Sen. Zeb Little arrested for DUI
FOX6 News has confirmed that state senator Zeb Little was arrested on Friday night on suspicion of DUI.
I’m just guessing, but it probably isn’t real good PR for the Democrat Senate Majority Leader to be arrested for DUI.
Update: It gets worse for Zeb. From AL.com:
State Trooper Spokesman Steven Jarrett said at approximately 5 p.m. Friday, a corporal traveling on Interstate 65 northbound in Jefferson County was flagged down by a motorist who reported witnessing a two-vehicle, property damage-type crash on the interstate.
The motorist told the corporal that one of the vehicles involved had driven away from the scene of the crash. The motorist then pointed out a vehicle ahead on the interstate and identified it as the vehicle that had left the scene of the crash.
The corporal pursued the vehicle. The vehicle did not initially stop in response to the corporal, but then pulled over just north of the 254 mile marker.
The 2008 GMC Sierra had damage to the front quarter panel on the driver’s side. The corporal also observed the presence and odor of alcohol. He subsequently placed Little, the driver, under arrest for driving under the influence, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, violation of the open container law, and driving with an expired license.
Little refused to submit to a chemical test for intoxication.The second vehicle involved in the crash was described as a black SUV. It initially pulled off the interstate after the crash, but left the scene before troopers were able to make contact with the driver.
Possible DUI. Hit and run. Evading police. Open container. Expired license. Wow.
The most bizarre to me may be the expired license. He’s a freaking State Senator! He can’t even keep his driver’s license up to date and he is making laws! Not only is he making laws, but his party make him their leader. Yikes.
I heard his actions could merit a felony charge. Any lawyer types care to weigh in on that one? If so and he is ultimately convicted then he’s out of the Senate (not that I can see him surviving this incident anyway). Another Democrat gone.
Gotta feel for his family.
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Brian, three years ago Zeb had to be talked into running again. There were rumors out there then about some serious personal issues that he was having. I’ll say this about him though Brian. He sure looks young for his age. I saw him in a Jet Pep last fall in Hanceville…he just has this boyish look about him. This arrest though probably will be the end of his political career. Cullman is a very conservative county when it comes to issues like this. They despise gambling and alcohol more than anything.
Brian,
Leaving the scene can be either a felony or a misdemeanor. Normally, if there are injuries it’s a felony; since this is apparently a property damage only, it will most likely be a misdemeanor.
I read that the other driver also left after the wreck which is probably why Little was not charged with leaving the scene of an accident. Apparently the other driver was not injured so even if he/she reappears it would be a misdemeanor. A DUI can be a felony if you have been convicted of DUI in the State of Alabama on 3 previous occasions. Nothing I have read indicates that would come into play here.
hit and run is a felony, if zeb had been convicted the other times in cullman then…
No, Hit and Run (the correct name for the charge is Leaving the Scene of an Accident) is only a felony if someone was injured in the wreck he drove away from. If no one is injured, it is a misdemeanor.
Prior convictions (or the lack of such) does not play into it.
If he was shnockered at 5 PM that is the beginning of rush hour time on I-65. That’s awfully arrogant/idiotic/naive to be on the road while impaired at that time. Not excusing the behavior at any time,though.
thanks, OP, stand corrected. And in this case i would think even if it was, some pretty easy legal work could get it reduced. i think he’ll be fine on that end, but guess the interesting part will be to see how he handles the pressure in mtgmy given the mass press coverage.
“Little” Zeb is arrogant/idiotic/ and naive….and
has chosen to be this way even to members of his own
party. Little Zeb, what goes around DOES come around.
Little (no pun) sympathy will be found for him esp. here in
conservative Cullman, AL
My thoughts:
1.) It’s an unfortunate personal problem for him and he will hopefully get a lot of support from his family.
2.) This reflects badly on Zeb personally, and not the whole AL Dem Party. Only if they let him slide by and have other members in the same unbecoming situations, will it tell of a wider AL Dem party problem. However, it does seem like there might have been some tale-tell signs in the past so it makes me question their judgment.
3.) I hope he is held to the full extent of the law since he is supposed to be a man with the trust of the people and should be held to a higher standard. Without that, we’ll just have more of the same.
This is deplorable behavior on the part of a lawmaker and a lawyer, to boot. Interesting that he has been under the tutelage of none other than Lowell “Speedy” Barron, another state senator who doesn’t deserve the privilege. I seriously doubt this was the first time Little was drinking while driving home to Cullman from a legislative session in Montgomery. He needs to hear this and hear it well: There are people in this state who have put loved ones in their graves due to drunk drivers. Include me as on of those people who lost two at once. That perpetrator didn’t have previous DUIs, either. But trust me, he’d done it before on many occasions. He’s in jail for murder. 40 years. Listen up, Mr. Little. Yes, you should be sorry. And you should also thank your lucky stars that you didn’t kill anyone. We need to vote these lousy people out of office. Can’t our state do better than this?
I’m from Cullman – went to school with Zeb. Super-nice guy to know. I don’t agree with he & the Dems politically but he is a decent guy. I feel for his family – being a Rep. or Sen. takes incredible amounts of time away from your family & now to have to deal with this. He may sit out the next election, but he’ll probably run again for something else – at one time he was looking at Lt. Gov. But not 2010. Especially with the coming backlash against Dems in 2010 – What Alabama democrat would want to run for anything?
The facts of this case are indeed mind boggling. I completely agree with you. Party affiliation aside, expired license? Leaving the scene of an accident? DUI? Open container? This is something like out of a soap opera or something.
Did his dog just die? He sounds completely discombobulated.
Maybe he was celebrating the new 62 % pay increase for the Alabama legislature.
OUCH!! good one!
take that Goat Hill Folks.