Frye Law - March 2019

THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE DISAPPEARING FLAGS AN INSIDE JOB

Theft is a serious matter, made even more grave when the victims are fallen war heroes. Such was the situation that stumped police in Hudson, New York, in 2012.

Apparently, the wooden flagpoles attract groundhogs, something other groundskeepers have experienced as well.

The crime was first committed in July of the previous year. Flags had been placed around the graves of soldiers in Cedar Park Cemetery — only to go missing right around Independence Day. Veterans groups and locals were outraged and mystified by the crime. Some worried that a hate group was to blame, as the missing flags had adorned the graves of Jewish soldiers. Veterans worked to replace the flags, one by one, and right the wrong. No culprit was found, and the community moved on — until the following July, when the mystery repeated itself. Like the year before, flags were placed on veterans’ graves in honor of Independence Day, and again, they went missing sometime in the night, this time taken from the graves of African American Civil War soldiers. Cemetery caretaker and veteran Vincent Wallace was appalled, as was the rest of his community. “I just can’t comprehend the mindset that would allow someone to do this,” Wallace said. Determined to find out who was to blame, police put up surveillance cameras and recorded the goings-on in the cemetery. As they watched the tapes, sure enough, they saw one of the culprits sitting atop a gravestone with an empty flagpole in front of him. It was a groundhog.

“I’m glad we don’t have someone who has taken it upon themselves to desecrate the stones and the flags in front of them,” said Hudson mayor Bill Hallenbeck. “We can all rest a little easier knowing that it was a critter and not a human defacing our flags, especially those of the veterans,” added Hudson’s police commissioner.

Turns out Punxsutawney Phil has some very naughty cousins — ones who aren’t subject to the law.

SHAMROCKS, LEPRECHAUNS, AND GREEN BEER!

ST. PATRICK’S DAY AND DUI DEFENSE

With nearly 32.3 million Americans claiming Irish descent, it’s no wonder St. Patrick’s Day has become one of our nation’s most celebrated holidays. While the holiday’s origin stemmed from the legacy of St. Patrick and his hope of converting the Irish population to Christianity by building schools, churches, and monasteries in Ireland, the festivities that take place throughout the U.S. today are far different than they were previously. The more modern and certainly more secular version of the holiday started with emigrants, particularly to the U.S., who transformed the celebration into a holiday of revelry chock-full of elaborate parades, shamrock symbols, and the color green. With all the merriment that occurs every year on March 17, it’s not surprising that alcohol sales skyrocket as well. In fact, bartenders across the nation frequently report their struggle trying to keep up with the number of requests for Irish-themed drinks. For example, according Alcohol Monitoring Systems, Inc., 13 million pints of Guinness (the most popular Irish dry stout originating from Dublin) are poured in the hours from 5–11 p.m. on St. Patrick’s Day.

Because this holiday has nearly become synonymous with roistering parties, it’s also the cause for a major spike in alcohol-related crashes and DUIs. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that on St. Patrick’s Day between 2011 and 2015, there were 252 fatalities in car accidents involving drunk driving. If you’re planning on celebrating this joyous holiday by going out with your friends, make sure you make plans ahead of time — such as using alternative transportation, like Uber or Lyft — to ensure that you

are able to enjoy your evening completely worry-free. That being said, our team here at Frye Law Group understands that you can’t plan for everything. If you are arrested for a DUI, we want you to know that you have options for a defense. We will aggressively work to help you avoid a conviction and minimize the consequences to your life. So as you put on your favorite green outfit and head out to frolic with your friends, do your best to plan ahead. Here are ride-share codes to help. If you’re using LYFT, type in code: KIM289808. For UBER, use code 9b4io. Otherwise, don’t hesitate to give us a call.

2 • WWW.FRYELAWGROUP.COM

Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.TheNewsletterPro.com

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