It was 5:30 p.m. on April 11thwhen police officers were dispatched to the scene of an accident that had occurred on Etowah Drive SE at Old Mill Road. According to Patch.com, the incident report stated that a 1997 Honda Civic was traveling eastbound on Old Mill Road heading towards Etowah Drive when it crashed into a 2018 Honda Pilot, which was heading west on Old Mill Road toward Terrell Drive.
Paul Michael Sisk was identified as the driver of the Civic and he was said to have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision. Sisk managed to dodge a few vehicles he had passed but then veered into the lane the Pilot was traveling in and that is when he hit the vehicle head-on. A witness told police that the Civic was seen leaving a liquor store, Toad’s Beverage Co. prior to the accident. Police stated that Sisk was unable to make a statement “due to his level of intoxication.” His BAC level was not revealed, however, he was charged with DUI, failure to maintain lane, and reckless driving.
Although no serious injuries were reported, the passenger inside the Pilot did say they felt neck and back pain and were taken to an area hospital for treatment.
Because Sisk was seen leaving a liquor store prior to causing a drunk driving accident, he may be in violation of Georgia’s Open Container Law if the officers were able to recover an open bottle of alcohol. GA law defines “an open alcoholic beverage container” as any bottle, can, or other receptacle that contains any amount of alcoholic beverage and (1) is open or has a broken seal; or (2) the content of which are partially removed.
The penalties he could potentially face for violating this law is a fine of $200 and have another charge added to his criminal record. But, because he did cause a drunk driving accident that may have resulted in an injury, he is going to be hit with some serious consequences for doing so. The consequences he would face for the DUI charge only given this his first DUI offense include:
- Possible jail time up to one year.
- Fine of $300 minimum, up to $1,000.
- License suspension of up to one year.
- 40 hours of community service, minimum mandatory.
- $210 license reinstatement fee.
[Governor’s Office of Highway Safety in Georgia].
If Sisks hopes to see any reduction in his charges, he will need to hire a GA DUI defense attorney to represent his case.
Driving while under the influence is a very serious crime in the state of Georgia and the penalties it carries are rather harsh. You could potentially lose your driving privileges and have to pay large fines and fees, some of which you might not be able to afford. So, if you were recently arrested for DUI in Macon, GA and haven’t yet retained a DUI lawyer, now is the time to do so. James W. Davis & Associates works to protect the interests of those who have been arrested and charged with DUI and can help you too. Whether you believe you are innocent or are looking to get your DUI charges reduced, contact Macon criminal defense attorney James W. Davis today so that he can provide you with all the information you are seeking.
You can contact James W. Davis & Associates at:
143 Lamar Street
Macon, GA 31204
478-742-1440
