Deseret News | Reader comments: Motorist stops accused drunken driver, takes keys, holds him for police

Reader comments
Motorist stops accused drunken driver, takes keys, holds him for police

Heroic action | 11:19 p.m. June 26, 2009

Way to go Alan Kirkham! You may well have saved lives that day.

Boise/Pam | 1:38 a.m. June 27, 2009

If they would change the law and make it premeditated murder instead of a DUI, maybe some slim chance it would help. I know, being a drunk is now a sickness and I suppose in many peoples eyes it makes it ok. How many DUI's has this guy had, did he have a valid license? How many people will he kill next time he gets behind the wheel.

Take a stand | 5:14 a.m. June 27, 2009

This guy had prior convictions and knowingly chose to be a repeat offender. He should spend the rest of his life behind bars where someone else can make his choices for him.
We lose more Americans in a month to drunk drivers than all the servicemen we've lost in Iraq since the war began. It's time to put these losers where they belong, behind bars, permanently.

Comments continue below

mike68128 | 5:36 a.m. June 27, 2009

While i despise drunk drivers. I despise those citizens who want to play COP all the time.

Law suit | 6:33 a.m. June 27, 2009

When will the DUI guy find a lawyer to file a lawsuit against Mr. Kirkham for interfering with his personal life?????

By the way Mr. Kirkham great job, I just fear that with all the holes in our judicial system this moron may attempt to mess with your life even more.

proudamerican | 7:39 a.m. June 27, 2009

Alan Kirkham, you da man!

John | 7:43 a.m. June 27, 2009

I am glad Kirkham decided to get involved, too many wouldn't. I guess I am waiting for the drunk or his family to sue Kirkham for some violation of civil rights.

Bad idea | 7:57 a.m. June 27, 2009

It's a bad idea for an individual to act as a cop. Someone will get hurt. I can't believe the cops would praise this.

I don't want a vigilante society.

Paul | 8:29 a.m. June 27, 2009

How long until the lawsuit? I'm sure there has to be some charges there - assault, theft, kidnapping...

Don | 8:50 a.m. June 27, 2009

Way to Go Alan!! You not only got this idiot off the road but may have saved some lives in the process! The man you stopped should be thanking you up and down that you did as you did or he may have killed someone and totally ruined his life and others as well. What a selfish act that would have been! Congradulations!

Good job! | 9:05 a.m. June 27, 2009

mike68128,

So you just think we should turn a blind eye? That's the problem in so many areas- people allow others to break the law and say nothing about it. If we want to keep our community a clean and nice place to live then we have to play a part. If that part is reporting crime when we see it then I'm all for it. One question: What would your comment have been if this man had killed someone and we'd later found that Kirkham had been following him and didn't take action?

Good job Kirkham, you're an excellent example for the rest of us.

Anony | 9:11 a.m. June 27, 2009

Alright! Go Kirkham! It's typically bad for individuals to get involved, but when the police can't take action... Kirkham probably saved someone's life. 7:30 am? Everyone heading to work or out running errands. That's a lot of traffic. I don't think everyone should take the law into their own hands, but when the time is right to do so, I highly respect those individuals.

Re Bad Idea | 9:13 a.m. June 27, 2009

Get real and get a life mister, these idiots have been coddled too long!

to bad idea | 9:13 a.m. June 27, 2009

OF COURSE citizens should get involved. One guy stopping a drunk from hurting someone (maybe my kid, maybe YOU???) doesn't take us anywhere near the "vigilante society" realm. Now, if he'd pulled him out of the car and shot him to keep him there 'til the cops came, then yeah, I think your comment would have some validity.

sob | 9:16 a.m. June 27, 2009

i once followed a guy from point of the mountain to spingville, he was so bad he was using all three lanes, and would pull over to the side of the freeway and stop, then speed back on, then ahead of me a mile of so, then pull off and then repeat this. i called highway patrol near lehi, not one showed up till this guy left at the springville exit. sounds to me like they don't ever have an officer in this area..

EMT | 9:25 a.m. June 27, 2009

If this guy hadn't been stopped and then had ended up killing someone everyone would be saying "why didn't someone do something to stop this guy if he was so obviously impaired?"
When its a matter of life or death (of some innocent person) I agree to take the kind of action that Kirkham did.
Way to go Kirkham you were awesome, I'm glad it all ended well.

For all of you idiot know it all | 9:49 a.m. June 27, 2009

There really is such a thing as "Citizens Arrest" - if someone is breaking the law.

Re: sob | 9:57 a.m. June 27, 2009

There aren't any UHP guys around because they're all trying to bring in money stopping harmless speeders.

Brent | 10:24 a.m. June 27, 2009

Great job Kirkham!

Wanda Roffe | 10:32 a.m. June 27, 2009

Thank you, Alan Kirkham!
Most of us appreciate you, and the risk you took for the benefit of strangers.
There will always be a few who need to grow up; may there always be people like you for them learn grown-up behavior from.

uncannygunman | 10:36 a.m. June 27, 2009

Seems appropriate to me. But why can't the law differentiate between this guy, who was an obvious danger to the public, and the .08 or .10 driver who is otherwise driving safely and is an extremely low risk of causing any harm to anyone?

Sounds like | 11:06 a.m. June 27, 2009

a fews alcololics are posting on this site. Play cop???Someone has to stop these killers.

Kudos to Kirkham

OTHERWISE??? | 11:29 a.m. June 27, 2009

What exactly does OTHERWISE driving safely mean? It sounds like you mean he was driving safely, except for the fact that he was legally drunk. Well, that's the problem - he was drunk. Would you want your airline pilot blowing .10 and OTHERWISE flying safely? What about your doctor?

You presume to know what risks are acceptable to others. I don't think it's acceptable to drink and drive. Many other people agreed, and so we passed a law making it illegal. So while it is your opinion that it is an "extremely low risk", the families of those killed by drunk drivers would disgree.

So many drunk drivers think they are okay to drive. But all it takes is one slowed reaction, and something bad happens. Therefore, we must be proactive. It's the law - don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

Anonymous | 11:44 a.m. June 27, 2009

Here we have these devices called cell phones. You can call and report drunk drivers. This saves you from being sued for false arrest and protects you from a person who, in Utah, may be both drunk and packing a loaded 44.

If all else fails, then you decide if the benefit exceeds the risks.

Cell phone drivers | 2:33 p.m. June 27, 2009

Can I pull over cell phone drivers weaving all over the road? After all, cell phone users are killing people as well.

That dude must have consumed an unbelievable amount of liquor to be that hammered. That's not having a six pack at a party.

Good job by this motorist. Luckily for him this guy did not have a loaded handgun in his vehicle. Could have been ugly.

Thank goodness | 7:47 p.m. June 27, 2009

events in this incident turned out safely. It is very rare to do this these days.

Stewart | 9:01 p.m. June 27, 2009

Any one can make a citizen's arrest, but there are problems. The arrest has to be legal and you hope that the person is found guilty, or you could find yourself in court defending yourself. Taking the keys was a great idea, but I would have left him in the car in order to avoid any later assault charges. Some situations could be dangerous.

I applaud Mr. Kirkham. Most citizens refuse to get involved or don't have the courage.

samhill | 8:23 a.m. June 28, 2009

YAAAHHOOOoooo!!!

Way to go Mr. Kirham!!

yeah | 3:22 p.m. June 28, 2009

i had a guy try to manhandle me at a wrestling meet and play cop guess what , he saw stars and was eating soup for weeks!!

WHY should we | 5:30 p.m. June 28, 2009

get involved Samill all it will get you is sued FACT!

John | 5:36 p.m. June 28, 2009

Hey kirkham....i will be driving drunk as a skunk thru provo on Monday.....I DARE YOU TO TRY THAT WITH ME!!!

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