Sometimes there are those news events that take place which are so bizarre that you wonder why some people engage in such stupid and idiotic behavior.
A good example of this can be seen South Dakota when state troopers arrested Marguerite Engle for having a blood alcohol level of .708.
What happened was a stolen van was spotted on the side of the road on December 1st. When officers approached the vehicle they found Engle passed out and behind the wheel of the vehicle.
After giving her a blood alcohol test it was determined that her blood alcohol level was nearly nine times that of the legal limit for South Dakota (which is .08) and is above the safe limit for safely consuming alcohol of .40.
Perhaps the most astonishing part of the story was that she was even alive. Levels of .40 are considered lethal.
“She was almost double that,” Meade County State’s Attorney Jesse Sondreal told the Daily News Thursday. “The BAC is almost incomprehensible.”
The highest blood-alcohol level previously recorded in South Dakota was .56, reports the Daily News.
To make matters even worse when Engle was out on bail she was found again in another stolen vehicle, with her passed out behind the wheel. The blood alcohol level of the latest incident is still yet to be determined.
What this shows is that some people engage in such irresponsible behavior that they take some of the most dubious honors, in the case of Engel hers is having the highest blood alcohol level ever recorded.
Woman Sets New South Dakota Blood Alcohol Record, Lives To Drink Another Day (PHOTO)
well, congratulations, stupid lady! It’s a wonder you didn’t kill someone while on your way to your drunken stupor! Wake up and smell some cappuchino or something!!!!!!!!!!
Tis the season 4 depression if u don’t have family. Maybe she over did it but there could b reason. Plus wouldn’t the cops have had the tag # 4 stolen van? was it stolen or was this their excuse as 2 y they arrested her.
Oh come on She has a problem that puts others at risk. The police should lock her up!! Not so much for the drinking tho that would be a help but becuse she another stolen vehicle. My God what will it take to get her off the roads? Bet she is up for the Darwin awards
Seriously? How does a woman being passed out in a vehicle become the fault of the police? Do you really think they NEED an excuse to arrest her? 1. legally drunk, 2. stolen vehicle. Can we get a cup of comprehension here?
Well I hope that you can remember that when you have a loved one killed by a drunk driver! If you want to drink to try to forget your problems or just to have a goodtime then do it at home where your not risking others lives! I think she should be locked up and lose her license and have a fine to boot!:)
“Maybe she overdid it”,,, are you kidding me? Overdid it? Yeah, I guess. Don’t turn her into a victim, someday she’s going to kill someone.
If she had killed someone close to you, you wouldn’t be trying to find an excuse for her.
Okay, the woman’s depressed. But as an ER Nurse, I can tell you it takes Years to “train” the body for to tolerate an alc level of 708. Years. She has therefore been ‘depressed’ for a very long time. This is no one-time event. And that means the SD police dept. probably know her Very well, too.
come on- she’s an alcoholic!! sometimes (especially alcohol blood level of .708!!) thats the only reason……!!!!!! she should be locked up and throw away the key!!! Hey if it was me I’d expect the same…..
here’s ta all you square pants
At the risk of sounding extreme, this women should be be put down like an out of control dog. Clearly, she has no concept of other people and maintaining a safe environment for everyone else. My kids have to share a world with a person like this? I’m sure she’ll get a slap on the wrist and be out in time to do it all over again. Put her out of her misery!
Will you marry me.
Hillarious!
The cappuchino would only make her a wide awake drunk and if she was awake, she probably would have been driving. Coffee/stimulants wouldn’t do anything to sober her up. She really needs help. I shudder to think what her liver looks like.
This is nothing. Normal occurrence in Russia.
Can you hear her now. Bragging to all her jail house buddies how she set the record and when she gets out she’ll try and break it again.
Stupid is has Stupid does..
Please get some help before you die or kill someone else. After years of heavy drinking, in desperation I entered treatment where my blood alcohol level was found to be .48. I went through medical detox because at that level detox itself can potentially be fatal. After inpatient treatment and a short course of therapy I have not drank for more than 2 1/2 years. I have won the respect and love of my family, found a new life and friends in AA. Although I never thought it was possible, recovery from this devastating disease can be had. The pain lessens and you can live a happy, productive life. The quest for long-term sobriety can be difficult but it is well worth the effort.
Yes, this lady needs help. Good for you Donna. You made it. Lets pray this lady gets the help she needs, freedom from the grip of addiction in her life in 2010!!
Donna: I never get tired of the stories of hope. I am a friend of Bill’s too. Moved to SD last April. Maybe with will meet one of these days and share our stories. Thanks for carrying the message. Hopefully, this lady will be fortunate to enough to experience a life sober.
Barb
So glad you got the help and have done well. But you wanted help didn’t you. One must want to get better or it will not work. Keep up with your long term sobrity plan
Proud of you Donna. People like to feel superior, but most people have had experiences with “buzzed” driving or have ridden with someone who was, and chances are the rider may not have even known it. You hang in!! You’re doing great!!
Keep up the good work. I’m sure sometimes it’s harder than others.
Well I thought I had seen it all but this is a first a person with a BAC of .30 shy of a 1.0. Goes to show you that there are still plenty of surprises out there for the cops to find. Maybe the police should get together and tell their stories to an writer and publish a book and all the wierd things that they have witnessed.
Congratulations Donna on your 2 1/2 years of sobriety and joy in your life. The woman about whom this story was written needs to be mandated to a treatment program.
I can’t believe this. I think there has to be a mistake somewhere. No one can servive a alcohol blood count that high.
Again, yes, they can. I had a patient who was over 800 (.800) And he was conscious and standing @ the bedside swearing @ me, too! And he lived for a year or 2 more after that day. He was a regular ER visitor.
NOT the highest blood level ever recorded. A Bulgarian man recorded a 0.914. See:
abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread109318/pg1
I have to admit I laughed at first, but there is nothing funny about it.
After years if incredible mind boggling alcohol abuse(daily) starting in the morning and going til she passed out wherever she fond a spot.. A family relative was finally forced not to drive drunk. After her 2nd dui,which resulted in a horrific accident, and and for the grace of God,had not even a scratch(miracle) my sister in law has now resorted to overindulgin in anti-depressants, which make her become a blithering idiot! She forgets everything she says and does..is sloppy about her behavior and her attitude is as irrespoinsible and disgusting as ever. She continues to alter her behavior on a daily basis, with several My comment is that why do these so called “doctors” continue to describe so many different additive medications to people who have no business taking part if. I believe that they are stupid enough to just not care about the consequences of an alcoholic/drug addict and their licenses should be taken away and they should serve jail time themselves along with a huge fine.
Don’t blame the doctors blame those that do not tell the truth so they can keep on doing and feeling the way they want to feel. Doctors can’t read minds they can only treat what the person tells them they need treated. God gave us free will, man or woman in this case uses it to choose the bad choices
Caring for people w/ addictive personalities is a ‘crap shoot’ @ best, sometimes. What’s the whole story behind her addiction(s)? Sounds as if she had a painful childhood, which included some form of abuse.
It’s not a disease, it is a choice. Cancer is a disease. Don’t excuse your bad behavior by passing it off as an illness.
How much education do you have about alcoholism? It appears you may be ignorant to the facts like so many people choose to be. In this day and age, many people have learned more about alcoholism. If you ever want/NEED to learn more, use your computer for that instead of ignorant comments.
Amen Barb.
Kay, valid point. I totally agree.
For the grace of God she hasn’t killed someone… never mind if she kills her self. Lock her up tight in some remote area, throw away the key! She obviously doesn’t want help and may very well be beyond help. Get her off the road!!!
kay i agree 200% I lived with a man on and off for 10 years he would drink from morning till he passed out i had to hide the rent and bill money or he would drink it id leave and hed get sober beg me to come back the start drinking agin hr got sick after i left him and dont drink any more i have been gone from him for 24 years and whem i lift the last time i didnt care if he drank his self to death but my life had changed and the expression dalry drinking is not in are vocabulary any more not to say that i dont have a drink a couple times a year but never get drunk and will not drive when drinking i have a 25 year old daughter and she never seen me have a drink untill she was 21 so i feel if this lady wants to drink put her on a island where there is no lol vans and she cant get behind a wheel with the rest of the drunks let her die there when i hear about depression thats why they drink let them go to church and have some thing to do with there life but feel sory for ther self
Two words: WHITE TRASH!
It is sad to see this happing all over the country. I have been a victim myself. A durnk driver hit two cars then my house. Three hours later when he was given his BAC
its pretty ridiculous when South Dakota makes the national news for something as stupid as this!
cont:
when the driver was given his BAC he had a .49 He had no insurance and a 15 year record of this and other arrest including durgs and assult. he only spent one year in jail. Do people ith disease have to kill someone before they are taken off the streets?
self rightousness is a choice alcholism is a disease next we’ll from rush limbaugh how he can’t understand addiction while while snorting oxycontin this person needs help whether it is in prison or in a rehab
I feel bad for this lady….I, too, am a friend of Bill W.’s (will have 10 yrs on 1/21/10). I have been just like her many times over and the love of my family is what got me help. AA has been my lifeline…God has been my hope. I will pray this lady receives the help she so needs.
LA Donna, give yourself kudos-you deserve it.
Why have we become a society of enablers?! Yes, she has a problem- but has chosen not to deal with it. She is working at becoming a career criminal (multiple crimes: theft and DUI’s) and yet we have pity for her. After she kills someone via her recurrent DUI’s will you crusaders continue to preach leniency? What if it’s one of your loved ones? As for the “friends of Bill W.”- kudo’s for not drinking; but the “disease model” for alcoholism has never been proven…..
She is probably puttin em down to ease the pain of dealing with all your nonsense via judgement
Sounds like this woman has some serious problems, and hopefully she can get some help! As far as bashing her, don’t judge! Thank God, she is safe, and everyone else is too.
the real scary part is the cops are the biggest drunks i have seen cops at lots of partys drunker than this on duty wake up
Just like a conservative, blame the cops for taking away a drunks god-given right to drive drunk. Ohh those bad cops, always pulling people over just for weaving around on the highway, yeah she should fight this one in court, those bad cops.. Wakeup you right-wing nutballs..
Give her 20 years no parole. She went right back out and did it. Until the Prosecutors, Judges and Lawmakers start getting tough on idiots like this then the streets will never be truly safe. PS…I also advocate mandatory minimum sentencing for those that text and drive, talk on cell without handsfree, put on make-up, eat or read behind the wheel. Minimum 1 year behind bars, hurt someone while doing that 10 years no parole…kill someone..life no parole.
Kay, You are not a physician, so you must be an idiot!
My First Wife And Her 2 Kids From A Previous Marriage Were Killed By A DRUNK DRIVER Lock Her Up And Throw Away The Key…..
Not Only Did She Do It Once But She Did It Twice Just To Spite Public Safety…..
It Is A Wonder That She Did Not Kill Someone!!!!!
It Must Not Happen A 3rd Time “NO BAIL” Again Lock Her Up And Throw Away The Key……….
I,ve been sober for 34 yrs but the first yr was the hardest, even after falling I made it back. there were times that my level of alcohol was bad enough to scare some it only made me drink more until I let go and ley god plus AA people.
Congrats on your continued recovery!
It happens way too often. No one should judge or condemn until they know the story. Also, I really feel some of you that have commented on this story really need some spelling lessons!
lol – spelling? Does it say Kristifer on your birth cert.? Just kidding, deary.
Nominate her for a Nobel Peace Prize!
The police lock them up, the court/prosecution
turns them back on the street to prey on others.
When will it end…
Let he who is without sin cast the first stone…….
Kay is not an idiot and JonTx brings up a good point. Cancer is a disease, often infecting those that did NOTHING to make it happen. Alcoholics get the “disease” because they CHOOSE to drink. You don’t just wake up one day an alcoholic. All the best to those of you who chose to STOP drinking and continue to be sober after hard times
First of all its obvious she has a problem and has been drinking heavily for years to be able to get to that point. Also going by the comments about cops being drunker than this..until you actually see what people do at various levels of intoxication (with proof of BAC not your assumption) you have no real clue. Yes, .08 is the legal limit, but I have tested myself when I could start to feel it affect me and I was at .03. .08 is higher than a lot of you think. And I will agree that everyone involved in the justice system to gets stiffer penalties, however I challenge everyone to go sit in on a DUI court case from start to finish in your local area (courts are open to the public)and listen to all the details and technicalites that are involved. It may open some eyes
Do any of you people have a spell check? Conceding that “it’s a disease”, diseases impact any person’s abilities/capabilities. In this case it’s her driving. Get help and recover but don’t make your disease a threat to my family by driving.
amen
I’m w/o “alcohol” sin, can I cast the first stone? She looks alot like that lady that was on the program “intervention”. Anyone see that one? Very bad drunk for yrs hiding booze, lost her family, went to rehab after the intervention and drank scope and nyquil. A bullet is so much cheaper, and people don’t get their vehicles stolen! I’m not w/o heartfelt pity for people who want and need help. But u gotta do something for yourself and not TO others.
Can’t anyone recognize a suicide attempt (or two?)
This woman is a professional drinker! To achieve that level and live you have to condition your body on a daily basis. Where does she get her money for what is really a very expensive hobby??
Okay you people who think alcoholism is a disease. A disease is something you are either born with or catch. I have never heard anyone catching alcoholism, maybe it just catches you! And if you happened to be born drunk because your mom just happens to be drunk or an alcoholic, surely you have recovered by the time you are old enough to make that choice and then it is surely a choice you make to be an alcoholic or not. So quit blameing your stupid drunken actions on a so called disease you had a choice with having or not in the first place!!!
do all of us a favor and get it over with already…just dont take anyone else with you unless they are joining you in this moronic endeavour.
I’m suprised this woman is still alive.
at least she was smart enough to pull over and sleep it off.. she wasnt even driving when the cops harassed her.
OK ITS TIME FOR DAMM I BELONG TO DAMM ITS OK FOR YOU TO TEXT PUT ON MAKE UPEAT YOU FAR A__ EGG MC MUFFIN U R HOLEY THAN THOU CELL PHONES ARE MORE DANGEROUS THAN DRIVING DRUNK MikeFitzMotley Bob THE IDOT
Phil Buettner Jr YOU ARE A G D LIAR YOU WIFE WAS A HOKERSandy U REMBER YOU SPED TK Carol U WERE TXT AN DRV TDAYSue7458 IS FAM DNG DRG
Is that supposed to make sense?
Get some help, I’m a drunk, but I don’t drive, I know I’m not an alchohlic, because I dont go to those damn meetings.
It’s unfortunate that addicts and alcoholics cause so much grief, loss and heartache to those close to them and to those that are in their pathway. To Kay, alcoholism IS a DISEASE. It has an insurance billing code. It’s as much a disease as the diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, major depression,reflux,etc. that many of us have. If we try to self medicate the pain from arthritis or try to numb the pain that causes the depression with alcohol we can easily get drunk. HOPEFULLY we don’t get on the road or that someone hides the keys or disables the vehicle. Addiction is an extremely complicated DISEASE and not so easily treated and also many times very painly treated and goes back sssooo far and is sssooo deep. It’s devastating when innocent family members are killed or maimed. I have had losses as a result of drunk drivers, and they didn’t have drivers licenses’. Those had already been taken, so that’s not a quick fix. Rehab is not a quick fix. If the addict does not want sobriety bad enough it’s not going to happen.I think persistence, hard continuous work, and prayer to God works…not quickly but consistently forever. The DISEASE of addiction is incurable. Once an addict always an addict, whether the substance is alcohol or drugs. If one is diagnosed with this DISEASE, this is your life. You will have to take “treatment” forever, this is your life. Personally, I think there are worse diseases to have for life but many of us have various diseases for life. Probably, most of us choose treatment if we want to live as long as possible.
I live in the town where this happened. She deserves whatever she gets. Any of my family or I could have been on the road with her and killed because of an irresponsible drunk. I hope no one feels sorry for her.
Alcoholism is very much a disease. However, if you never drink you can never develop alcoholism.
Are you people that are defending this lady serious?
if so you either have no families or don’t care about
them!I highly doubt if the “disease” that we are talking about was Aids you would be very forgiving if this fine lady gave it to you. Keep making excuses for these selfish fools and maybe one day one of you smart-ass people defending the alchoholics will wind up as her hood ornament! How will you feel then?
Oh no, absolutly not defending the actions of this women nor any alcoholic or addict. They all should suffer the consequences of their behavior or actions. Many times the courts and our justice system do not order the appropriate punishment….from the beginning, the first offense due to alcohol use. Unfortunately, one has to break the law and get caught in order to be punished (“helped”), by the court system. Serving “time” is not usually effective treatment for addiction. I would love to see these “first” time offenders ordered to rehab, then outpatient treatment and continue. However, once again our system does not have the budget for state facilities to implement this sentence and I doubt the allocations would ever be given for state treatment for “first” timers.
sorry, mispelled painfully
I have an uncle that is a recovered alcoholic, but will always have alcoholism. Why don’t you take a health class on it sometime and learn the facts?
0.708? Yikes! That is an amazing feat of living thru an unbelievable bout of over-indulgent self-poisoning. Holy hell… I wish I could’ve engaged in a conversation with that zombie lady. I’ll bet she was nothing but intuitive and articulate at the height of her game. [I hope the sarcasm is evident.]
I hope she was drinking alone and not at a tavern; that bar would be screwed with fines for over-serving.
P.S. It is spelled “cappuccino”. No “H”.
Oh really she has problems, well I guess she has officially joined the rest of the world.
If Jon in Texas would send his e-mail address I’ll be glad to send him a slide presentation from the Boston Medical University showing the brain scan of a person who does not have a problem and a person that is an alcoholic, you can see the medical proof of the disease in the brain scan.
Are you kidding Me? This woman should be locked up for life or is the South Dakota justice system going to continue to let her drink and drive until she either kills herself or most likely some innocent victim.
There is no excuse for drunk/high driving. Everyone knows that it is dangerous and illegal. If someone chooses to drive while under the influence, they should be locked up forever. I don’t want anyone I care about to be sacrificed because of this idiot!
How sad, this is one screwed up person. I hope she gets help. I hope the court system in SD is intelligent and gives her Max. She needs lots of time and oppotunity to straighten herself out. AA in Prison?
I am a nurse and this is definetly the highest BAL I’ve ever Heard of, much less had recorded~!!! How long did it take her to sober up and make bail, then to do the same thing again. Throw her under the jail. Think of all the people that she endangered while driving like that.
How can you even defend that? Bet they say she wasn’t driving, she was passed out.
One of the problems: At the beginning of this story\websight is an ad saying “You can beat a DUI” and then a websight to go to. Why do the courts negotiate these things???
I know of an entire family (the youngest just 10 months old) wiped out because of a drunk driver. I am glad this nut didn’t hurt or kill anyone. And then she goes and does it again?!? Why don’t they just lock her up before she kills somebody?
All the comments could also apply to texting while driving. Texting while driving is even more dangerous than drinking and driving and testers” should be thrown in jail with just as severe or more severe sentences than drunks- and sho should drunks
Do they have a 3 strikes you are out law? As the ex-wife and daughter in law of alcoholics the hell this womans family must go thru.PLEASE PLEASE put her away before she KILLS AN INNOCENT FAMILY. If you dont their blood will be on YOUR HANDS AND MIND for the rest of your life. This woman should not even be able to even own a car key much less be able to get behind the wheel of a car and drive.
I AM A NURSE ON A BEHAVIOR UNIT, I HAVE SEEN A B.A.L. OF 0.500 ON A PT THAT WAS WALKING TALKING AND QUITE COHERENT. HIS BODY WAS USED TO HAVING A HIGH B.A.L. AND WAS ABLE TO “FUNCTION” AT A LEVEL THAT WOULD COMATOSE OR KILL MOST PEOPLE. HE HAS SINCE PASSED ON AS A RESULT OF A CAR CRASH- HE WAS DRUNK AT THE TIME. ANYONE WITH AN ALCOHOL PROBLEM OF THIS EXTENT IS A DANGER TO THEMSELVES AND THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL- I HOPE THEY THROW THE BOOK AT HER BEFORE SHE HAS A CHANCE TO FURTHER ENDANGER THE SAFETY OF OTHERS.
Shakespeare said it best,”Self-induced madness”
we were hit broad side by a drunk but the emts was right there and sent us to the hospital before the cops arived so she was not given a blood test or anything i requested it at the hospital and was told that sence she was alowed to leave the accident they cold not give her a sobriety test so now i have a real bad back because and the insurance company sai my back prolbems are caused because im heavy and all she had was basic insurance my insurance paid all the medical bills and o reconstruct my bone in my arm which i have sever arther in it and had back pains and cant use my hand at times but when she bent over me and my daughter all you could smell was booze so what i read earler is its not a sickness like cancer but wemon who drink tend to have breast cancer so lady if you think it is ok to drink and drive may you get cancer or some amue dease before you kill ome one else
Jamie on Jan 3rd, made a good point that they may say whe wasn’t driving and passed out. However, if you have the keys, you can get busted for DWI!! I would assume, however, the defense will make a case that the blood alcohol of .708 cannot possibly be accurate because she would be dead! I hope she is locked away for a long, long time also. This lady needs big time help.