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Worth a look

“Explore the world through someone else’s eyes.” That’s what it says on the splash page of the site for Periscope, a Twitter app that lets users live-stream whatever they are doing. You could be watching the Clarks River flow, could be enjoying Benton’s Tate Day or you could be serenading the crowd at Big Singing Day. Or you could use Periscope as a woman far southeast of Kentucky did: to stream a broadcast of yourself drinking and driving.

The 23-year-old Florida woman was watched by Periscope viewers as she apparently consumed alcohol while behind the wheel, talked about driving drunk and went bar-hopping. Law enforcement officers in Lakeland were contacted by users of the app and were eventually able to track the woman down. She was given a sobriety test and then arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

“I’m so drunk,” she said at one point in her live streaming event. “Let’s see if I get a DUI.” She did.

In selfie-fascinated America, her antics might well earn her a few chortles. She’s unlikely to fare as well in court, however.

If she had been arrested in Marshall County, she would be facing upon conviction for a first offense:

  • Jail time (up to 30 days)
  • Suspension of driver’s license (up to 120 days)
  • A fine (up to $500)

The woman made a mistake, as all of us do at times in our lives. A skilled, experienced Benton defense attorney can you help avoid the harshest possible penalties for a DUI mistake.