Emotions can lead to irrational decisions. Emotions and alcohol together make for a lethal decision-making combination! The following story is played out around the country on a seemingly daily basis with incredibly intoxicated people making one bad decision after another.
Nebraska Cops Episode
Police officers in Chadron, Nebraska have been busy lately with alcohol related disturbances, and one instance escalated to an officer allegedly being assaulted in the process of a DUI investigation. Of course this altercation began after midnight (***bad decision alert).
It began with a police sergeant making contact with a male and female involved in a verbal argument. The 20-year-old female was running down the street without a shirt (***bad decision alert).
It Could Have Ended Well
After a short period of time, both the male and female were released, then a short time later, another officer observed the same female laying in an intersection near a parked pickup. It turns out the female, later identified as Jessica Benson had fallen, and he male companion/arguing partner, 24-year-old Ty Werdel drove his truck to pick her up (*** very bad decision alert)
When officers approached him they detected a strong odor of alcohol and initiated a DUI investigation on Werdel.
Then it gets Worse
While officers tried to investigate Werdel’s DUI Benson began to hinder and physically disrupt the ongoing investigation (*** very bad decision alert), and approached the officer’s location while shouting profanities. She was asked to step back repeatedly, but instead walked up to a patrol vehicle and began pounding her fists on it. She became even more irate when told she was now under arrest.
The Snowball Gains Size and Momentum
Two of their friends showed up making it three intoxicated males on the scene (**bad decision alert), along with Benson and the officers. The pugilistic Benson then punched the arresting officer (***extremely bad decision).
An altercation ensued between the arresting officer, and the second officer un-holstered his taser to keep the other subjects from becoming engaged in the altercation. During the scuffle, Benson grabbed the officer in the groin (***very bad decision), and after being handcuffed, she kicked him in the groin again (***ditto on bad decision).
Benson was transported to the Dawes County Jail and charged with Assault on an Officer in the 3rd Degree (a Class IIIA Felony), Obstructing a Police Officer and Resisting Arrest (both Class I Misdemeanors), and Minor In Possession of Alcohol (a Class III Misdemeanor). Werdel was placed under arrest for Driving Under The Influence of Alcohol above .15 (a Class W Misdemeanor), and was housed at the Dawes County Jail.
And to think they had already been released by police and given a second chance not to have their night and perhaps the rest of their lives ruined with felony charges