I’m 67 years old and am retired. Until May of 2007, I have not had any kind of ticket in over 25 years. I have NEVER been in a jail.

My Wife and I and my brother and his wife went to Maui for a vacation. My brother’s wife is ill and has a morphine pump under her skin. It was a VERY long trip. The next day my brother’s wife became ill and had to taken to the hospital and we spent most of the day there. My brother told us to go to the room. We got diner and waited for my brother to call.

At 7:00pm he called and said he would stay there with his wife. Judy and I EACH had three drinks between 7pm and 10pm, and then we went to bed. At 12:30am my brother called and said that they would not let him stay there. We got up and got dressed. This is something that I didn’t know, Judy brushed her teeth and I didn’t.

I drove about 45mins to the hospital. I was at a red light to take a left turn. The light turn green and I started the left turn. Half way through the turn I saw the red arrow. The police were behind me and pulled me over. They test me and Judy and Judy tested fine – Why (?) because she brushed her teeth and I didn’t.

They took me in. They made me blow into this thing for 20 min until they got the numbers they wanted. That was because I ware dentures and didn’t brush my teeth.

I got a lawyer that didn’t do much for me. My lawyer told me that in Maui for DUI’s there is no jury of your peers the judge and DA decides if you’re guilty. How many DA’s do know that would say, “I want to loose this one”? So I had two chooses, 1 fly back to Hawaii two or three time. I’m retired and on a fixed income. Or go do the go contest way. After my case was over, my lawyer went to work for the DA’s office.

In 2004, we lost our home in the Florida Hurricanes. This DUI has been more devastating than losing our home. This has been very devastating and is on my mind every day and every hour.

Please, is there any why to get this horror out of my head and off my record???? This is horrible!!! I do not drink and drive.

Frank Ecker

Port Orange, FL

(386) 788-1112