“If it helps one person, it’s worth all the time,” said Bryson Russell, CSU graduate and founder of One Stop DUI.
With the help of his younger brother, Russel developed onestopdui.com primarily as a resource for people that have been charged with drug or alcohol related driving offenses. It was also developed to help inform and prevent DUIs from happening.
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“You’re just kind of scared in the beginning and you absolutely don’t know what could happen,” Russell said, explaining the terror of getting a DUI charge.
After being charged with a DUI his senior year, Russell said he was confronted with scare tactics and received useless information from lawyers.
“I felt like I was getting attacked from every side,” Russell said.
As he went through the process of handling his DUI charge, he was also confronted with CSU’s own disciplinary process.
“I was scared I was going to get kicked out of school,” Russell said.
He finally realized that he would be able to stay in school and move on with his life despite the charge. As he told his story, he began to realize others had gone through similar difficulties.
He began to recognize that his community could benefit greatly from a non-biased resource of information services and walk-throughs for people who get charged with alcohol or drug related offenses.
In 2012, Colorado drivers suffered 161 fatalities due to impaired or intoxicated driving. In fatal crashes, the highest percentage of drunk drivers were people ages 21 to 24.
According to the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office Booking Report in Larimer County DUI arrest composed 29% of people arrested from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1.
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According to Detective Sergeant Adam Smith for CSUPD, during the year 2012 CSUPD made 226 DUI arrests with 25% of those involving drivers under the age of 21 at the time of their arrest.
He also added that someone is charged with a DUI will be booked in the Larimer County Jail with few exceptions, and that the criminal and administrative consequences are lasting. Lasting impacts can include loss of license, fines and legal costs and incarceration.
“(A) well educated and informed public is one of law enforcement’s best allies,” Smith said.
“(The legal system is) not set up for people to succeed,” Russell said, which is why he created his website.
The homepage begins with a sharp large clickable image saying “our state walkthrough, helps make sense of all the most common hurdles faced with a drug or alcohol offense.” The page also features a search tool for finding a safe ride home or getting a bail bondsman.
When you select your state a panel shows offered walkthroughs for pre and post hearings. It also feature a law breakdown for the users current city. The bottom of the page displays local resources such as counseling, insurance and law offices.
The last of the page is dedicated to user discussions, comments and questions.
Russell’s work does not stop with his website. He wants to provide information around by setting up informational booths and doing talks to provide non-attacking non-bias information.
Collegian Reporter Shawn Brown can be reached at news@collegian.com.
