Classy Mom Of 5 Arrested On Fifth DUI Drove On The Sidewalk With Kids In The Car
If there is anything I am unabashedly judgmental about it’s people who drink and drive. There is absolutely no excuse and I fully support throwing the book at them. So it baffles me how Nichole Kroger, a 36-year-old mother of five could be on her fifth DUI. This time around she was arrested for driving on the sidewalk. On New Years Eve. With two of her kids in the car. #Klassy.
Korger was arrested around 6pm on New Years Eve by an off-duty police officer. When she was picked up she had both her 8-year-old and her 10-year-old with her, because who cares about child endangerment when there is booze to get to, amirite? Ugh. According to police Lieutenant Jerome Miller:
“That’s the type of stuff that’s out there all the time. Unfortunately that’s the reason we are out there and appreciate those types of tips, whether they come from one of our own officers or another citizen – anything we can do to get those people off the road.”
Her husband, Kevin, is way more understanding of his wife than I would be in the same situation. He attributes her behavior to alcohol addiction and claims that she needs rehab, not jail. While I agree, she certainly seems to need rehab, I think a little jail time might hammer in the concept of DON’T DRIVE DRUNK WITH YOUR KIDS pretty damn well, also.
Don’t misunderstand, I am sympathetic to addiction and alcoholism. A very close relative of mine is an alcoholic who has struggled with the disease his entire life. When I was nine, he also drove with a kid in the car…me. Thankfully someone called the cops and he was pulled over and arrested. I had to sit for hours, waiting for someone to come get me, but hey, at least I was alive and at a police station instead of on the side of the road dead. That night could have ended very differently, just like Nichole Kroger’s could have. That moment was humiliating and frightening and life changing. So while I have sympathy for addiction, I have NO sympathy for drinking and driving of any kind, especially with kids involved.
What kills me, is how did she still have her license? Since she wasn’t charged with driving without a license, I’m going to assume she still had hers. While she was reportedly sober for over five years, she still had four previous DUI’s. How many do you have to get before you lose your right to drive? If I learned anything from my alcoholic relative, it’s that there are some people who will continue to drive drunk no matter what the consequences are. Hell, he drove drunk even without a damn license, but at least the attempt was made.
What’s the lesson here? There is no excuse for driving while intoxicated. None. Especially on the freaking sidewalk, and especially when you have kids in the car. I hope Nichole gets the help she obviously needs, but I especially hope that the authorities take away her license, because five DUI’s are five too many.
