A father who went drunk driving with his two young sons in the car will spend a month in jail.
The father, Franklin Eugene Ramsey, 51, entered guilty pleas before General Sessions Judge Bill Locke to charges of driving on a revoked license, reckless endangerment, and drunk driving. He was ordered to serve 32 days of an 11-month, 29-day sentence, pay $400 plus costs, perform 24 hours public service work, and he will lose his driver license for one year.
Ramsey was charged after deputies were called to Green Hill Market where Ramsey was found lying on the floor.
“I found him lying on the floor. His two sons were with him,” said deputy John Underwood of Ramsey’s physical state when he arrived. “The store owner wouldn’t let Mr. Ramsey leave the store with the young boys due to his condition.”
The boys, ages 8 and 5, told the officer they had come from Smithville.
“He (the 8-year-old) said he was driving recklessly, swerving back and forth in the road and that they feared for their safety,” Underwood reported.
The deputy noted he found Ramsey’s vehicle sitting cross ways in the store parking lot with the engine off and the lights on. The deputy added Ramsey was too drunk to even take a sobriety test.
“Due to his extreme intoxication, a field sobriety test could not be performed,” Underwood noted, adding a records check revealed Ramsey had two prior drunk driving convictions for which his license was revoked.
The children were taken home by Ramsey’s brother, while their father was taken to jail.