Walt Wells Charged with DUI in 2016 (merged)

[Iam4utalways]

No, he doesn't. He does not have a DUI on his criminal record. Plain and simple. Our system adjudicated his case on it's own individual merits and the District Attorney General's office chose not pursue a conviction for a DUI.

"Three bars" is too many to be driving.
Im not saying he got off by technicality. He got off by using his rights to avoid prosecution. Once they drop the charges doesn't change what happened, it only changes the consequences for what happened.

"3 bars" won't make you lose your thinking, but typically will put you over the .08. He wasn't so drunk to start blowing into straws and such.

What I didn't know until recent there's different terminology are for lesser amounts.

 

[TNnative]

I'm not here to hammer the guy....Mistakes happen.

The unbelievable thing is the unnecessary bad press this program and administration continues to heap on itself.

No, the unbelievable thing is the tenacity of the usual cast of characters who revel in drawing attention to every scrap of crap floating around. And yes, you are hammering...as usual.

 

[vol-un-tear]

I don't do it anymore and I'm glad I never got caught. I drove drunk all over Knoxville when I was a student. I won't judge anyone.

 

[DERELICK_MY_VOLS]

new tennessee ol coach walt wells was charged with dui in 2016

lol...so much for extreme vetting. Is anybody driving this thing?

This is my take on how many on here really thought about this topic....

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

And if we could send you to vandy the world would be perfect

Well...you can't... so deal with it or hit the ignore button.

Real simple choices for you Nancy.

 

[Fijivol72]

You know I was very happy with Butch making the changes he made, Warren is homerun, Hoke a winner, then we get to this guy. His paper thin resume was concerning enough, now this story, just putting whip cream on poop.

 

[BigBadVol]

LOL! The guy gets charged with DUI but pleads to wreckless driving. A year later people still want to punish him. What a bunch of sanctimonious pricks! Our society is screwed. Either anything goes or nothing goes. SMH.

 

[butchna]

You know I was very happy with Butch making the changes he made, Warren is homerun, Hoke a winner, then we get to this guy. His paper thin resume was concerning enough, now this story, just putting whip cream on poop.

He got in a car and drove when he had an extra beer or two. Done it myself along with a huge number of other posters and luckily never hurt anyone. Glad you're poop free. As for his resume? He's been coaching over 20 years...resume ain't thin.

 

[81Orange]

I'm sure Knoxville PD does drop it for the Vols. If you don't think so you're delusional. You're right I don't know what his BAC was, but logic and using common sense tells me something was amiss otherwise he would have been charged with anything. You see I grew up in a family of alcoholics so I'm familiar with these types of instances.

I also have had associates in this situation. Even with a top notch attorney your not getting a reduced charge inTN. TN is perhaps the toughest st. On DUI. On a fist offense you can refuse the BAC test. If you refuse you will loose your license for a year. It's is now true that they can get a warrant for your blood, but that is a recent change. So I guessing Walt refused the BAC test to avoid the conviction but still lost his license. Probable had a breathalyzer installed in his car and drove on a restricted license for a year. I am guessing he had to attend AA meetings and perhaps DUI school.

Walt made a mistake and has no choice but to live with it. He paid for his crime and it is over. Let him move on. Rest assured it was no picknick.

I am geueesing that almost every staff we recruit against has a skeleton in their closet.

Steve Sakasian has done worse and has been well cared for since. Round the bowl down the h....

 

[JohnD13]

Well...you can't... so deal with it or hit the ignore button.

Real simple choices for you Nancy.

Thanks will do.

Name calling a real impressive response...LOL

 

[neostig]

I think the level is to low for dui. Don't pile on but I think one ore two beers shouldn't be enough to ruin your life. Again totally against drunk driving. I'd feel safer with everyone on the road with one beer on board instead of staring at their phones.

 

[EZE]

Not really what the thread is about. The difference has to do with why someone would report this a year after it happened other than to stir up ****.

It really is simple. The guy was a nobody a year ago. Even if they had reported it, I doubt it would have even been discussed on here.

Now that he is the position coach for a unit that has underperformed for Butch's entire tenure, and many have turned against Butch, I guess it is now newsworthy. In the grand scheme of things, an OL coaching position is still pretty low profile, but I guess it feeds the agenda of the Negasheep.

 

[volfannbama]

Again did I say that strawman? You inserted the losses to South Carolina and Vanderbilt into the equation. Try staying on topic. Besides tell me what players we missed out on because of those 2 games?

Oh look at you, calling me names, how tough. What players did we miss out on from other school negatively recruiting against us due to this arrest? Then ask yourself which is more likely, losing recruits due to negative recruiting or having a team that cant seem to put together more than one game of good football at a time?

 

[volfannbama]

Sure he does. Get off DUI 101: Don't take their tests. Don't allow search(That includes their Police Dog's).

If I told you the rest you would drive around DUI without fear of consequence unless you have a crash. Then you're toast.

Get a DD, call a cab, catch a ride. Just don't drive DUI.

Most people would feel really bad if they hurt someone while being DUI. Do it for your own good, stop DUI.

You give bad advance on avoiding the consequences of a dui.

 

[Roustabout]

LOL! The guy gets charged with DUI but pleads to wreckless driving. A year later people still want to punish him. What a bunch of sanctimonious pricks! Our society is screwed. Either anything goes or nothing goes. SMH.

Might have something to do with the fact that we're just now finding out about it. Hell, surprised the Falcons didnt come after him.

 

[Roustabout]

I also have had associates in this situation. Even with a top notch attorney your not getting a reduced charge inTN. TN is perhaps the toughest st. On DUI. On a fist offense you can refuse the BAC test. If you refuse you will loose your license for a year. It's is now true that they can get a warrant for your blood, but that is a recent change. So I guessing Walt refused the BAC test to avoid the conviction but still lost his license. Probable had a breathalyzer installed in his car and drove on a restricted license for a year. I am guessing he had to attend AA meetings and perhaps DUI school.

Walt made a mistake and has no choice but to live with it. He paid for his crime and it is over. Let him move on. Rest assured it was no picknick.

I am geueesing that almost every staff we recruit against has a skeleton in their closet.

Steve Sakasian has done worse and has been well cared for since. Round the bowl down the h....

My wife works in DAs office. DUI is hanlded different across the state. Knox Co. compared to Blount is a joke.

 

[MurphyVol]

Use it as a recruiting tool

#partyschool

 

[etsuvol13]

LOL! The guy gets charged with DUI but pleads to wreckless driving. A year later people still want to punish him. What a bunch of sanctimonious pricks! Our society is screwed. Either anything goes or nothing goes. SMH.

He should have been pushed more a year ago.

 

[tennrich1]

LOL! The guy gets charged with DUI but pleads to wreckless driving. A year later people still want to punish him. What a bunch of sanctimonious pricks! Our society is screwed. Either anything goes or nothing goes. SMH.

While I am certainly in favor of "second chances" and redemption (I myself am a child of mercy and grace) I have very strong feelings about DUI etc. type charges...It is another level whether we want to admit it or not...it just is...I worked for 30 years in a profession where I witnessed the absolute devastation it causes...UNBELIEVEABLE SORROW...and ANYONE caught doing it should be severely punished...make no mistake about that...However....there is a time to move on....Has this young man learned an everlasting lessen and understands the absolute irresponsibility it demonstrates(not to mention TOTAL lack of concern for other people). IDK...only time laid out before us in many number of years will reveal that...and the ole couple of beers line is used by everyone everywhere....and it can get you is such serious trouble WHY, I ASK AGAIN, WHY WOULD YOU EVER CHANCE IT REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT IT??? We will never agree I guess on all this but you MUST deal with this issue quickly and swiftly....should we retain him? IDK the answer to that....but there's ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT CBJ and the admin will be laying their reputation on the line if he EVER SHOWS SUCH STUPIDITY AGAIN...I personally hope he does find redemption, grace and mercy...and moves forward....

 

[KBVol]

Based on your theory we should have never hired Coach majors and Bear Bryant should have been fired at Alabama decades ago. Their alcohol issues were legend.

They both got arrested for DUI and reckless driving? It's not a big deal to drink alcohol.....it is a big deal to drink alcohol and drive a car, recklessly.

 

[Iam4utalways]

You give bad advance on avoiding the consequences of a dui.

Other than not driving after drinking(that's the best way to avoid the consequences of a DUI) what advice would you give to the person that is pulled over after having a beer or three?

I was relaying some of the advice a lawyer gave me.

 

[butchna]

He should have been punished more a year ago.

Leg irons? Cat O'nine tails?

 

[BigBadVol]

While I am certainly in favor of "second chances" and redemption (I myself am a child of mercy and grace) I have very strong feelings about DUI etc. type charges...It is another level whether we want to admit it or not...it just is...I worked for 30 years in a profession where I witnessed the absolute devastation it causes...UNBELIEVEABLE SORROW...and ANYONE caught doing it should be severely punished...make no mistake about that...However....there is a time to move on....Has this young man learned an everlasting lessen and understands the absolute irresponsibility it demonstrates(not to mention TOTAL lack of concern for other people). IDK...only time laid out before us in many number of years will reveal that...and the ole couple of beers line is used by everyone everywhere....and it can get you is such serious trouble WHY, I ASK AGAIN, WHY WOULD YOU EVER CHANCE IT REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT IT??? We will never agree I guess on all this but you MUST deal with this issue quickly and swiftly....should we retain him? IDK the answer to that....but there's ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT CBJ and the admin will be laying their reputation on the line if he EVER SHOWS SUCH STUPIDITY AGAIN...I personally hope he does find redemption, grace and mercy...and moves forward....

If the administration didn't know then they are stupid. The judicial branch has decided his punishment but everyone else, self proclaimed justice warriors, want more. Just because someone is a coach doesn't mean everything in his life is everybody's business. Both he and UT owe an explanation to no one except those directly involved. Players their families and such, are the only ones entitled to any info. Not the general public.

 

[wtorange]

They both got arrested for DUI and reckless driving? It's not a big deal to drink alcohol.....it is a big deal to drink alcohol and drive a car, recklessly.

Let's just say they were taken care of and outside folks never knew the difference.

 

[volfannbama]

Other than not driving after drinking(that's the best way to avoid the consequences of a DUI) what advice would you give to the person that is pulled over after having a beer or three?

I was relaying some of the advice a lawyer gave me.

If you avoid all the test, you will likely still be arrested. If you fail to take the breathalyzer, you will lose your license due to implied consent, regardless of the outcome. My advice, if you have only had one or two beers is to take the test. Usually, cops have a PBT (unofficial breathalyzer) on the side of the road and the HGN test is usually the most acuarate test to decide to arrest or not, the other test are just more visiuale proof.

However, if you are cooperative with the cop, even if you are borderline .08, it is more liekly the cop may let you call someone to pick you up. Or they will let you go if you blow very low on the roadside PBT.

No offense to your friend who is a DUI lawyer, but in all situations follow the money. DUI lawyers get paid when DUI cases go to court, so they give advice based on such. Even if you beat the DUI in court or get reduced charges etc, the cost to you will still be several thousand dollars and DL will still be suspended (unless the judge decides not to enforce thw implied consent law.)

As for the search, when you are arrested the cop is allowed to do an inventory of your car for impound, but this doesnt not include looking in looked compartments etc. As for the K9, a K9 can walk around the outside of your car and build probable cause for a search if necessary. The key to the legality of this is that no extra time can be built into the stop for the purpose of waiting on a dog. For example, if that officers normal stop is 7 minutes with one ticket issued, they cant make you wait 15 minutes with one ticket issued.

Sorry so long, lots of variables in this stuff.