Former chapter president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving busted—for driving drunk
MADD’s response is a case study on how to handle a potentially negative story.
KTLA.com reports that authorities stopped 48-year-old Debra Oberlin after officers spotted her driving erratically. She blew a .234 and .239 in two Breathalyzer tests—though she told the officers she’d only had four beers.
The legal limit in Florida is .08.
Oberlin was the president of Gainesville’s MADD chapter for three years, prior to its closing in 1996 due to a lack of funding.
MADD’s national office responded as it should have—by using the arrest as an opportunity to remind people about sober driving. A MADD spokesperson said:
Become a Ragan Insider member to read this article and all other archived content.
Sign up today
Already a member? Log in here.
Learn more about Ragan Insider.
