Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Given the temptations to imbibe in New Orleans and the benefits of a father-son weekend, Billy Joe Madden of Mississippi probably thought he was doing the right thing taking his son along to serve as designated driver. Still, something looked odd to Louisiana Troopers as they saw the Hattiesburg resident passed out in the passenger seat of his pickup truck as it tooled erratically along Interstate 12 while he son “manned” the wheel and as his unsuspecting daughter slept in the back seat. Seems our responsible drinker and father of two felt it quite proper to let his eight-year old son drive the pickup to Dallas –as in Texas –even as his 4 year-old daughter slept. Troopers were not so sanguine and booked Billy Joe (you just can’t make this up) on two counts of child desertion, parent allowing a minor to drive, open container and two counts of no child restraint and no seatbelt. Both of Madden’s children were turned over to child welfare authorities and were awaiting the arrival of a family member who could take custody of them, police said. Billy Joe remains in jail in lieu of his $1,400.00 bond. Who’d bail him out for this anyway?
Now I am not making light of this incredibly dangerous situation but the shocking absurdity of it all is just stunning. Billy Joe did avoid the DUI charge, but his bid for “Father of the Year” s in real jeopardy. Father knows best? This one knows nothing!
Source: Chicago Tribune
~Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Hendricks or Childress should sign that 8 yr old up to a contract. If he could drive w/ his daddy passed out at the wheel he’d have no trouble negociating Daytona, Bristol, or Talledaga….
As a friend of mine used to say, “How’d you like to call him ‘honey’…??” A real piece of work…
More and more (though it’s always been true to a degree), the national political scene has taken on “the feel” of high school… with an extra twist of “vicious” thrown in…
anon nurse,
That is one sad legislator. One heck of a “record” to be proud of!
Damn AN, maybe they need a program….but then…the laws are for everyone but them…
http://gawker.com/5826794/meet-americas-drunkest-legislator
Well AN,
Lets just say…the Legal Profession has its own share of drunks…It beats the national average by a greater percentage than any other profession….The US Avg alcoholic is 7.9 per cent…of the total population….The Legal profession is about 18.9 per cent…Even percentage wise…it lends itself to abuse much easier….So you are safe where you are at…
AY,
Well, you know… a nurse’s point of view… I see these these guys in the ER or on the psych unit… Law school probably would have been the smarter option… 🙂
That is the best way to do it AY!
raff,
I paid cash for everything in my office….NO DEBT….I even paid cash for a copier….they wanted me to lease it for three years…The guy almost shit his britches…and it was paid off in 90 days….
AY,
That is a profitable smirk!
AN,
All’s I can do is smirk…..these are the types of folks that make attorneys not only a name…but money….and they all have friends that have friends….that make this a vicious never ending loop….I had one client in a Neglect proceeding that sent me over 125 or 128 drunk driving cases in 2 years….she was the “Bartender”….and my fee was anywhere between 750 to 5k……So yes…All’s I can do is smirk…..
About all I can do is shake my head…
pete,
I don’t consider folks like Billy Joe to be the best examples of “survival of the fittest.”
Elaine
the kids might well have their own drivers licenses by the time they find someone responsible in that bunch.
you drive daddy home tonight lil buddy and tomorrow i’ll teach you how to ride yer bike without the training wheels
From the Chicago Tribune article:
“Both of Madden’s children were turned over to child welfare authorities and were awaiting the arrival of a family member who could take custody of them, police said.”
Let’s hope there’s a family member who will be more responsible in caring for these two children than Billy Joe. Looks like Billy Joe will have to hire a chaffeur with a legal driver’s license to drive him when he’s inebriated from now on.
Mein Gott im Himmel!!
You are so right … one can’t make this stuff up.
Woww, sounds like this guy is getting off awfully easy here.
Don’t they have serious child endangerment laws, or care and control laws
(vehicular)???
This guy sounds like a tea Party member. Maybe OS is correct. He should run for Congress! Great article Mark!
Has Billy Joe considered running for Congress? We could not do much worse.
must be one big 8y/o