Blog

Written by a Staff Writer The Washington Post reported earlier that an alleged drunk driver hit a Maryland state trooper on the Capital Beltway in Greenbelt on Tuesday. The officer was standing on the shoulder of the Capital Beltway’s inner loop and was in the middle of conducting a traffic stop when the accident occurred at about 2:30 a.m., according to police. The trooper had apparently pulled over the other car near the Greenbelt Metro exit just before he was hit. The driver side door of the other vehicle was open and as the alleged intoxicated driver drove past he struck the stopped car’s door and grazed the officer’s back. Another state trooper then reportedly pursued the SUV for about a mile before the driver stopped. He has been identified as Franklin Humberto Hernandez, 42, of Hyattsville, Maryland. Hernandez was charged with DUI and several other offenses. The state trooper…

By Julia Cole In a dangerous new trend among teens, alcohol is being consumed via breath instead of the old-fashioned method of imbibing. According to CBS New York, teens have started vaporizing, or “vaping,” alcohol in order to experience a quicker, stronger, and longer-lasting buzz. The vaping process involves heating up the alcohol and then inhaling the fumes, usually through a straw. This latest trend enables individuals to get drunker, faster. Normally when a person drinks, the alcohol is slowly absorbed by the body over time. When the alcohol is vaporized and then inhaled, it goes directly into the blood stream through the lungs. That means teens get drunk quicker and stay drunk longer, according to experts. Alcohol should be consumed responsibly in any form, but there are myriad risks associated with inhaling alcohol instead of drinking it. The speed and intensity at which the alcohol is consumed when inhaled…

Written by Staff Writer A recent report focusing on the District of Columbia’s three primary agencies that deal in traffic tickets revealed substantial flaws and gross oversight in the multi-million dollar issue. Though DC officials are good at getting money out of DC, Maryland, Virginia and other drivers -- $179 million to be exact – they aren’t very good with the details – such as matching plates to the right vehicles and drivers. The DC Inspector General issued the report on Monday based on the findings in a 115-page audit of three municipal agencies that gave out 2.5 million traffic and parking tickets in 2013. Motorists have complained for years about the arbitrary issuance of speeding and traffic tickets when cameras are involved or when parking meters fail to function properly. Among the more disturbing problems highlighted were: The Washington Post notes an unnamed, senior District official is quoted in…