This weekend provided some highly entertaining albeit very disturbing reading of people (the silliest of WVU fans) trying to defend this man's actions.
"Everyone makes mistakes."
"You have no proof of that." (In response to "he's lucky he didn't kill someone.")
"It's called living his life to the fullest"
People making statements like this - you can't reason with them. They're lost and in the same boat as Huggins.
Something to consider: Huggins wasn't a small man - well over 225 lbs by my best guess. Think about how much alcohol this man had to drink to get twice over the legal limit. Then think about him doing that during the day and being pulled over around 8:30pm.
The two statements he made to police that are absolutely terrifying:
-Thinking he was in Columbus, OH and not Pittsburgh.
-The last thing he remembered was stopping at a Burger King in Washington, PA around 1:30pm.
This man was at the wheel of a death machine, blacked out, for HOURS. Good Lord it's a miracle nobody was seriously injured or killed, including himself.
It sounds really bad but it probably didn't start with the intent of negligence. Fill in hypothetical missing details
-Drives over to a bar to catch a game. Hits his assumed limit of 6 drinks and is feeling quite good, better than usual talking to the bartender about that play.
-Last call at 11pm. Closes out and goes to the bathroom and thinking he could really top things off with some more beer. Leaves the restaurant and gets into his car.
-Pitch black in the mountains at night. The first gas station he sees pulls in and buys a 6 pack for the front seat. Drives off and its 15 minutes back to his house on I-79.
-Thinking he's almost home why not get a head start and crack open one of those beers? While everyone else is conditioned on open container laws and wouldn't crack open a bottle in the car on reflex, he doesn't even question it.
-Finishing his 7th drink missing his one way off ramp to his house he figures he'll have enough time to turn back around at the next exit. But that next exit is 20 miles away and then goes for an 8th. Nobody is looking all the way out here so why not.
-Still feeling good cracks open #9 (third drink in 40 minutes) and recalls that he can't be too far away from Burger King where he drives through and orders a double wopper and downs it with his beer.
-Washington PA has one of those go North/Left to go South highway configurations and Huggins goes the wrong way intuitively headind further North. Thinking he's good to go he cracks open #10.
-10 to 15 minutes go by and he's blitzed going 80 up the highway setting. State highway troopers are observing the road relaying messages about a speeding SUV and eventually they begin pursuit.
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With the hypothtetical details above, Huggins could be one of those 6 is my limit drinkers but doesn't realize its enough to be 1.0+ BAC. Right there you're putting yourself at risk for a DUI at a minimum driving from a bar. Even on foot that is dangerous for anyone with diabetes, kidney problems or older taking medications. I can't believe Huggins is not on at least a few things at his age.
I've got a friend who is 60 and says he can put down 14 drinks without a buzz. Walked out of the bar sober according to him. Doesn't matter as your BAC is still going through the roof. People often judge their sobriety by how they feel not on amount consumed. Feeling it a little walking out to your car from the bar at that moment you're probably 1.1 or 1.2 BAC.
There is alcoholism and then there is problem drinking. Huggins could be engaging in problem drinking periodically setting himself for the occassional bad night out. Drinks to a hangover once in a while. I seriously doubt he brings a flask of Maker's Mark to practice and is dependent on it daily.
Huggins was probably drinking way before his freshman year in Athens. Try freshman year of high school sneaking beers maybe junior high.