LOCAL
Athens-Clarke Commissioner Ovita Thornton denies 2nd DUI charge
Wayne Ford
Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke County Commissioner Ovita Thornton is facing her second drunk driving charge in less than two months.
Athens-Clarke police charged Thornton, 71, with DUI and failing to yield following a mishap that occurred at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday at North Lumpkin and Doughterty streets.
Thornton was booked hours later in the Athens-Clarke County Jail at about 8:45 p.m. Thursday then released from jail Friday morning on a $3,450 bond.
Ovita Thornton
In February, Thornton was charged with DUI following a wreck on West Hancock Avenue, where police said she crashed into a utility pole.
Thornton, who represents District 9, told the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday that she was not under the influence of alcohol.
The case is unusual in that the incident report shows the responding officer engaged Thornton in a conversation and did not detect any alcohol on her or in her vehicle. He then left the scene only to return shortly afterward due to an order by a supervising officer, whereupon a sobriety test was administered and she was arrested.
Thornton said she agreed to the sobriety test.
"He said I failed the tests. I'm 71 years old. I cannot stand on one leg. I can't walk heel to toe and count to 1,000 without swaying," she said. "He didn't explain to me I could have said I have mobility problems. He told me what to do and he demonstrated it for me and I tried to do it.
"There's no way in the world I thought this was going to be a DUI. I volunteered to do a breathalyzer. I volunteered to do a urine test. I volunteered to do a blood test. But according to another police officer, even though I volunteered to do those, because I failed the sobriety tests, I was going to jail for DUI."
DUI:Athens-Clarke Commissioner Ovita Thornton faces DUI charge after crash
The police reports show an officer was dispatched to the location after witnesses reported a Hyundai Sonata struck a curb and a woman was inside “passed out behind the wheel.”
The officer arrived and reported he spoke with Thornton, who explained she was traveling on East Doughterty Street and could not see the yellow triangle curbing at a bank parking lot and she hit it while trying to pull into the parking lot. The airbag was deployed from the steering wheel, police said.
Thornton told the officer she was not injured and she denied drinking any alcohol. The officer noted that he did not smell any alcohol while conversing with her or see any signs of intoxicants inside the vehicle. She declined an accident report and said she would call a family member for assistance so the officer left, according to the report.
However, the officer reported his supervisor told him to return to the scene “to double-check on Ovita.” When the officer returned, Thornton was driving the vehicle and he made a traffic stop.
The officer reported that “she was a little unable to keep her balance, once I asked her to step out of the vehicle.”
Thornton still denied drinking, but she agreed to do the sobriety testing, the officer said. The officer wrote that she could not keep her balance, missed the heel-to-toe test, and was swaying.
When advised she was to be arrested for DUI, Thornton refused to be placed in handcuffs and transported to jail, according to the report.
But officers explained their procedures, whereupon she entered the patrol unit and was first taken to a local hospital for a blood test before going to jail.
"If I didn't say I'm humiliated and embarrassed I'd be lying, but I'll go through the process and I think everything will be fine," she said.
So anyone with mobility issues shouldn't drive? I'm 58 - 3 prior back surgeries and permanent nerve damage - I can't stand on one leg, walk heel toe either. So that means I can't drive? That's rather short sighted maybe? If you suffer a physical disability, you just gonna stop driving and having a life cuz you can't pass the physical requirements of DUI test even when dead sober? Doubt it dude
For clarification, if you use your ailments as an excuse when failing DUI tests (and there are more than mobility tests) then, no, you shouldn’t be driving. That is my point.
I didn't read it that way. She agreed to any other breathalyzer or blood/urine tests they wanted. She merely pointed out that older people or those with mobility issues won't pass the physical tests they want to use. You do realize that merely failing or being physically unable to perform those specific things will get you arrested. Even if you pass a breathalyzer. Right? Then all the ensuing costs are still on you to somehow pay until any additional tests come back - like bail? Easy to judge when you haven't walked in those shoes. Your attitude may change once YOU are old and physically impaired.
Athens is one of my favorite cities on earth, but I despise the local politics.
Clarke County is 100% politically owned and controlled by The University of Georgia. If a politician is moving their mouth it's because UGA has their hand up their asshole working their mouth like a sock puppet. If UGA likes this woman, she'll get top-notch legal counsel and a slap on the wrist. If they want to get rid of her... so long lady.
LOCAL Athens-Clarke Commissioner Ovita Thornton denies 2nd DUI charge Wayne Ford Athens Banner-Herald Athens-Clarke County Commissioner Ovita Thornton is facing her second drunk driving charge in less than two months.
Athens-Clarke police charged Thornton, 71, with DUI and failing to yield following a mishap that occurred at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday at North Lumpkin and Doughterty streets.
Thornton was booked hours later in the Athens-Clarke County Jail at about 8:45 p.m. Thursday then released from jail Friday morning on a $3,450 bond.
Ovita Thornton In February, Thornton was charged with DUI following a wreck on West Hancock Avenue, where police said she crashed into a utility pole.
Thornton, who represents District 9, told the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday that she was not under the influence of alcohol.
The case is unusual in that the incident report shows the responding officer engaged Thornton in a conversation and did not detect any alcohol on her or in her vehicle. He then left the scene only to return shortly afterward due to an order by a supervising officer, whereupon a sobriety test was administered and she was arrested.
Thornton said she agreed to the sobriety test.
"He said I failed the tests. I'm 71 years old. I cannot stand on one leg. I can't walk heel to toe and count to 1,000 without swaying," she said. "He didn't explain to me I could have said I have mobility problems. He told me what to do and he demonstrated it for me and I tried to do it.
"There's no way in the world I thought this was going to be a DUI. I volunteered to do a breathalyzer. I volunteered to do a urine test. I volunteered to do a blood test. But according to another police officer, even though I volunteered to do those, because I failed the sobriety tests, I was going to jail for DUI."
DUI:Athens-Clarke Commissioner Ovita Thornton faces DUI charge after crash
The police reports show an officer was dispatched to the location after witnesses reported a Hyundai Sonata struck a curb and a woman was inside “passed out behind the wheel.”
The officer arrived and reported he spoke with Thornton, who explained she was traveling on East Doughterty Street and could not see the yellow triangle curbing at a bank parking lot and she hit it while trying to pull into the parking lot. The airbag was deployed from the steering wheel, police said.
Thornton told the officer she was not injured and she denied drinking any alcohol. The officer noted that he did not smell any alcohol while conversing with her or see any signs of intoxicants inside the vehicle. She declined an accident report and said she would call a family member for assistance so the officer left, according to the report.
However, the officer reported his supervisor told him to return to the scene “to double-check on Ovita.” When the officer returned, Thornton was driving the vehicle and he made a traffic stop.
The officer reported that “she was a little unable to keep her balance, once I asked her to step out of the vehicle.”
Thornton still denied drinking, but she agreed to do the sobriety testing, the officer said. The officer wrote that she could not keep her balance, missed the heel-to-toe test, and was swaying.
When advised she was to be arrested for DUI, Thornton refused to be placed in handcuffs and transported to jail, according to the report.
But officers explained their procedures, whereupon she entered the patrol unit and was first taken to a local hospital for a blood test before going to jail.
"If I didn't say I'm humiliated and embarrassed I'd be lying, but I'll go through the process and I think everything will be fine," she said.
I guess they'll see from the blood tests. Absent that, they have case as no breathalyzer was done.
"He said I failed the tests. I'm 71 years old. I cannot stand on one leg. I can't walk heel to toe and count to 1,000 without swaying," she said.
Maybe if that was the case, you shouldn’t be driving either idiot.
https://media.greatawakening.win/post/rTiCCBq3oZfG.jpeg
So anyone with mobility issues shouldn't drive? I'm 58 - 3 prior back surgeries and permanent nerve damage - I can't stand on one leg, walk heel toe either. So that means I can't drive? That's rather short sighted maybe? If you suffer a physical disability, you just gonna stop driving and having a life cuz you can't pass the physical requirements of DUI test even when dead sober? Doubt it dude
don't drink and drive.
For clarification, if you use your ailments as an excuse when failing DUI tests (and there are more than mobility tests) then, no, you shouldn’t be driving. That is my point.
I didn't read it that way. She agreed to any other breathalyzer or blood/urine tests they wanted. She merely pointed out that older people or those with mobility issues won't pass the physical tests they want to use. You do realize that merely failing or being physically unable to perform those specific things will get you arrested. Even if you pass a breathalyzer. Right? Then all the ensuing costs are still on you to somehow pay until any additional tests come back - like bail? Easy to judge when you haven't walked in those shoes. Your attitude may change once YOU are old and physically impaired.
Actually I am old and I am physically impaired. And a woman to boot. And am well aware how DUI tests works. But thank you for your insight.
I'm a woman to boot as well! And my "insight" comes from personal experience.
Even Steven then. Difference of opinion. Great how that works.
Lol even Steven - haven't heard that one in a while - thank you
Athens is one of my favorite cities on earth, but I despise the local politics.
Clarke County is 100% politically owned and controlled by The University of Georgia. If a politician is moving their mouth it's because UGA has their hand up their asshole working their mouth like a sock puppet. If UGA likes this woman, she'll get top-notch legal counsel and a slap on the wrist. If they want to get rid of her... so long lady.
Do you Know who I am?