Published: May 07, 2008 03:49 pm         

DUI suspect asks officer for help with inebriated wife

PICAYUNE — Michael Atkins found both himself and his wife Cheryl charged with DUI and public drunk respectively after he asked a police officer for help with his wife, who was unconscious in his car.

Saturday, Atkins apparently saw a Picayune police officer with someone pulled over for an apparent traffic violation and stopped to ask the officer for help with his wife, said Picayune Police Public Information Officer Capt. Theresa Milar.

The officer was working a traffic stop at the intersection of Canal Street and Virginia Street when 53 year-old Atkins stopped to ask for help. Apparently Atkins needed help with his wife. Milar said the police report stated Atkins’ wife, Cheryl Atkins, 45, was unconscious in the vehicle. The officer called for an ambulance and went to assist Michael Atkins, who was in the process of administering CPR to his wife.

The officer could then smell the presence of an alleged intoxicating beverage coming from Michael Atkins, of 301 Fifth Ave. The officer noticed that Cheryl Atkins, also of 301 Fifth Ave., had a strong pulse and was breathing when he went to assist.

While the officer was tending to Cheryl Atkins, Michael Atkins became belligerent with the officer. The officer then asked Michael Atkins to step in front of the patrol car so the officer could continue assisting his wife. Milar said the officer also noted in his report that a strong smell of and alleged intoxicating beverage was present on Cheryl Atkins once she became conscious.

When the ambulance arrived to care for Cheryl Atkins, the officer began questioning Michael Atkins as to whether he had anything to drink. Atkins said yes and submitted to a field sobriety test, Milar said. After the field test Atkins was placed under arrest for DUI and taken to the police department for a breath test, which he refused, Milar said. Atkins was charged with DUI refused test.

As the officer was placing Michael Atkins under arrest at the scene of the incident, Cheryl Atkins walked away from the paramedics caring for her and allegedly began yelling at the officer. She was then placed under arrest for public drunk, Milar said.