How much of what an individual does in his or her personal time should impact the success of one’s career? There certainly are things that happen outside of one’s place of employment that impact success in the workplace, and some of them should.
However, if someone goes out for a few drinks with friends and, while driving home, is pulled over and the traffic stop results in DUI charges, should he or she lose his or her job? While the opinions here seem to vary, in one South Carolina case, a teacher and coach apparently felt it necessary to resign from his job.
The details surrounding why the man was drinking or how much he was drinking have not been released. He was driving in the evening and turning a corner when he ran into another vehicle that was stopped at a stop sign. After hitting the truck, he reportedly drove away. Authorities later found him and charged him with driving under the influence.
The man was a school teacher and sports coach. He resigned from his position shortly after the incident.
It is unknown whether the resignation was his own decision or was done under pressure from school officials.
In South Carolina, many people who face DUI charges become very concerned and may begin to feel hopeless. Although being concerned is a good thing, considering these types of charges can have severe ramifications, those facing DUI charges are not hopeless, and a defendant should never feel that way.
Drunk driving charges are accompanied by an automatic driver’s license revocation in South Carolina. However, a strong DUI defense may be able to shorten the term of the revocation or have it lifted altogether. A strong defense will also ensure that defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty and that all of the rights to which they are entitled are respected and upheld.
Source: WSPA.com, “Chapman teacher, coach charged with DUI, hit and run,” Oct. 24, 2012
