A Snellville man attempting to help out his friend became a living, breathing public service announcement Tuesday after he was charged with DUI and jailed for allegedly driving toward — and then into — the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office last week.
Gary Guidry intended to pick up a friend Friday that he had bonded out online — but, while pulling into Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office's parking lot, he allegedly crashed into the “Civilian of the Year" parking sign, Shannon Volkodav, sheriff’s office spokeswoman, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The crash occurred in the sight of deputies at the sheriff's office, who gave Guidry a field sobriety test, Volkodav said. Sheriff's officials say Guidry failed the test and was booked in jail on a charge of driving under the influence and failure to report striking a fixed object, Volkodav said, and his friend had to search elsewhere for a ride.
The sheriff's office posted an image Tuesday of the bent back parking sign with a message that satirized the good-deed-gone-bad scenario.
“(gosh, when you're drunk, it must seem like you're being SO careful...),” the post reads.
More than 800 people liked the post and nearly 360 Facebook users shared the post, adding their own snipes.
Guidry made his $2,102 bail by Saturday morning, but Volkodav said she hopes the lesson goes further than his daylong jail stay.
“Our reason for posting this scenario was that drinking and driving it is not only illegal, it’s unsafe,” she said. “We’re grateful it was a sign and not a person walking in the parking lot.”
The sheriff’s office plans to repair the damaged parking sign this week.
