COLUMBIA - From the prosecuting attorney's office to the Department of Revenue - everyone plays a part. But it starts with the officers on the street.
Their goal: Pulling dangerous drivers off the road. But pulling wreckless drivers off the road pulls officers off the street.
"It is a concern sometimes because it is a very man-powered, man-hour intensive. It takes officers off the street," said traffic supervisor Tim Moriarity.
If you are ever pulled over for drinking and driving, this is what would happen to you. At the station, officers would give you a breathlyzer test to see if your alcohol level is above the legal limit of .08. If above the limit, you would be arrested, fingerprinted and photographed.
Your data then goes to both the Department of Revenue and prosecuting attorneys. The Department of Revenue decides how that offense would affect your driving privileges and how many points you would lose on your license. Prosecuting attorneys decide the severity of the charge based on the police report and your past record.
"I evaluate each case based on the facts not on who the person is," assistant prosecuting attorney Stephanie Morrell.
"But I can tell you right now, conversely, the accidents that result from drunk drivers takes a lot longer than a DWI arrest, so we'd rather work a DWI arrest than some of the fatalities that we've had," explained Moriarity.
When you wind up in court, you might lose your license and even be placed under house arrest. Senator Graham is a first-time offender. A first-time offender is considered a Class-B misdemeanor - meaning he could face up to six months in jail.