An allegedly intoxicated male who admitted to drinking vodka straight from bottle was recently located by Mount Pleasant police after rear-ending a stationary vehicle. After a series of tests, the accused party was arrested and charged with DUI 3rd, with prior DUI offenses occurring in 2016 and 2018.
During the late afternoon hours of Jan. 23, police located Jackson Gilliam, a 30-year-old White male, who was reported to be impaired behind the steering wheel of his Volkswagen Tiguan.
Gilliam presented himself with slurred speech, glassy bloodshot eyes, with an unsteady gait and the strong odor of alcohol emanating from his person.
Gilliam -- a North Charleston resident headed west on the 526 -- claimed he had only ingested one drink during an earlier brunch.
Subsequent SFSTs (Standardized Field Sobriety Tests) revealed a lack of smooth pursuit in both eyes during the HGN (Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus) test; swaying during the walk-and-turn and an inability to recite the alphabet.
When asked a second time about his alcohol consumption, the alleged lawbreaker conceded that he had "too much to drink." He also mentioned reportedly guzzling from a bottle of vodka while at home.
Following his arrest, Gilliam was driven to the station, where after a 20-minute observation period, the subject refused to submit a breath sample. He was promptly served with a notice of licensure suspension.
He was transported to the Charleston County Detention Center (CCDC) on Leeds Avenue, where Gilliam was booked and lodged.