First Offense DWI Stresses Bankrolls by Madison Ferril Istrative License Revocation “If There’S No Way to Get the Reporter (ALR) Program
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WE’RE THERE WHEN YOU CAN’T BE TheFRIDAY | MAY 3, 2013 Baylor Lariatwww.baylorlariat.com SPORTS Page B3 NEWS Page B5 A&E Page B10 Bases loaded Ring by Spring continues Have a hot cup of joe Baylor baseball heads to Unofficial tradition carries on Baristas in Waco lay down the Lawrence, Kan., for a three-game through unexpected spouses met ins and outs of ‘coffee culture,’ a series during Baylor years growing trend among coffee lovers Vol. 115 No. 51 © 2013, Baylor University First offense DWI stresses bankrolls By Madison Ferril istrative License Revocation “If there’s no way to get the Reporter (ALR) program. If someone fails charges refused or dismissed, we a breath test, his or her license try to get a plea bargain,” Hunt You’ve had a few too many is automatically suspended for said. drinks and decided to drive home. 90 days. Someone can refuse to A plea bargain means some- You feel fine and your apartment’s take a breath test, but if they do, one pleads guilty or no contest to only a few miles away. their license is suspended for 180 a charge in exchange for a lighter As you make your way down days. A $125 reinstatement fee is sentence. No contest means the the road, you see the red and blue required before someone can get person did not dispute or admit lights in your rear view mirror. their license back. to the charges against them. You pull over, and after failing a Waco Police Department Sgt. “An average plea bargain is Breathalyzer test, you’re charged W. Patrick Swanton said there is about 18 months probation and with Driving While Under the In- no set sentence for someone who a $2,000 fine, of which our cli- fluence (DWI). receives a DWI. ent will pay $1,000,” Hunt said. So what does this mean for “There’s a variety of factors “They’ll also have to pay court you or your parent’s bank ac- that go into deciding a charge,” fees, which are around $300.” count? Swanton said. In addition to the fines and Baylor Police Department Swanton said someone could court costs, the state of Texas re- chief Jim Doak said by the end receive jail time, a fine or jail time quires an annual fee of $1,000 for of the process, a DWI charge and a fine. three years after the case is over. will end up costing more than Someone who receives a DWI If the case goes to trial, Hunt $10,000. must appear in court, and there- said he charges an extra $5,000. “It’s a high cost for one night of fore have to hire a criminal de- If a student lives outside of foolishness,” Doak said. “It takes a fense lawyer. Waco or McLennan County, they long time to undo.” Attorney Russell Hunt Sr. said and their parents may have to Doak said he has given many attorneys can charge anywhere consider cost of travel to and from students DWIs and it’s not an from hundreds of dollars to thou- Waco. uncommon occurrence. Eight sands of dollars. Peter Miller, the deputy direc- students have received DWIs this “My typical fee for a first-time tor of McLennan County Com- semester from Baylor Police De- adult DWI is $5,000,” Hunt said. munity Supervision and Correc- partment. Hunt said once he receives tions Department, said the court In Texas, DWI is classified as a DWI case, he goes to the dis- can charge fees such as restitution a Class B misdemeanor on first trict attorney and tries to get the for an accident or damages in ad- offense if Blood Alcohol Content charges refused or dismissed. A dition to the fine and monthly TRAVIS TAYLOR | LARIAT PHOTOGRAPHER (BAC) is 0.08 percent or lower, refusal means the prosecutor de- probation fee. He said auto insur- and a Class A misdemeanor if cides not to try a case before the ance rates also increase due to a BAC is 0.15 percent or above. case is filed. A dismissal means DWI charge. Grillin’ some grub These standards became effective the prosecutor can dismiss a case Miller said the average length Brentwood, Tenn., senior Brandon Seibert roasts a marshmallow Thursday at Vitek’s BBQ Restaurant. in 2011. with the signature of a judge. Vitek’s gave out free Gut-Paks in celebration of winning the College Eats National Championship. Texas also has an Admin- SEE DWI, page 9 Rhode Island 10th state to pass gay marriage bill By David Klepper Providence man who has been with to see this,” Tevyaw said. “I’m sure one of civil rights, arguing in daylong from Page 1 Associated Press his partner for 32 years. “For the first she’s watching, but she’s not here next legislative hearings that gay and les- FAFSA time in my life, I feel welcome in my to me. Before she died, she told me, ‘I bian couples deserve the same rights and their college enrollment decisions.The PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Is- own state.” started this, and now I’m leaving it in and protections given to opposite-sex IRS data retrieval form was rendered use- land on Thursday became the nation’s After Chafee signed the bill, the your hands.’ We worked hard for this. married couples. The Catholic church less for the people this delay affected. The 10th state to allow gay and lesbian hundreds of people who gathered on There were petitions, door knocking, was the most significant opponent, retrieval form simplifies the FAFSA applica- couples to wed, as a 16-year effort to the Statehouse grounds erupted into phone calls. I think people decided, with Bishop Thomas Tobin urging tion process as it takes information directly extend marriage rights in this heav- cheers as a chorus sang “Chapel of ‘just let people be happy.’” lawmakers to defeat what he called an from the IRS. ily Roman Catholic state ended with L ov e .” Once consigned to the political “immoral and unnecessary” change The retrieval form was implemented the triumphant cheers of hundreds “Now, at long last, you are free fringe, gay marriage advocates suc- to traditional marriage law. into the FAFSA process in January 2010. of gays, lesbians, their families and to marry the person that you love,” ceeded this year thanks to a sprawling On Thursday, Tobin repeated his The Department of Education realized that friends. Chafee told the crowd. lobbying effort that included support opposition, writing in a letter to the there was a need to simplify and streamline Gov. Lincoln Chafee signed the The day was bittersweet for Debo- from organized labor leaders, reli- state’s Catholics that “homosexual the FAFSA process in order to make it easi- bill into law on the Statehouse steps rah Tevyaw, whose wife, state correc- gious clergy, leaders including Chafee acts are ... always sinful.” er for families applying for aid. Thursday evening following a final tions officer Pat Baker, succumbed to and Providence Mayor Angel Taveras “Catholics should examine their The IRS issued a statement on the delays 56-15 vote in the House. The first lung cancer two years ago. Months and hundreds of volunteers. Their ef- consciences very carefully before last month. They said that they were aware weddings will take place Aug. 1, when before she died, Baker, relying on an forts overcame the opposition of the deciding whether or not to endorse of a limited number of software company the law takes effect. oxygen tank, angrily told lawmakers it Catholic church and lawmakers in- same-sex relationships or attend products that affected some taxpayers who “I’ve been waiting 32 years for was unfair that Tevyaw wasn’t consid- cluding Senate President Teresa Paiva same-sex ceremonies,” Tobin wrote. filed form 8863, Education credits, between CHARLES KRUPA | ASSOCIATED PRESS Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee holds up a gay mar- this day, and I never thought it would ered her wife in Rhode Island despite Weed, who voted no but allowed the “... To do so might harm their rela- Feb. 14 and Feb. 22. riage bill after signing it into law outside the State House come in my lifetime,” said Raymond their marriage in Massachusetts. issue to come to a vote anyway. Thursday in Providence, R.I. Beausejour, a 66-year-old gay North “I’m ecstatic, but sad she’s not here Supporters framed the issue as SEE MARRIAGE, page 9 Benefits of FAFSA hampered by delays in filing tax forms By Sanmai Gbandi for government aid, why wouldn’t process. and Ashley Pereyra you take it?” For Baylor students, the appli- Reporters In order to begin a FAFSA cation for the 2013-2014 school form, students and/or their par- year was available to submit after Completing the Free Appli- ents need two sets of completed January 1. cation of Federal Student Aid tax return information—their The priority deadline to sub- (FAFSA) is an integral part of parents’ and their own from the mit the FAFSA to Baylor was helping to pay for college for most current year. If that is not avail- March 1. Students who file for aid students. However, not many of able, then use the information before the FAFSA deadline are them actually do it themselves. from the taxes that have submit- given priority in considerations Houston senior Amanda Pa- ted or will be submitted. The cor- for financial aid. After the March dilla said her parents have com- rect information can be updated 1 deadline, funds will be distrib- TRAVIS TAYLOR | LARIAT PHOTOGRAPHER pleted her FAFSA application on the FAFSA website using a pin uted based on availability.