Underage drinkers face consequences
Leslie Sims
It should come as no surprise that drinking alcohol is a major part of a student’s college experience. However, when done under the legal drinking age, the gratification might not outweigh the consequences.
Mike Coppola, a former police officer in Paradise Valley, said if someone gets caught drinking under the age of 21 their punishment can range from getting community service, to getting fined, and depending on how many offenses they have committed, serving time in jail.
“Each individual town has their own ordinance to regulate underage consumption of alcohol, but the state also has one. It is different if you get cited in Tempe (and Gilbert) a couple times, then it is as if you get cited under the state violation everytime,” Coppola said.
The violations are different depending on if you get cited under town or under state regulations, however, a state violation can be significantly more severe.
“It is subjective to the police officer whether he writes you a ticket under the state or under the town, if he cites you under the state there will be a harsher punishment,” Coppola said.
In terms of driving Coppola said, “If you have any alcohol in your system, whether it’s half of a drink or a sip and you are under the legal age, it’s an automatic DUI.”
“If you are driving and you refuse to take the blood alcohol test you will lose your license for a year. An officer can get a warrant that will make it mandatory for the person to let them draw their blood,” he said.
However, if a person was driving under the influence they will lose their license for up to 90 days, assuming it is their first offense and it is not an extreme DUI, as opposed to refusing to take the blood test and losing their license for a year.
“It is common practice for police officers to manipulate people into doing what they want them to do or believing what they want them to believe, so the people will be tricked into submitting to their tests and even to them,” Coppola said.
The only time a person is legally bound to take a blood or alcohol test if they have been driving.
