Feels Like… I’m in a Wack a Mole Game!

Jerry stopped at the “Neon Sign“ on the way home from work. It’s a social thing, not a “I need a drink or I’ll die thing.” Just a couple of beers after work, harmless right? Jerry ordered a club sandwich and a Budweiser, chatted it up with the bartender, bought one of his buddies a beer and his buddy returned the favor. Forty five minutes and three beers later the social event was over. Jerry says goodbye to his bar room buddies and heads to the parking lot. Now here’s the thing, Jerry wasn’t drunk. Matter of fact you don’t have to be drunk to get a DWI. Three beers in 45 minutes depending on your body weight and how your body processes alcohol can result in a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .08 percent, over the legal limit here in the State of Virginia and Jerry is under arrest for DWI. I met Jerry when I posted his $1000 bond. His story is very similar to my story except: I never got caught. Now Jerry had a court date where he was convicted of DWI. He paid his fine, he received five days in jail which the Judge suspended, he had to complete a VASAP program and he was put on 3 years good behavior. He survived right? Not so fast. Jerry paid the $400.00 for the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP) and attended all of the classes except the last one, he had to work. Jerry was charged with another jail-able offense: Failure to comply with VASAP 18.2-271.1 Jerry was arrested again. Jerry was released on his personal recognizance and paid for yet another VASAP class. Whew finally the whole DWI ordeal was over…Not so fast. Remember the three years of good behavior probation? Yep, that’s right, Jerry was arrested for violation of probation because he missed that VASAP class. Every time Jerry would try to do the right thing and lift up his head to recover from his DWI the justice system would descend upon him once again. Jerry said, “I feel like I’m in a daggone Whack-a-Mole Game and I’m the one getting whacked!” “Every time I think it’s over, here they come again!”

Here is the irony: Virginia owns all of the liquor stores here in Virginia. In 2020 they had sales of 1.2 BILLION DOLLARS! Oh did I put that in all caps? That’s a lot of booze for the little ole’ State of Virginny…Kind of unholy Eh? First they sell it to us and then they stick it to us for drinking it…and driving of course. Bail Bonds VA has resources for Jerry! Celebrate Recovery is a 12 step faith based program for people with hurts, habits and hang ups. It’s FREE and it’s helped thousands of people like Jerry get through our judicial system.