Re: Falcon Aviation Academy - My Journey (2007-2008 & beyond
Legal action completed:
As you all know, a little over a month ago something come up that could be a career issue. If you read along after that initial post in this thread, you figured out it has something to do with a legal issue. Well, here is the story and conclusion of that event.
I went out drinking to relax a bit one Thursday night. Upon closing time of the bar, I was too drunk to drive the Harley home. So I sat around outside the bar for a bit. Then I got cold since it was not around 2:30am or so. My cell phone battery was dead and the bar was locked up. So I could not call a cab. At this point, I decided to walk home. It was about 3 miles I believe, so not far.
While pushing my Harley through a rough section of town, I ended up in a confrontation with a few guys who did not like me for an unknown reason. Luckily it ended with no serious injury to anyone other than me being a little shaken (read scared). I continued my walk but was nervous about my surroundings since a lot of undesirable people were approaching me on occasion. As I walked, I'm not only a little agitated, but also drunk and very cold. After all, it was 80 out when I left my house but now it's about 45 degrees a mile into my walk and I have only suite pants and a dress shirt on.
Now for the stupid decision. No, I didn't ride the bike drunk. It turns out I did something even worse. I exercised a real bad judgement call. I decided I needed to warm up. So I sat in car's passenger seat that was open when I pulled up on the handle. Then I took a nap as I warmed up. Well... you guessed it.
A short time later, a knock on the window startles me. The officer asks if it was my car that I am sitting in, "no". Asks what I was doing, "trying not to freeze to death." Asks if I had permission to be in the car, "no".
The result. A felony arrest for something called "entering auto". I had my parents bail me out of the jail after a few days. Not ever being in this situation and not knowing the system, it takes days to figure out how to get out since it is not like you think it would be. The whole thing is very embarrassing. Especially for me, a person who has always prided himself on being of good judgement and being successful. It was a very demoralizing event. Flash to today....
I had my second court appearance today. The charges were reduced to a misdemeanour of trespassing since it was clear I had no foul intentions. So a felony entering auto was not the proper charge. I was simply in a place I should not have been due to a stupid decision.
They would not dismiss the case as it was clear I was trespassing. So I was advised to Plea NoLo to the Missdemeanour of Criminal Tresspass. In return they would do something called First Offenders Act.
This act says on my final paperwork that "I shall stand discharged of said offense without court adjudication of guilt and shall be completely exonerated of guilt of said offense charged."
The result:
Was I arrested? Yes.
Was I convicted? No.
Is this a career problem? Maybe.
Will I give up on my dreams? No.
Did I make a mistake? Yes. A stupid one for sure.
I'm embarrassed and feel pretty stupid and demoralized at the moment. But I know it won't ever happen again. And I know I can't change the choice I made that night or the resulting First Offender Disposition of the case. Fingers crossed it does not have a major negative impact on me from pursuing my dreams.
Now, time to go celebrate my 35th birthday (yeah, happy b-day to me). And then after that, time study for that CFI-A written and hope for the best...