News

Airman’s life impacted by DUI

  • Published
  • By Wayne Crenshaw
  • 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
When Senior Airman Bradley McCollum went out that night to drink, he had a plan, but plans often can fall apart.

He went out to a bar in Warner Robins on April 17 with a friend, and their plan was to call a cab, but as the night wore on some other friends showed up. Someone suggested they go to a 24-hour restaurant, a common way to end a night of drinking.

Airman McCollum had six Jack and Cokes, and hadn't eaten anything, so food seemed like a good idea. He knew he might be in trouble if he got pulled over, but the restaurant was less than a mile down the road, and he thought he was OK to make it that short distance.

Instead, he went to jail hungry.

As he pulled out of the parking lot, he hit the gas, and a Houston County deputy clocked him going 65 in a 45 mph zone. The deputy thought his speech was slurred, so the officer gave him a field breathalyzer test. The legal limit is .08. He blew .13 in the field test, then .15 in a second test at the police station.

He knows in hindsight his actions were dumb.

"Alcohol affects your judgment," he said.

He volunteered to tell his story in hopes that other Airmen might learn from his mistake. He hasn't gone to court yet, but it has already cost him dearly, and he has a pretty good idea of what he is facing in the way of fines and other expenses.

He has paid $1,500 for an attorney, is looking at about a $1,000 fine, plus monthly probation fees of $54 for at least four months, community service and suspension of his driver's license. He will also have to pay $210 to get his license reinstated. All total, he expects his drive to the will cost him about $3,000, derailing his plans to buy a new car.

He has also lost his base driving privileges for a year, and he has to rely on friends to take him to and from his job in the 116th Air Control Wing. The guilt of hassling others for his transportation weighs heavily on him.

He also had to change the sign viewable to those out the Watson Boulevard gate that lists the unit of the last person to get a DUI.

"It was pretty embarrassing," Airman McCollum said. "I tried to do it as quickly as possible."

His supervisors and co-workers didn't hesitate to let him know how upset they were with his actions.

He has tried to make amends by speaking to other Airman about the trouble they will face if they get a DUI. When asked the biggest thing he wants other Airmen to know about drinking and driving, he gives a straightforward answer.

"Don't do it," he said. "It's not worth it."

More specifically, he cites three big lessons that can be learned from his experience. The first, he said, is that calling a cab is not a good plan. After a few drinks, you start to think about leaving your car behind, how you are going to get it the following day and the cost of the cab. You convince yourself that you are OK to drive. The better plan, he said, is to have a designated driver. If you are going to use a cab, he said, take a cab to get there; that way you won't have a car to drive when it comes time to leave.

The second lesson, he said, and his ultimate downfall, is to not think it's OK to drive drunk if you are only going a short distance.

"Distance doesn't matter," he said.

The third, he said, is that Airmen should stop friends from drinking and driving. No one tried to stop him that night, and he said now he would not hesitate to speak up if he believes someone might be about to make the same mistake.

He is not a regular drinker, he said, usually having only one or two on weekends, and had never had a DUI before. In fact, he said when he was caught, it was the first time he had ever gotten behind the wheel intoxicated.

For all he has suffered, he knows it could have been worse. In addition to the fact that he could have had a wreck, he could have also lost a stripe.

In a way, however, he did lose a stripe because he was supposed to test for staff sergeant this summer. As a result of his DUI, he must now wait until next year to do that.