Teen Busted After 'Classic' Facebook Post About Driving Drunk
Have teens realized that posting on Facebook about drunken escapades can get them into serious legal trouble? Apparently not.
A teenager in Oregon posted on Facebook about driving drunk as a "classic" move, and then generously apologized to the person whose vehicle he'd hit during the drive. But he forgot that Facebook posts aren't really all that private.
Shortly after the post went up, two people tipped off police officers that 18-year-old Jacob Cox-Brown may have been involved in a hit-and-run accident, according to TechCrunch. So they went to his house to investigate.
"Drivin drunk ... classic ;)," Cox-Brown's Facebook status update proclaimed. "[B]ut to whoever's vehicle I hit I am sorry. :P"
Stupid mistake No. 1: bragging about your crimes online. Stupid mistake No. 2: not being smart enough to cover up the evidence.
After receiving the tip, police officers went to Cox-Brown's house in Astoria, Oregon, and found a vehicle with damage matching the damage done to two cars in a hit-and-run crash on New Year's Day.
Not only is he a poor judge of good decisions, Cox-Brown didn't even bother to apologize to the owner of the second car he hit. But at least he had the decency to be easy to find.
The Facebook post alone isn't enough to charge him with drunken driving, according to PC Magazine. But police did arrest Cox-Brown, and he was charged with two counts of failing to perform the duties of a driver.
All drivers have certain responsibilities besides being safe on the road. That includes pulling over so emergency vehicles can get by and staying at the scene of an accident.
Failing to stop after you hit another car is a crime, and it's also a sure way to annoy the police. Take a lesson from this teen: Don't do it.
Bragging about things on Facebook can backfire big time, but even if you don't mind the embarrassment, you should avoid posting things that could get you arrested. What you say on Facebook is not as private as you may think, and it can be the basis for a warrant for your arrest.
That's something Jacob Cox-Brown will have lots of time to think about while he waits for his trial. That, and wonder which of his Facebook friends sold him out.
Related Resources:
- Facebook brag about drunk driving gets teen arrested (Salon)
- Teens Arrested for Facebook Death Threats (FindLaw's Blotter)
- Obiwan Kenobi Arrested for Hit-And-Run in California (FindLaw's Legal Grounds)
- Penguin Thieves Panic, Face Charges After Facebook Post (FindLaw's Legally Weird)