State Court Judge Donny Peppers charged with DUI
By Rachel Brown
Monday June 11, 2007 11:04:24am


FORT OGLETHORPE, Ga. -- Donny Peppers, a state court judge who lives in Walker County, was arrested in Fort Oglethorpe Saturday and charged with driving under the influence.

He has since made bail.

Pepper’s blood-alcohol level on the scene was 0.16, said Police Chief Larry C. Black. In Georgia, the legal limit for driving is 0.08.

Black said a Catoosa County sheriff’s deputy spotted Peppers weaving along Cloud Springs Road and contacted one of Fort Oglethorpe’s officers, who made the arrest between 12:30 a.m. and 1 a.m. on Mack Smith Road.

Black said Peppers cooperated fully and had no other passengers with him in the vehicle.

This isn’t the first time Fort Oglethorpe law enforcement has had to arrest a public figure.

“It’s always a tough situation for the police officer involved when they have to make an arrest of an officer of the court system,” Black said. “… (Peppers) is a good guy. He’s highly respected in his field.”


[permalink]
Post a comment: You must be logged in order to comment.

 
romegasir
Comments: 1608
Joined: 03/14/2007
08/27/2007 05:51:00 PM
I heard one of the Chattanooga radio stations is diong the "Judge Donny Peppers Idiot Award" every day where they're giving an award to someone who does something really stupid. But basically you're correct......gov't official gets away with crime, sounds like something you'd read in a newspaper from Central America.
In my humble opinion (and I haven't seen this so I'm going on your statement that GSP troopers were writing in support for the judge), those troopers should be ashamed of themselves. They should try their very bests to limit their aching desire to write letters in support of criminals. Siounds like the Troopers know what you know, that he will be the Judge in their trials in the future and they're ALL doing a little Preparatory A__kissing.
 
cck36
Comments: 126
Joined: 03/29/2007
08/27/2007 04:47:02 PM
Judge Peppers will get his driving record cleaned and all of this will go away.A year from now he'll still be a judge and no one will bring it up again.All his friends from the Georgia State Patrol who wrote the Walker County Messenger about what a good man he is will make sure of it.I wonder if they would do the same for any one else?What would have happened if he would have hit a car and killed an entire family that night would they have stood up for him then?This board needs to keep this story on people's minds.I have a wife and two kids and I wonder what would have happened if he would have hit me.Would I be blamed for the accident?Would he be let go with a slap on the wrist and a warning like " Hey Judge try and keep it under one bottle of scotch next time.""Yeah you don't want to kill another family of four again do ya."" We're just foolin' with ya." Drunk is drunk he should have been charged with a D.U.I. He is in damage control and he is calling in all his friends to save his image.
 
fish
Comments: 1
Joined: 07/29/2007
07/29/2007 09:49:54 AM
Can anyone explain due care in driving an automobile while drunk?
 
romegasir
Comments: 1608
Joined: 03/14/2007
07/27/2007 01:24:36 PM
LOL firewalker, when i was law enforcement (I wore my bullet proof vest every day whether folks like you liked it or not) I had one person who did the "double refusal", this is refusing all roadside tests and refusing the state-administered blood or breath test. he hired the #1 DUI lawyer in floyd county, and still lost. when the da spoke with the jury after they said they just couldn't understand why a sober person would not want their blood tested for alcohol. remember, the refusal to submit to the required state tests can be used against you at trial. it was his 3rd dui so he faced stiff penalties.

as far as though who think that two glasses of wine over dinner get you over the legal limit, this is a myth (unless you weigh 60 lbs, you drink the two glasses in 15 minutes and your dinner consists of one stalk of celery)....you can find NUMEROUS places on line that show you how much you have to drink in what amount of time to be over the limit and it is A LOT more than you would think. I'll assume that everyone in here weighs 60 lbs.

Firewalker's advice is GREAT advice for those who drive drunk. My advice is don't drive drunk. one book about how to beat a dui suggests (for those of you who drive drunk daily) that you purchase a handheld alcosensor (breath test) and when you see the blue lights behind you, blow in it and see if your'e over the limit. if you are, don't do anything, if you're not, take any test that is asked of you.
 
firewalker
Comments: 1
Joined: 07/27/2007
07/27/2007 10:59:00 AM
I guess most of the post here state that the lesser charge deal is B.S. But, in reality DUIs have become a rackett used by many counties to raise money. Groups like MADD and teetotalers have made the punishments so harsh you'd be better off if you got caught robbing the liquor store than driving away from it with an open beer and a couple in your belly.

Its not fair that everyone can't afford and are knowledgable enough about our system to hire a lawyer. Lifes not fair. So what. The truth is judges are often offended by people trying to get by without one. Its a form of proffessional insult. Some law enforcement is overzealous ( didn't we use to call them peace officers before they all wore swat gear?)

So what did the readers of the WCM learn from all this? Dont drink and drive? Hire a lawyer and get rid of it? DUIs can ruin your life and destroy your career?

Thanks a lot. It doesn't matter if you blew a .0799 or .25. Whether you had just had a couple of glasses of wine with your wife on a dinner date. Or were out drinking all night with rednecks and loose women. You'll still be seen as a drunk from now on.

If you are a sensible person and you feel you may have had one too many during a traffic stop, be polite but do not cooperate. It can ruin your life.

Do not take any form of field sobriety test. Do not take a breath or blood test. Remain steady on your feet or remain seated. Remember that good people not posing a risk to others on the road have been subjected to harrassment at roadblocks and had their lives ruined with a DUI.

If you do not cooperate you'll probably be arrested but it will make for an easier job for your attorney to get the false charges against you dropped.
 
romegasir
Comments: 1608
Joined: 03/14/2007
07/25/2007 09:59:09 PM
one good lawyer deserves another. If you're planning on committing crimes, get your law degree first. You're more likely to get away with it because you'll know how best to protect yourself legally. If you do get caught, all of your cronies will be in charge of your fate.
 
Roscoe
Comments: 9
Joined: 10/26/2006
07/25/2007 03:09:48 PM
I have a friend who works at city hall. She said the traffic stop on Judge Peppers was video recorded by the officer's in-car camera. Now that the case has been settled, it becomes public record and can be played on the evening news. Why did the city attorney order the arresting officer to turn the tape over to him? I'll bet that tape has "disappeared" along with all the other evidence from other stops on the tape.
 
engineerone
Comments: 9
Joined: 01/13/2007
07/25/2007 09:41:27 AM
Well, I didn't expect this. If Judge Peppers is the stand up guy that PatsGirl says he is, he should have taken his punishment. At least we can vote him out next time around. The Mafia's got nothing on the old South's good ol boy network. Pathetic...
 
kordax
Comments: 1
Joined: 07/24/2007
07/24/2007 07:32:18 AM
First off by saying that he is only a Judge during the day is one of the most idiotic things I have ever heard. That is like saying Bush is only the President from 9:00 to 5:00. In a position like that you know you have a responsibility to uphold your reputation as a Judge no matter what time of day. Secondly, it has just been found out that he has not been charged with a DUI but, like usual, got off with a lesser charge of "no showing due care when operating a motor vehicle". This is opening up a door for all DUI offender to get off with a lesser charge because this Judge feels he is above the law and should be let go on a lesser charge.
 
PatsGirl
Comments: 5
Joined: 05/21/2007
06/15/2007 07:23:09 PM
Ok EngineerOne, I'll give you part of that. I know what the County Attorney did doesn't nearly reach the level of "mistake", at least as the Court record goes. I guess at the end of the day, I really don't have a "dog in that fight".

Where it comes to Judge Peppers though, I disagree. Here is my position, short and sweet. If he was on his lunch break from work, on his way home from work, or even on his way to work, I would find this far more aggregious. However, he is only Judge Peppers during work hours. The rest of the time he is C. Donald Peppers, a man, son, friend and citizen just like the rest of us. I don't think his, or any other public figure should be held to a 24 hour job expectation. We have to accept that what they give us during their working hours is all they owe us. The rest of the time, they are ordinary people living ordinary lives.

That's what burns me about Parrish, he was in his official capacity at the time. If he'd been hanging out with his friends, you wouldn't hear me say a word.
 
engineerone
Comments: 9
Joined: 01/13/2007
06/14/2007 10:27:49 PM
PatsGirl,

Maybe you and I are trying to make different points. Your point being I don't have enough information regarding what has occurred in the past and is likely to occur in the future regarding the disposition of Judge Pepper's or anyone else's case. I would agree with that. The point I was trying to make is that there are too many cases of "bad judgement" occuring in this county by public officials. Which is the reason I brought the county attorney whom I've never met or had any dealings with into the discussion. I'm not trashing him, I was using the hiring of him as an example of the arrogance that certain people in this county have toward the people who have put them in office. The decision by our current commissioner to hire him, in my opinion, was terrible judgement.

Think about it, what he did was not one of those things like what Judge Pepper's has done. Judge Peppers made a decision to drive after drinking, maybe he didn't realize he had consumed so much. Thats a mistake. What the current county attorney did was not an error in judgement. It was all part of a conspiracy involving 11 other people that continued over a lengthy period of time. Additionally, he was the state representative for this district. We placed our trust in him as our representative. Because of his actions, this district was without representation in the General Assembly for a lengthy period of time. He should never have been given an opportunity to serve the public again. Is he reformed? Maybe so, but because of his past action, how can you trust him?

We can agree to disagree on the Parrish incident, in my mind, if the street was closed, its no different than having an open container of beer while you drive around in a golf cart playing a round of golf.

It is unfortunate what has occurred with Judge Peppers. However, as a judge, he has to be held to a higher standard. No matter how good a man he is, this incident will always cause his credibility to be called into question.

 
PatsGirl
Comments: 5
Joined: 05/21/2007
06/14/2007 08:15:48 PM
EngineerOne,

You are certainly entitled to your opinion and to move or stay in Walker County, whichever you choose. I think we'll have to agree to disagree here. I stand on my earlier statement:

"Would YOU want to be judged only by your worst mistake, with nothing else taken into account?"

Everything you mentioned before about others appears by all accounts to be true, but I will say this, unless you were intimately involved in each of these events, you can't say for sure what the entire truth of the situations were. After spending 9 years in the LMJC, I can say that I have never, ever heard something repeated in the news, or for that matter by the gossips, that was the whole truth about what happened.

I am seriously surprised that someone who's taken your stance about all the other "drinking" incidents involving public officials, yet you seemingly excuse Jerry Parrish's behavior as amusing. That is certainly perplexing. I could care less what he was driving or if the streets were closed or not, and no one else should care either. It is irresponsible, unprofessional and certainly a safety hazard. Period. There shouldn't be conditions where drinking and driving, anything, is excusable. You do know that you can be arrested for riding a horse while intoxicated right? Jerry Parrish should be treated like everyone else.

It has been a scant few days since Judge Peppers arrest and you have all decided that nothing is going to happen to him and that he'll "get away with it". Hello, he has been subjected to public ridicule, there are blogs about him, people are calling for him to loose his job, his life is turned upside down. I think he has already been punished 15x more than all other good citizens arrested for the same offense.

I am not sure what good bringing up the County Attorney's past has to do with anything either???? I am guessing you have a beef with him of some kind, otherwise why trash someone like that?
 
engineerone
Comments: 9
Joined: 01/13/2007
06/14/2007 09:11:13 AM
PatsGirl,

I would have to disagee that the public perception is off the mark. Lets look at the recent spate of events involving Walker County public servents.

We have 2 Lafayette Police department officers who have been fired, one for making false statements and one for failing to follow department policy, and one of which is a "person of interest" in the disappearance of his wife. We have one state court judge who has just been charged with DUI. We have a state court solicitor who, due only to the persistance of the Chattanooga news media, was forced to find the "lost" paperwork for a DUI case involving another former LPD officer.

Two other events, DUI by a Walker County Sheriff's department officer and the incident in Chickamauga involving drinking and driving by a law enforcement official were both unfortunate, but I think the sheriff handled the situation with his officer properly and I think the incident in Chickamauga was blown way out of proportion. The street was closed to public traffic, and he was in a golf cart. This event should only have produced a few chuckles.

The current Walker County attorney is an ex-con, having served time in a federal prison for "possession with intent to distribute amphetamines and LSD", arrested while serving as the state representative for this district. Appointed to the position of county attorney by the current commissioner.

Makes me want to put my house up for sale and move somewhere else.
 
PatsGirl
Comments: 5
Joined: 05/21/2007
06/13/2007 07:43:02 PM
Well I was inside the legal community for many years and I'll just tell you, the public perception is usually pretty far off of the mark. People are people regardless of their job titles. They do try to help their friends if they can, but they are scrutinized to the point that they won't sacrafice their career for someone else's mistakes.

Now let's be honest, who among us hasn't had a friend at one point or another in life, help them out, get them preferential treatment or put them at the front of the perverbial line? A standard shouldn't be based on the significance of the event, but should apply no matter what.

To "Saddened" I am so sorry for what happened to you. That sounds horrible, I can't even imagine. But I would point out that from what you've said there is no way that Judge Peppers could have had anything to do with that. As a State Court Judge, he isn't involved in Felony Criminal Matters, such as stabbings or even Restraining Orders, those are Superior Court Judges. He certainly has no hand in what the Police Department does. It isn't fair to view them all the same, just like it wasn't fair the way you were treated.

One more thing, he doesn't think he is better than anyone. He is a good, honest and humble man. I know that to be a fact. I am not a personal friend, nor a family member, but I have had the opportunity to see him in action. He is a good man who it appears made a mistake.

I would caution everyone, no offense to the Messenger, but just because it is in the paper doesn't mean it is true. There are always those who have hidden agendas that "leak" information to the media for their own personal gain. I'll promise you that you'd be much more astonished at the folks who've been let go and have gotten away with things because of their connections than this.

 
msla
Comments: 571
Joined: 12/29/2005
06/13/2007 07:27:24 PM
Evanbubbafoster,
I would totally agree with you except for the fact that multiple DUIs do figure in when sentencing people - especially when the crimes are related,.... probation violations - all sorts of things along those lines. Even one DUI can make or break certain considerations for sentencing. I'm not out to 'hang the judge,' but I'm with an earlier opinion - lawyers take care of their own no matter what.

 
evanbubbafoster
Comments: 347
Joined: 04/03/2007
06/13/2007 07:10:26 PM
Here is the way I view Judge Peppers DUI. A DUI is a only a misdemeanor which has a stigmatism attached to it making it be a very terrible thing. Judge Peppers was caught and should face the consequences of his actions. Catoosa County has indisputable evidence against Judge Peppers and he should be penalized just like anyone else with the mandatory 48 hours in jail and other state mandated penalties. In return he should be treated the same way as anyone else in respect to his job as a judge. He does not have to have a liscence to drive to be a judge. What he did does not have anything to do with his job. Yes he does have to sentence others who have been proven guilty of a DUI but those sentences are mandated by the state and he nor any judge cannot rule differently without violating Georgia State Law. Judge Peppers needs to suffer the consequences of his actions according to State Law and hopefully he will turn this DUI into a positive so it will not happen again. We have all been guilty of bad judgement and the ones that learn from these bad judgements become better people. My opinion.
 
tigertrack
Comments: 1
Joined: 02/01/2007
06/13/2007 11:14:41 AM
Keep it civilized folks. Posting on these forums is a service News Publishing Company offers. If you post reprehensible remarks, we'll remove you.

 
PatsGirl
Comments: 5
Joined: 05/21/2007
06/12/2007 12:50:27 PM
Well I believe that there shouldn't be anyone above the law, however, let's back up for just one second. He is, after all, a human being, by far not perfect. None of us are. Trashing him more, BECAUSE he is a public servant is wrong. He is only a public servant when he is working, in the capacity of his job. The rest of the time he is a citizen of the county just like everyone else. He has lived his life as a servant to this community. He is a fair judge and well respected in the legal community. That should count for something.

He is no different than Jerry Parrish...what happened to him???? Nothing! and he was in his official capacity at the time!

Let me leave you with this thought... Would YOU want to be judge only by your worst mistake and nothing else taken into account?
 
timesup
Comments: 35
Joined: 05/22/2007
06/11/2007 03:50:15 PM
I agree!!!!! If he was in a County vehicle, his punishment should be more than the officer. How can he set in judgement of other drunk drivers in the future. I don't care if he gets help. He crossed the line as a judge. He should have to work in the court house for a couple years processing paper work for drunk drivers that have killed someone.

 
romegasir
Comments: 1608
Joined: 03/14/2007
06/11/2007 03:46:36 PM
Ga Peace officers standards and training does not allow u to keep your certification while you're on probation for the DUI AND it will be very difficult finding a department who doesn't require a valid driver's license. the BAR doesn't require any driver's license nor will it expel you for one DUI. I know of one lawyer in Rome who has had at least three DUIs, is a habitual violator and was still allowed to practice law AND he drove to the courthouse daily while he was a habitual violator. If you think the Mob or police officers look out for each other, you haven't seen anything until you look at the Bar Assoc.
 
cck36
Comments: 126
Joined: 03/29/2007
06/11/2007 03:38:58 PM
Now a judge gets a D.U.I. I wonder if he will do his jail time or just whine on T.V and go into rehab.Look I know some people need rehab, but some times they use it save their reputation.Every one who drinks doesn't have a problem they just don't need to drive.He broke the law let him pay for it like every one else.If he goes to rehab and keeps his job the deputy at the WCSD needs the same chance.
 
sasquatch
Comments: 11
Joined: 01/17/2007
06/11/2007 01:16:22 PM
It would be interesting to know if he was driving his Walker County issued vehicle.
<< < Prev - Next > >>