There but for the grace of God go I, along with a whole lot of other people. And oh yeah, come to think of it, a bunch of us have already gone there. It just didn’t get widely reported — if at all — the way it did with NBC Channel 5 KXAS-TV anchor Jane McGarry, who was arrested on suspicion of DWI in the early Sunday morning hours of May 6.
McGarry unfortunately attracted the attention of a state trooper as she was traveling on the North Dallas Tollway in the area of Lemmon Avenue when she changed lanes and reportedly failed to activate her turn signal. One report I read said McGarry was traveling south and another said she was headed north, so the only thing that can safely be assumed is that she was in fact on the tollway and not headed out of a bar parking lot somewhere. The trooper recorded in his statement that she was driving a 2007 Porsche, and that upon exit from it, she talked in a loud voice, exhibited bloodshot, droopy eyes and swayed a bit.
McGarry reportedly acknowledged having consumed three glasses of wine, and you know how that goes. She probably had a dozen at least. At any rate she failed the field sobriety tests, and presumably said, “No, thank you,” when they asked her to blow on a Breathalyzer. Upon her refusal, they administered a mandatory blood test that probably left her swaying even more in her high heels.
McGarry did recover enough during booking to smile pleasantly for her mug shot, and it’s a good thing she did. The picture has now circulated from coast to coast and across the seas. Since her arrest I’ve noticed datelines in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York. The International Business Times reported it, and to top it all off, the Christian Post weighed in on the anchor’s disgrace, reporting on an online debate about whether she deserved to be immediately fired.
No doubt if McGarry hears about this column, she will likely say something to the effect of, “Good grief, even the gay newspaper is reporting it.” I imagine about now the anchor is probably wishing that she had opted for a quiet evening at home rather than whatever it was she did.
The news of the award-winning anchor’s arrest was first broken by the competing Channel 8 WFAA-TV station and The Dallas Morning News, which through their mutual association with the Belo Corp. cooperate on news reports. Other television stations apparently chose not to report her arrest, but by late Monday, Channel 5 reported in its newscast that McGarry had been arrested and would remain off the air for the time being while it investigates.
The Dallas Observer of course weighed in with a snide comment about her “simply delightful” mugshot as it is prone to do. In fact, if it hadn’t, it would have lead everyone to think the editors were all passed out under their desks and not doing their jobs.
The most amazing part of the whole story to me though is that McGarry’s arrest has attracted so much attention from so far away. DWI arrests are more than common; they are ubiquitous, pervasive and critical to the financial survival of the nation’s criminal justice system, which provides jobs for so many Americans. They are money makers to be sure, as McGarry is about to find out as she starts writing checks to her lawyer.
The FBI’s “2010 Crime in the United States” report revealed there were 1.09 million people arrested on drunken driving charges that year, the latest year for which the information is available. That represented about 11 percent of the total 10.2 million arrests in the nation that year. The information was gathered from 12,222 law enforcement agencies representing a total national population of 240.1 million people.
Only drug abuse violations at 1.27 million and property crimes at 1.29 million surpassed the number of DUI arrests in 2010.
The truth is that if all the law enforcement officers, journalists, appointed and elected officials, and lawyers who were all legally intoxicated at the same time got arrested at once, the few sober city officials left standing would have to open the convention center to get everybody booked in and safely put away for the night.
It is practically impossible for most people to go out and have several drinks and not register above the legal intoxication level, which in Texas is 0.08 blood-alcohol content. Anyone who tries to do all of the calculations involving the number of drinks consumed versus the amount of time it takes for the body to rid itself of the alcohol is going to wind up with a headache not necessarily related to a hangover. Lose count anywhere along the line, and you’re screwed.
If the possibility of arrest is not enough to scare drinkers away from driving, consider that in 2010 10,228 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Of those accidents, 6,627 or 65 percent of the drivers had blood alcohol levels exceeding 0.08 percent, which is the legal limit in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
The best bet is just not to get behind the wheel, period, and beware of designated drivers who promise not to drink and wind up doing it anyway.
Take a cab when you go out so you don’t have to make a decision later that inevitably will be the wrong one after a few drinks are consumed. If you can’t afford a cab, you can’t afford to go out because you sure can’t afford the consequences. The next best option would be to live close enough to your favorite bar to walk to and from home.
David Webb has covered LGBT issues for the mainstream and alternative media for three decades. Contact him at davidwaynewebb@yahoo.com.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition May 11, 2012.
As far as I can determine, the result of Ms. McGarry’s blood alcohol test has not yet been released to the public. So, assuming the arresting trooper’s report was accurate, she may eventually be cleared of the DWI charge and found guilty of nothing more than changing lanes without activating her turn signal.
Nothing would please me more than to learn the blood test reveals she was not intoxicated and that she would not be suffering more repercussions. I miss watching her on TV.
The not so obvious fact is that the news organizations usually do their best to ‘protect their own’, lest they be found sometime to be imperfect, also. Most around here don’t even know about the cover up that took place back in the early ’80’s when Jan Bridgman, a weekend ‘face’ on WFAA, committed suicide after the breakup of her affair with Tracy Rowlett. Her suicide was reported, but the reason for it could only be ascertained by researching the newspapers in her home state of Oregon.
The smile says she doesn’t appreciate the seriousness of her crime. I’d like to see her assigned a human interest series -interviewing middle-class, Christian mothers who get drunk and kill people. Maybe she could interview them at Parkland’s morgue.
I don’t see how Jane’s losing her job will help any thing or one. She’s a great reporter, as is evidenced by her obvious abilities and tenure. Would it send a signal that, in additon to the criminal sanctions, there can be so much more in store for those who violate this law? Yes it would. But her continued presence on the air would be in effect a continued punishment as few are likely to forget about this any time soon. Her remaining on television would surely serve to many a reminder of what can happen, outside of the reasons for the law, and they may use her as a “role model” to avoid the same. We read about other celebreties that this happens to, and this does serve the purpose of coming to the realization that it can in fact happen to anyone who cares to dare the law. But her nighlty prevalence would prove to be so much more effective at this.
Bottom line: they have wanted a reason to feature Meredith Land even more. Jane has been clearly demoted over the years and now they have legal reason to fire her. Possible ageism?
Among the snide comments everyone has been making about Jane, I am so sad to see that nobody has said much about the positive things she’s done. I don’t know Jane personally, but I feel as if I do from watching her reporting on channel 5 for several years now. She’s been nothing but exemplary for the community. My thoughts concerning this whole ordeal is in regard to whether or not Jane was dealing with something traumatic, or family related that made her resort to something of this nature? Was she dealing w/ something that might have been personally emotional or depressing? We can all speculate until we know the real truth from her, and her alone.
She is our business, she’s our sister and we should be much more compassionate than this. No I’m not condoning drinking while under the influence (and yes that has stiff consequences), but this is not like Jane. Something made her feel as if she was in control after leaving wherever she was with alcohol in her system above the level that warrants that she should have had someone drive her home or make a more responsible decision.
I hate this for her. She’s a wonderful, fine, fine woman with so much to give. All I ask is for those of you who understand and have a heart to pray for her now. We don’t know what will happen, but we need to love Jane, love her beyond. I personally don’t know what it’s like to drink, nor have I ever been a drinker…but I know that for jane, getting help will help her, and help her fans.
I love you Jane, we all love you. Please get the help needed and come back, I miss you already. Love you sweetheart, please know that things will be ok and we hope for the best for you and your family.
Sincerely,
TY
I do in fact sympathize with her for having her mugshot and story of her arrest being spread across the news. However, what bothers me more is the SHORT amount of time she spent in jail. I assume she was taken to Lew Sterret, as I was when I made my ‘mistake’. I was stopped at just past 11 p.m. on a Thursday evening, waited in that pig pen until 9 a.m. the next morning for my arraignment and was shifted from holding cell to holding cell (about 8 times) before finally being released some 15 hours later. How was she able to get out of there within 3 or 4 hours?
Like my lawyer said to me, “through this process you will come to realize that in this system, the more mopey you have the easier the sentence and experience is.” My lawyer cost me $8K+. She must have a lot of dough, or friends in high places.
Hopefully, she’ll learn an important message like I did. When I go out, I don’t drink a drop of alcohol. It’s not worth it. Or as the writer stated, take a cab. In the end it’ll save you a lot of money, frustration and humiliation.
I wish the cops would concentrate on solving crimes such as thefts, and home invasions etc. other than just the easy targets like dwi. Jane is the best news anchor I’ve seen, and one of the nicest persons anyone can ever meet. I wish you well Jane. NBC 5 needs to do the right thing and get her back on the air asap.
Thanks for your story, Mr. Webb.
Sound like Jane (we all feel like we know her,) had a lapse of judgement, or maybe a blood sugar low, or blood pressure drop. Its not my place to judge. She seems to keep a rather hectic schedule, and maybe it caught up. Hopefully, its nothing a little rehab can’t fix. Or better attention to her health.
I can’t wait to see her back at the desk. I always look forward to her next hair cut. She’s the best!
First let me say I dont condon drinking/driving,so not to mis understand my comments.
I just wish the media and criminal justice system would “call it like it is” ! DWIs are not totally about saving lives “anymore” , it’s jod security for the justice system. When you get a DWI here is who gets a piece of the action ! Judge, Defence Attorney, Prosecutor, County jail, Prisons, Probation officers, parole officers, DPS, police officers-Over/time, DWI squads,Bond offices,Re-hab Centers, MADD’s infinite money pit for it’s Corp. , Treatment centers, Interlock systems for your car, etc. etc. More and more Prosecutors are “jumping ship ” every year to the “Defence” because that is where the BIG MONEY IS FOR DWIs ! Get ready in a few more years ,alcohol level will drop 1-2 more points to ( 0.06 ) .The system depends on Drug and DWI arrest, If we didn’t have those 2 human vices that are criminal the Country’s work force would , “Well” u think about it ! So when you report your saving lives from DWIs ,add and its not hurting our pocket book ! P.S. something to think about ! Do you ever wonder why Police & DWI squads stake out and patrol simple bars where the “blue collar ” people go , and have you ever herd of them patroling or the DWI squad hanging out at the Country Clubs, Rivercrest, Ridgely, Colonial, Etc. just a thought !
She was driving drunk…..she got pinched…..she lost her credibility…..she’s no longer on the air…..case closed. There are many other (better) reporters waiting to take her place. To the people who “feel sorry” for her and want her to be given “second chance”…..that’s all well and fine…….until she hits and kills you or a friend or a family member. Good bye Jane, better luck next time and I hope that you learned something outta this.
I miss Jane and I think she is in good company. Changing lanes and not signaling is not a reason to stop someone. It was the Porsche that did it
We miss you on television. You are a very dear person, we hope you will be back on Channel 5 soon. Thanks for all your years in the Fort Worth area. Joy Slaughter
Good grief!! It’s not like Jane has passed and she wasn’t a Saint! Jane has earned a lot of money from her career and she’s getting close to retirement age. It’s unfortunate for her that she wasn’t able to exit gracefully and flawlessly. Jane made a mistake and like most people who have made this exact same mistake, should pay for it and take responsibility from it, no matter what professional figure you hold. The law needs to slap more professional figures for their many many mistakes, and not let money do the talking. Kudos to Law Enforcement for not allowing a professional figure to influence them with one’s high profile standing. THE LAW IS THE LAW, weather you don’t signal or under the influence. EVERYONE needs to follow the rules of the LAW! PD/DPS has gained a bit more respect in my eyes – it’s about time!! DWI, Texting/ Talking, road rage, and carrying a weapon SHOULD be BANNED!! Now go out on the streets and catch the really really bad crazy criminals too!