Got pulled over by the sheriff at Grants Pass

[Benny503]

I went to Shanenan tonight just because I want to find myself( I love hip hop music), reminising my past he he he. I had 2 long island ice teas and two beautiful (covourse and remennha somthing like that). Right when I left the bar, I saw a LE car followed me, I kept turned on all the signals and kept the speeding limmit posted. When I hit the first traffic light, I kinda roll down my window a little, I expect the LE car would pull up next to mine so I can wave at them and act friendly. The LE car didn't pull up, it parked half way of my car. When the green light turned I go, I look into my rear mirror and saw it pulled behind my car. I know he is going to flash his light and pulled me over. So I was prepared to be pulled over. I pulled out my concealed carry handgun and put it in arm rest compartment. I look back and saw the yellow, blue and red lights were flashing. I slow down and kept on driving till I can make it into a safe place for me and the officer to stop. I stopped, here come a officer, came up asked me for my driver license and registration. I told the officer:
"I will use my right hand reach behind my back and pull out my wallet. I will give you my driver license and my concealed carry license!"
He asked "Are you carrying?"
I respond "Yes, but my firearm is in my compartment!"
So I pulled out my wallet and handed him the driver license and my concealed carry license. He asked for registration and insurance card wich I have in my glove compartment.
I told him "I will use my right hand open my glove compartment to get my insurant and registration"
He interrupted me and ask "Your hand gun is in your glove compartment?"
I respond "ooops, my handgun is in my arm rest compartment"
Then he said "Ok"
I slowly open my glove compartment and dig into all the car maintenance server documents and found my insurance and registration and handed to him.
He call into dispatch and gave them my last name and my driver license number. I hear no respond, he asked me if I was having any drinking tonight. I told him yes I did, I have a few drink but I know my limmit. He asked I am oK driving then I told him yes. Then while waiting for dispatch to respond I told him was everything OK, he told me he pulled me over because the driver side break light broke. This is very new, I just had car maintanance my Toyota dealer in PDx for service. If any brake light go bad, they would of caught it and tell me to replace it since I have life time oil change with them, I paid nothing everytime I came in for oil changed. Anyway I will check my brake light tomorrow. He let me go, while I am putting the registration and my insurance back to a folder ( I have little binder keep accident report form and registration and insurance card). I drove passed me, it was a sheriff car. A 5 or 10 second later there is another sheriff car drove passed me and followed the car in the front.

My question is, is the sheriff car behind following the sheriff car in the front (the one that pulled me over) because he was speeding (which I think he was) to see if he is speeding or just a back up sheriff? Do they really need 2 sheriff car to pull me over? People told me that Grants Pass police are the most prejudice cops out there, they wait in the bar parking lot for people to come out. This guy didn't give me a ticket or give me a warning... I am wondering why? Do they do that to everyone or just me?

Read More

 

[Joe Link]

Honestly, in my opinion that sounds like a few too many to be driving or carrying, especially if they were pouring well for you at the bar. I've had similar situations when I presented an officer with my CHL (though I wasn't drinking), they treated me what I believe was more lenient than if I hadn't had it. I'm not in law enforcement so I can't tell you what the second car was for, but my guess is if there's an available unit nearby this late at night it'd be a good precaution to assist the first officer. I don't believe it's illegal to carry while drinking, but I believe you can get in trouble for carrying while intoxicated.

 

[Benny503]

To be honest I dont know if Oregon allow concealed carry in the bar area or any drinking while you carry concealed. Last time I read it was Arizona allow concealed carry in the bar....not sure about OR. But if any problems and I have to pull out my concealed carry, the last thing I would be worry is to be arrest for unlawfull carry "weapon" (I am still alive that is all I care) Like I said concealed is concealed, noone know I am carrying. Unless I do some stupid thing and the cops come and search my body and if I am arrest then I got arrested for being stupid... if not then noone ever find out i am conceal on my body unless "SHTF or what I like to say things happen" then I wouldn't be worry. My parents will visit me in jail for unlawfull possesion firearm, not visit me in some lonely cementary

 

[Benny503]

Joey, thanks for your input.. I forget to mention I was there at 8:00 PM and leaft around 12:30AM

 

[smithmax]

Benny, you really need to think hard about carrying while drinking. Alcohol causes poor judgment.

 

[Benny503]

I am completely agree with you, this is not all the time things. Since this incedent I would like to know more about Oregon laws about conceal carry and bar. Anyone else have input on this? TIA

 

[wayoutwest]

More input, sure, from reading what you wrote, it reads like you have been drinking either before or after you got home....depending on the time of night they sure could have had a 2nd Dep enroute to the traffic stop (just incase), once dispatch ran your ODL and it returned with CHL a 2nd Dep may have dispatched to the location.

As to the other questions about carrying at the bar, there is no ORS against it, you can carry in the bar and drink while carrying but it is not a good idea

 

[The B]

there's no law against carrying in a bar..

you're very lucky you didn't get a DUII

the second car was what you call a "cover car." in the cop world, it's considered good manners to "cover" for other officers on traffic stops, if you happen to see a fellow officer pulling someone over. it's not a rule, it doesn't have anything to do with the person pulled over, it's just a courtesy. however, based on the fact that you weren't IMMEDIATELY pulled from the vehicle and given a field sobriety test, i would guess that these guys were already on a call, and just pulled you over to see if you were sloppy drunk, or just a little drunk. since you seemed OK and had a CHL, they let you go and continued on to their call.

 

[Benny503]

More input, sure, from reading what you wrote, it reads like you have been drinking either before or after you got home....

LoL wayoutwest, it's my style of writing. A HS dropped out

 

[Benny503]

BKB, yup lucky I didn't get caught for DUI. I doubt I will get DUI because I wasn't that drunk. I was there at 8 and had a hamburger and fried around 11 PM with diet coke too So I guess food did destroyed all the alcohol I drank ;-)

I just came out and check my brake light with my gf, they are still working including driving light too. I dont know why the LE said I have a driver side brake light doesn't work :-(

 

[elsullo]

Benny, you very likely WERE intoxicated. Theoretically, a large person can burn off one drink per hour and still be beneath the legal limit for drunkenness. HOWEVER, as the hour gets later and the body gets tired, alcohol gets burned off more slowly. Drinkers after midnite are usually much drunker than they think they should be. Food does NOT absorb alcohol, and only slows absorbtion a little if eaten BEFORE drinking.

You were LUCKY! If the officers were not already on some other call they certainly would have given you a field sobriety test. I agree with poster "bkb0000" who guessed that they paused only to make sure that you were not totally blotto and dangerous. And if you had mentioned that you had been carrying in the bar while drinking it would have been much more concerninng to them!.......................elsullo

 

[Benny503]

You are right, I guess I was just lucky. Luck never come twice at same spot!!! Never will happen again... I already checked out the GP night scene and nothing interesting me anymore. The officer was very nice and very proffesional.

Are you sure food doesn't absorb alcohol? Maybe this question will be off topic but all my life been know that food does absorted alcohol.

 

[Mutoman]

I make it a point to not carry when I drink, even if it is only one beer. If I'm carrying, I don't drink.

Police often roll through the area where another officer has someone pulled over, just for courtesy and safety reasons. I spent a stint as a reserve deputy, we often did this when things were slow or we were in the area.

 

[Wenis]

I had 2 long island ice teas and two beautiful (covourse and remennha somthing like that).

That made me laugh.


My best friend only had two drinks (flaming dr. peppers however), in an hour and got a DUI. I learn from others mistakes, but you sir, are lucky.

 

[WhyteCheddar]

An empty stomach will allow the alcohol into the blood stream more quickly than a full one. Just eating a meal after a few drinks is not going to moderate your BAC.
If you would of been asked to blow you very well might of gone to jail.
If you would of needed to take some evasive action behind the wheel that night you very well might of killed yourself or someone else.

 

[huntpotter]

Benny, you got lucky bro. I got a dui, at 6:30 in the morning, after going to sleep on a freind's couch, at 2:00. I thought I was ok to drive, because I had slept for 4 hours, and had stopped drinking, 5 hours prior. It was huge hastle, not to mention all the expense of atorney fees, and court fees. The cop that busted me used the fact that I was carrying my pistol (legally), as probable cause to pull me out and give me a sobriety test. I passed the physical test, but didn't pass the breathalizer. I'll never even have 1 drink if I'm packing, and because I'm always packing, I rarely drink anymore. Count this as a warning, it can really mess your life up. Take care man!

 

[Scott]

Benny,

You are lucky, very lucky and by the way food doesn't make you sober the same way rollled down windows don't. The only thing that makes you sober is time. From the sounds of it a few hours would not have been enough. Here is WA you would have possibly lost your permit. It is against the law to be under the influence while carrying even if you are not driving and guns are against the law in bars. I like what the other member posted and that was leave the gun at home if you are going out to drink. It can lead to bigger problems. Just my thought though.

 

[The B]

The cop that busted me used the fact that I was carrying my pistol (legally), as probable cause to pull me out and give me a sobriety test.

probable cause to believe what?

 

[treemanx]

I cant even remember how many close calls I had in similar situations between the ages of 18-25. I am lucky and greatful I was never caught at any of those times. The fact is, the older and more experienced Ive gotten over the years, I understand how irresponsible driving after any drinking actually is. Forget the fact of carrying consealed while driving under the influence, that is secondary.

The first and foremost concern is for the saftey of the other people on the road, and yourself. In that order. You may not believe you have had too much to drink, but you arent an Intoxilizer 5000, are you? You can say you feel ok to drive, but that doesnt mean your slightly altered state couldnt effect your judgement while driving and possibly cause an accident.

We have a duty as drivers, in the same way we have a duty as CHL holders or gun owners, to be responsible with these things we use that can harm others or ourselves. IMO, it was a horrible judgement call on your part, and hopefully this will help you make the decision to be responsible behind the wheel. Better this as a learning experience than trying to cope with life after causing a fatal accident.

The legal limit on the road may be 0.08 BAC, but the best thing you can do is plan to stay where you drink overnight, or have a designated driver. Even if you only have a few beers. Anything else is like running towards a crowd of innocent people through potholes with a .45 in your hand and your finger on the trigger....hoping the gun dosent go off.

 

[Benny503]

Thank you all for all your responds, I will take everyone advices with me down the road of life. This is exactly the kind of input I need once awhile, sometime I tend to forget and be careless. From the bottom of my heart and again thank you all for all you inputs. Luckly I caused no harm to anyone or else I would regret for the rest of my life then that would be too late.