[S-Dubb]

McNair arrested as passenger in DUI case Click here to find out more!
NFL.com wire reports


NASHVILLE, Tennessee (May 10, 2007) -- Baltimore Ravens quarterback Steve McNair was charged with driving under the influence even though police said his brother-in-law was behind the wheel of the pickup registered to the former Tennessee Titan.

Ravens statement
The Baltimore Ravens are aware of last night's situation involving Steve McNair and the Nashville police. Head coach Brian Billick talked with Steve today.

Ravens president Dick Cass issued this statement:
"We are aware of the situation involving Steve McNair. We have talked with Steve and persons in Nashville familiar with what happened this last night. We have also been briefed regarding the Tennessee law. We do know that Steve was a passenger in a car he owns that was stopped for speeding. Steve was not arrested for drinking, or driving the car irresponsibly. There is a court process that will now take place, and Steve will participate in these procedures."

McNair told the Ravens this:
"I was trying to act responsibly. I have to go through the court process now, and I understand that. I was planning to be in Baltimore for most of the remainder of this month to work out with my teammates, and anticipate that I will be doing that."

Although McNair was merely a passenger, he was charged with a misdemeanor under a Tennessee law that prohibits a vehicle owner from letting it be driven by someone who is inebriated.

Police said officer Harold Taylor pulled over McNair's 2003 Dodge pickup just before midnight May 9 because it was speeding. The driver, 31-year-old Jamie Cartwright, smelled of alcohol, failed a field sobriety test and refused to take a breath alcohol test, police spokesman Don Aaron said.

Cartwright said he was McNair's brother-in-law and acknowledged drinking at least two beers, police said.

The law used to charge McNair doesn't consider whether the vehicle owner was drinking, but only if the driver was impaired. Aaron said Nashville police have used the law to cite 42 other people this year.

McNair declined to comment when he was released from custody. He was accompanied by a friend, nightclub owner Robert "Big Daddy" Gaddy, who told WTVF-TV that McNair had done nothing wrong.

Greg Aiello, an NFL spokesman, said it was too early to determine whether McNair would face any punishment from the league.

"Any law enforcement matter that involves any of our people, we look into it to determine whether there is ultimately any violation of our policies," Aiello said.

McNair was arrested on DUI charges once before in Nashville in May 2003, when he also was charged with illegal gun possession.

After a year of legal wrangling, a judge dismissed those charges, ruling that police didn't have sufficient reason to pull over McNair.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

[BESTHANDS8381]

how does he get arrested for a dui when he wasn't driving?

[kelticwizard]

Although McNair was merely a passenger, he was charged with a misdemeanor under a Tennessee law that prohibits a vehicle owner from letting it be driven by someone who is inebriated.

That's how.

I will admit I have never seen any drunken driving law like this before, though.

It's the same principle that you can be charged with murder even though you never squeezed the trigger, if you helped plan the crime. But up until now, I have never seen that principle applied to drunken driving.

[santana]

what if ur too drunk to tell how drunk ur buddy is? he could be sober as hell but how would u know if ur wasted.

[kelticwizard]

Guess they figure that you are the owner of the car, you are responsible for the activity of the person you willingly turn the keys over to.

[gmany3k]

They can do what ever they want and to whom ever they want if they want.
we will just have to pay attention to what they want to let him go.

[santana]

what

[reg83ny]

They can do what ever they want and to whom ever they want if they want.
we will just have to pay attention to what they want to let him go.

Seeing aliens again G-dawg. Anyways, This is a New Law passed last year. So far, 49 people have been arrested for DUI and they were not the driver. If the car is yours and you let a drunk friend drive it, you're considered drunk too. Curious to see how many states will adopt this law.

[Smedsthejet]

Guess they figure that you are the owner of the car, you are responsible for the activity of the person you willingly turn the keys over to.

For that reason it's a good law. McNair was being negligent by turning his keys over to a drunk and allowed him to drive.

[jets0n]

For that reason it's a good law. McNair was being negligent by turning his keys over to a drunk and allowed him to drive.

Actually it's not a good law at all. How in the world is McNair supposed to "legally" administer an alcohol test to someone before handing over his keys? Legally I can't believe this is a law. It has such a loophole in it.... damn I should have been a lawyer.

[kelticwizard]

Same principle as the bars which get sued for the accidents of the drivers who leave the bar. In the bars' case, they served the drinks, they were complicit in the accident.

Here, the law says you turned the keys over, you are responsible for what the driver does.

In the bars' case, though, I don't think it is a criminal law. You can get sued and lose in civil court, but civil courts are only about money, not going to jail.

For what it is worth, I don't particularly like either one of these laws. In the bars' case, nobody thinks about the fact that the bartender might not even know the guy is driving home. If you have a neighborhood bar in a city, at least some of those customers will be people who walked to the bar. What if a customer lives a block away, drinks in a bar, leaves, but instead of going home takes his car to go somewhere else. Should the bar be liable for that car accident as well?

I hope this Tennessee law doesn't catch on.

[jets0n]

I'm sure he wont be charged.... maybe he'll get a plea bargain or something. Sounds like the Cop is mad McNair is no longer a Titan.

[Smedsthejet]

Actually it's not a good law at all. How in the world is McNair supposed to "legally" administer an alcohol test to someone before handing over his keys? Legally I can't believe this is a law. It has such a loophole in it.... damn I should have been a lawyer.

Surely he noticed the other person was drunk though?

[jets0n]

Surely he noticed the other person was drunk though?

Of course, but observation varies from person to person. It's hardly a constant variable that could be used in a court of law. First off, getting a DUI is pretty simple. All it takes is a .08 BAC. So since it doesn't take much alcohol to be considered legally drunk how can one rightfully and correctly make a distinction without possessing the correct tools and/or training? That's the problem. I'll tell you some people think drinking 2 beers and you're drunk. Some people think that being drunk is a night full of 8-10 drinks. So there needs to be a constant.

I'm sure they were both out drinking and having fun, but that doesn't mean that he should be charged with a DUI. He wasn't driving. The fact that it was his car is irrelevent unless he was behind the wheel.

[gmany3k]

when george washington retired to mt vernon he produced 11,000 gals of wiskey the most in the country.per year.

so if it were a renter car mcnair would have been wiser. the government makes many freedoms illegal so they can control you then profit off of you by paying their fines and fees and recieve more and more funds to build bigger jails to put a quota of citizens in jail . the little town will take the money and macnair will be
slapped on the wrist. now go to your local police pub and make a citizen s arrest because what is good for the goose is good for the gander. the government and big bussiness control all drugs live stock and barrel. and make it illegal for you to cultivate process and distribute because its a wealthy endeavour.but don't aleinate me google opium wars , east india company committe of 300. etc. got to got to work
now boys.