Star of “Walking Dead” Arrested and Charged with DUI, Drug Possession, and Speeding in the Triple Digits
The actor who plays tortured priest Father Gabriel Stokes on hit AMC series “The Walking Dead” was arrested in Peachtree City, Georgia on Sunday and charged with DUI, drug possession for marijuana, and speeding – the suspect was reportedly caught speeding at 107 miles per hour.
The police report from Sunday, May 3rd, around 2:12 AM, stated that actor Seth Gilliam was pulled over for speeding.
Gilliam was speeding at a dangerous 107 mph in a 55 mph zone. When asked why he was going so fast, Gilliam stated that he normally drove a Jeep; the car he was pulled over in was a rental, and he wasn’t used to it. The officer asked if Gilliam had been drinking, the actor replied that he had had three beers and a shot of hard alcohol, so the officer arrested Gilliam and charged him with reckless endangerment and speeding. The officer searched Gilliam’s vehicle and found a marijuana cigarette, leading to drug possession charges.
At the police station, Gilliam participated in field sobriety testing, and failed them. The officer added a charge of DUI. He also blew a .107 on a breathalyzer.
His bond came to $9,818, which he posted and was released.
Breath Tests and DUI Charges in South Carolina
In South Carolina, a DUI stop and subsequent arrest must be filmed during the time the suspect is pulled over. It is your right in the state to refuse both field sobriety tests and the breath test, but you will more likely be charged with DUI if you refuse these tests.
Many people do not understand how the breath test reads blood alcohol content (BAC). When you drink, the tissues in your mouth absorb alcohol, as do the tissues in your throat, in addition to the lining of your stomach and intestines. Once alcohol is in the blood stream, it is also released through the breath. A breathalyzer measures how much air is expelled in your breath, the amount of alcohol in the air, and then calculates your blood alcohol level based on that mathematical relationship.
In South Carolina, the only type of breath test that may be used is a DataMaster unit. Handheld breathalyzer results are considered probably cause or reasonable suspicion, and not hard evidence, when admitted to court. A desktop DataMaster, which would be used at the police station, is considered admissible evidence of DUI.
If you believe that procedure was not followed at any time during your DUI arrest, a DUI attorney can help defend your rights in court.
The Strom Law Firm Defends Against DUI Charges
A charge of DUI can be life-altering. You can lose both your personal and professional reputation. Whether you committed a DUI or not, you still have rights while being charged and during your court hearing. The DUI Defense attorneys at the Strom Law Firm accept clients across the Southeast, including Georgia, and are centrally located in Columbia, South Carolina. If you believe that your state’s procedures were not followed during your DUI arrest, especially in South Carolina and Georgia, the Strom Law Firm can help. We offer a free, confidential consultation to discuss your DUI arrest and charges, so contact us today. 803.252.4800
