Former Homeland Security Dir. of AL Convicted of DUI
Friday, April 08, 2005
NANCY WILSTACH
News staff writer
A former state official was convicted by a Shelby County jury Thursday for misdemeanor DUI, a charge that arose from a 2002 accident in Calera that injured 74-year-old twin brothers.
Lee Helms, 50, of Montgomery, was acquitted Thursday of a related second-degree assault charge that would have made the DUI conviction a felony. Great!! Now he is free to get three more DUI's before it becomes a felony. The jury deliberated more than four hours.
According to Alabama State Troopers, Helms had a .15 on the breathalyzer test. In Alabama, .08 is considered driving under the influence.
When the accident occurred on I-65 beneath the Alabama 25 overpass Feb. 13, 2002, Helms was the deputy director of homeland security for Alabama and operations director of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency. He no longer holds those positions.
Really now....how effective can you be at keeping terrorists out of Alabama when you are SAUCED? I think drunk driving is an act of terrorism.
His pickup ran into the rear of a 1968 Chevrolet station wagon driven by Lee Miller. Both Miller and his passenger, twin Leon, were injured in the wreck.
Circuit Judge D. Al Crowson is expected to sentence Helms in about two weeks. The conviction carries an automatic 90-day driver license suspension. He could also face a maximum fine of $2,100 and up to a year in jail.
NANCY WILSTACH
News staff writer
A former state official was convicted by a Shelby County jury Thursday for misdemeanor DUI, a charge that arose from a 2002 accident in Calera that injured 74-year-old twin brothers.
Lee Helms, 50, of Montgomery, was acquitted Thursday of a related second-degree assault charge that would have made the DUI conviction a felony. Great!! Now he is free to get three more DUI's before it becomes a felony. The jury deliberated more than four hours.
According to Alabama State Troopers, Helms had a .15 on the breathalyzer test. In Alabama, .08 is considered driving under the influence.
When the accident occurred on I-65 beneath the Alabama 25 overpass Feb. 13, 2002, Helms was the deputy director of homeland security for Alabama and operations director of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency. He no longer holds those positions.
Really now....how effective can you be at keeping terrorists out of Alabama when you are SAUCED? I think drunk driving is an act of terrorism.
His pickup ran into the rear of a 1968 Chevrolet station wagon driven by Lee Miller. Both Miller and his passenger, twin Leon, were injured in the wreck.
Circuit Judge D. Al Crowson is expected to sentence Helms in about two weeks. The conviction carries an automatic 90-day driver license suspension. He could also face a maximum fine of $2,100 and up to a year in jail.
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