Any kind of arrest can impact a person's reputation, particularly since arrest records are in the public domain. Recently in Indiana, a woman was arrested for drunk driving. As a result of the arrest, she resigned from running a political operation that was centered on legalizing the sale of alcohol on Sundays in Indiana.
The 32-year-old woman was apparently driving home from a bar when an accident occurred. She ran her vehicle into a fast food restaurant in Indianapolis. The woman reportedly told police on the scene that she had consumed two beers at the bar. Despite her contention of having two drinks, authorities say that a Breathalyzer test indicated she had a blood alcohol content of .168 percent, which is more than twice the legal limit in Indiana.
The arrest grew attention due to her part in the campaign to repeal the ban on alcohol sales on Sundays. She was charged with operating while intoxicated endangering a person and could be facing one year in prison for the charge should a conviction actually be obtained. She resigned from the campaign in light of the arrest and publicly apologized for what she called poor judgment.
In this case, the woman's reputation and ability to spur a policy change in which she believed has been compromised. Anyone in Indiana facing a drunk driving charge will have to answer the charges and likely confront any collateral issues that arise as a result. As with this case and any other arrest, however, the accused individual is presumed innocent and has rights under the law to defend oneself and work with an experienced criminal defense attorney who may be able to negotiate a plea bargain or devise a defense that can result in a dismissal or otherwise minimize the impact of the charges.