of an alcohol related vehicular accident. We are grateful that he did not kill someone in his drunken and mysterious escapade and do not trust that he will be able to control himself if given a chance to reoffend.
Dispicable behaviour for an elected official – but not surprising given his (until recent) affiliations. Lie with dogs – get fleas.
its the lies that got to me the most. If he fessed up straight away i might have had more respect for him now.
This man lied to the police, is a convicted criminal, there should be an immediate motion to have him removed from office. Have some dignity Anglin.
"Drunk drivers are easy to spot. Keep an eye out for these signs to keep our roads safe:" I don't understand how observing this behaviour can keep the roads safe.
I think the idea was that if you are on the road yourself and come across other drivers displaying some of the signs listed after the colon in the document, such as straddling the center lane or the shoulder, going too slowly etc, then as a driver you should take precautions.
Might have been improved by listing what those precautions should be… maybe not following too closely, not overtaking etc. Don't know if anyone else has any experience with this or any suggestions that they'd like to share.
But this is Cayman where half the drivers drive like that when they are sober.
One would be aware of the vehicle and memorize the plate then either pull to the side of the road or into a parking lot and report the driving behavior to the police. Do not call them while driving unless the driving is so erratic it constitutes a 911 emergency even then do not endanger yourself and others if you cannot place the call safely…. at least years ago when I was in law enforcement in another country that would have been our advice to the general public.
Drink driving is a major problem on our roads, it is a come thing, people really don’t take it seriously, as there are never any police on the roads and when they are the road blocks are in the same places and times.
We need to educate everyone, that this is not cool and we need to be more responsible on our roads. There are options, you can have a designated driver, take a taxi, or the guys on those small scooters who drive you in your car home.
I also feel that the DUI limit of 0.1 should be reduced, say to 0.6, increase the fines, and loss of license, hey and you know what seize the car until you have gone to court.
Another question.
According to this report the breath test was not administered until at least an hour after he crashed his car. Why the delay? Anywhere else the first thing the cops would do at an accident with no obvious cause would be to breatch check you. Would love to know the delay here.
For example.
1) were they giving him special treatment as an MLA? Not good.
2) Do they always take their merry time about doing breath tests? Not good.
Did it take them an hour to find a polie officer with a breath kit ? AAARGH!
In other jurisdictions a lengthy delay between being in control of a vehicle and administering a test has had very lenghty and difficult repercussions – if he had claimed to have had a very stiff drink moments before getting in the car which he immediately crashed he could try a defence that he was not drunk at th etime but the alcohol had entered his system while he was hanging around when he would otherwise have been safely home under the limit and only got 'drunk' as he slept.
What are the rules and regulations about when a person should be given the breath check – at the scene, at the Police Station…?
They did give him a breathalyser at the scene and his reading was significantly higher but for some reason they choose instead to rely on the later one taken at the police station.
Do as I say not as I do.
Yours truly,
*Rolston Anglin*
Driving with female ghost's in the wee hours of the morning is highly discouraged also. It can drive you nuts when they just vanish and leave no name, phone number or NOTHING!
This is why we need more women in office. They will mesmerize those "Idiotic Men" we have in office and will get a lot more accomplished.
GO GIRLS !!!!!
JuJu is many things. Mesmerizing is not one of them.
Rollie appears to be looking at the gorgeous beauty queen in the Caymanite Pink commercial to the right of this article. All I can add is if that was the 'mystery woman' in the car that fateful night then it was all worth it. Way to go Rollie, can I have her number?