The Brunswick Police Department (BPD) arrested two Bowdoin students for drunk driving last Sunday, according to Bowdoin Security. The two students, aged 20 and 21, were charged with operating under the influence (OUI).
In both cases, Bowdoin Security was directly involved.
The first incident occurred at 12:40 a.m. on Sunday. According to Director of Security Randy Nichols, Bowdoin security officers and officers of the BPD were at the intersection of Coffin Street and Longfellow Avenue on an unrelated call.
“Officers then heard squealing tires coming from down Coffin Street in the vicinity of Pickard field house,” said Nichols. “One of our security officers on bike patrol actually went up to the intersection and stopped the vehicle, and a BPD officer came over and investigated.”
The male student driving the car was 21 years old. The student was arrested for OUI and brought down to Brunswick Police Station, where he was booked and bailed. The vehicle was towed.
“Moments before the student was stopped, he had other students in the car with him,” said Nichols. “He had just dropped them off.”
The second incident occurred at 6:15 p.m. on Sunday. A Security officer saw and followed an erratic vehicle from Bath Road to the upper Stowe Inn parking lot and called it in to BPD.
“The security officer approached the vehicle, saw at this point that it was a Bowdoin student, a male driver age 20,” said Nichols. “BPD arrived moments later, and again investigated, had the student preform sobriety tests, then placed the student under arrest, and brought him to Brunswick police for booking.”
Again, the student was released on bail and the vehicle was towed.
According to BPD Deputy Chief Mark Hagan, the police department treats Bowdoin students just as they would anyone else in the community.
“It’s a non issue for us as far as when we’re dealing with it,” he said. “We don’t treat Bowdoin students any differently than anyone else.”
Hagan went on to say that the BPD does not consider OUIs to be a big problem with Bowdoin students.
“Its not usually a huge issue with Bowdoin students,” he said. “We probably get a few a year. It’s never really been an over the top issue with us.”
In Maine, driving a vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 percent or above is cause for arrest. Furthermore, under Maine’s zero tolerance law, drivers under 21 cannot operate a vehicle with any amount of alcohol in their bloodstream.
Both students have court appearances scheduled for November. Once the appopriate paperwork goes through the legal system, their licenses will be suspended until their respective court dates. The students in question are prohibited from consuming any alcohol during the weeks leading up to their court appearances.
The penalties, if convicted, include a minimum of a $400 fine and 90-day license suspension.
Certain aggravating factors can increase legal penalties in Maine; these factors include the driver’s BAC, speed, presence of passengers under 21 and attempts to elude an officer.
The blood alcohol content (BAC) of the two students was not released.
According to Bowdoin security records, there have been seven OUIs involving Bowdoin students since January of 2010.
“Two in one weekend is highly unusual,” said Nichols. “One in one weekend is highly unusual. Over the years, students have generally made very good decisions. We rely on our students to watch out for one another. Students rarely drink alone. Is it possible that no one had the opportunity to prevent these two students from driving drunk? I doubt it.”
Nichols went on to discuss alternatives to driving available to Bowdoin students, including SafeRide, Brunswick Taxi and Security.
“Call me if you want to,” he said, “Just don’t get behind the wheel intoxicated.”
Both students will also face penalties from within the College.
In an email to the Orient, Dean of Student Affairs Tim Foster said that the College has systems in place to address student violations of state law. According to the student handbook, disciplinary actions within the College may occur without regard to any concurrent legal proceedings.
Correction: Friday, September 27, 10:15pm. The original version of this article stated that the licenses of the students in question had been suspended until their court dates. The article has been updated to clarify that their licenses will be suspended until said date once the appropriate paperwork goes through.