http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/uva-girl-water-beer-jail-181104442.html

Girl buys water, spends night in jail

Felony charges were dropped on Thursday against a 20-year-old University of Virginia student who says she panicked when undercover agents from the state's Alcohol Beverage Control division mistook her water purchase for beer.

According to Charlottesville (Va.) Daily Progress, the student, Elizabeth Daly, was walking to her car on April 11 at approximately 10:15 p.m. with a box of sparkling water, cookie dough and ice cream she had just bought from a local supermarket when the agents—six men and one woman, all in plainclothes—approached suspecting the box, a blue carton of LaCroix sparkling water, to be a 12-pack of beer. One jumped on the hood of her SUV; another pulled out a gun, Daly said, as her roommates seated inside looked on in horror.

"They were showing unidentifiable badges after they approached us, but we became frightened, as they were not in anything close to a uniform," Daly wrote in an account submitted to the court. "I couldn't put my windows down unless I started my car, and when I started my car they began yelling to not move the car, not to start the car. They began trying to break the windows. My roommates and I were ... terrified."

Daly's roommate in the front passenger seat told her to "go, go, go"—and that's what she did, apparently "grazing" two of the agents in the process.

The students called 911 as they left the parking lot, police said, and were pulled over by another agent driving a vehicle with lights and sirens, Charlottesville Commonwealth Attorney Dave Chapman told the paper.

Daly apologized when she realized who they were, Chapman said, but agents arrested Daly and charged her with two counts of assaulting a law enforcement officer and one count of eluding police—each carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison and $2,500 in fines. She spent the night in Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail.

"This has been an extremely trying experience," Daly wrote. "It is something to this day I cannot understand or believe has come to this point."

Either can Chapman.

"It wouldn't be the right thing to do to prosecute this," he said.

Nonetheless, Chapman "stood by the agents' decision to file charges, citing faith in a process that yielded an appropriate resolution."

"You don't know all the facts until you complete the investigation," he said.

I think that could have been done better. Glad the chargers were dropped though.

That's awful, the poor girl. She had no idea they were cops and was running scared.

Wow, something like that would make me so scared.

How do you think the officers could have properly handled the situation?
What's this, the Janice show? Why don't you tell us how the situation could have been handled better?

Honestly, the most disturbing part of this story is that the cops fell the need to pull out a gun for an underage drinking bust.

To me this was nothing more than a bunch of gung-ho agents who were hell-bent on showing their authority. The main thing I can't figure out is why the need for 7? From all accounts this was a very minor situation that could've easily been handled by one or two of them. All they had to have done was approach the girl and properly identify themselves. Jumping onto the hood of the car and drawing their weapons was a little bit over-zealous. Also, wouldn't it have been simpler to have an agent inside the store watching what was being purchased?

Yes, but you have to admit that what the girl did was not
smart either.

I don't have to nor do I admit any such thing. I probably would've done the exact same thing if I were in that situation. You stated that this has upset you but in what way? Are you more concerned for the girl or for the agents? We all know how much you support law enforcement so I'm going with the latter.

Charles, I did not say I supported these particular
agents in this case. What I was saying was that in
trying to run from them and flee in a vehicle, the girl
only made things worse for herself. If she had not ran
but submitted to arrest, it would have probably been
determined that the bottle contained water and not
beer and then no charges whatsoever would have
been filed. Thankfully, the local prosecutor did not
see the need to prosecute the girl, so the charges
were dropped. And yes, Charles, I was thinking of
the girl! I did not say there is no such thing as bad
law enforcement officers, I know good and well that
there are and I do not need your education on that!

I do not know what your problem is, but you have had
it in for me somehow almost from day one. For some
reason, my responses always seem to rub you the
wrong way and I am about sick and tired of it. I am
tempted just to put you on my ignore list so that I
will not have to read any more responses from you!
How was she supposed to know that they were agents? It was late at night and you have 7 people going after you with guns drawn and yelling like that. It could have been anybody. She called 911 as soon as she left the parking lot so she didn't know who they were.

I do not know what your problem is, but you have had
it in for me somehow almost from day one. For some
reason, my responses always seem to rub you the
wrong way and I am about sick and tired of it. I am
tempted just to put you on my ignore list so that I
will not have to read any more responses from you!

If you want to put me on ignore then that's your call. I have no issue with you nor have I had it in for you from day one. If that were the case then I surely would've been reprimanded before now. The only time your responses rub me the wrong way is when you start trying to give orders and play moderator. I've seen you call people down for their replies especially in threads concerning law enforcement and iirc, you've been warned more than once about it.

not properly identifying themselves as law enforcement and pulling their guns on a young girl carrying what they thought might be beer?

they should all be reprimanded and suspended - next time they might kill someone innocent over what could potentially be a $50 ticket.

UVA usually equals a lot of $. I foresee a big lawsuit coming the Fed's way and significant disciplinary measures for these agents. Heads will roll!

UVA usually equals a lot of $. I foresee a big lawsuit coming the Fed's way and significant disciplinary measures for these agents. Heads will roll!

I would think if there was going to be one there would have been one. I don't see them having any disciplinary action and this incident happened in April. No way they will say anything about it now.

I would think if there was going to be one there would have been one. I don't see them having any disciplinary action and this incident happened in April. No way they will say anything about it now.
I'd like to know why it took since April to just have the charges dropped? They should have been dropped immediately.

I'd like to know why it took since April to just have the charges dropped? They should have been dropped immediately.

I have to admit, I had to re read the article to realize this happened in April.

Only thing I can think of is just our usual slow court system.

Court systems tend to be slow. Also, the publicity from this article could turn up the heat. All it takes is to have someone semi-important call someone who's a level or two above whoever (whomever? I never get that right) made the decision to punish (or not to punish) the parties involved. If someone turned a blind eye or gave someone a slap on the wrist, that could all change.

How was she supposed to know that they were agents? It was late at night and you have 7 people going after you with guns drawn and yelling like that. It could have been anybody. She called 911 as soon as she left the parking lot so she didn't know who they were.

Reading the article again, I now see that they did
not properly identify themselves as Law Enforcement
Officers. If I had been in the girl's position, I would still
not have run, but I can see the girl's point of view in this.

I admit that when I first saw the article, I did not read it carefully
and I thought that the officers had identifed themselves and the
girl had just panicked(which some suspects do even when Police
indentify themselves as they do not want to go to Jail), but I see
now that that was not the case and the girl must have been frightened.

It's a terrible shame when something like this happens. They should have had at least one officer in a marked car close by for identification purposes. Sometimes the police can be over zealous in these situations and end up getting an innocent person hurt or killed.

I want to apologize to everyone for my earlier comments, especially
to Charles-I sometimes let my anger get the best of me and I post
rash statements on these boards without thinking. Charles, when I
saw your initial response to me, I got upset and overreacted to that
response with an angrier repsonse of my own. I am truly sorry.

It's a terrible shame when something like this happens. They should have had at least one officer in a marked car close by for identification purposes. Sometimes the police can be over zealous in these situations and end up getting an innocent person hurt or killed.

I agree with you completely on that. Police can sometimes be overzealous.

http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/local/abc-says-it-s-reviewing-arrest-of-uva-student-who/article_1e7dd982-e057-11e2-b032-0019bb30f31a.html

ABC says it's reviewing arrest of UVa student who bought bottled water




Posted: Friday, June 28, 2013 8:59 pm




by Liana Bayne

State Alcoholic Beverage Control officials said Friday that they're reviewing an incident in which agents arrested a University of Virginia student on felony charges after she attempted to flee officers who suspected a crate of bottled water to be a case of beer.

Prosecutors on Thursday dropped the charges against Elizabeth Daly, 20, saying no one was hurt and describing her as having panicked at the sight of plainclothes agents who approached her and two roommates at about 10:15 p.m. April 11 outside the Harris Teeter store in the Barracks Road Shopping Center.

Daly's SUV struck two agents, an ABC statement said Friday.

"This whole unfortunate incident could have been avoided had the occupants complied with law enforcement requests," the agency said.

The story generated a buzz across the Internet and in social media Friday.

ABC spokeswoman Kathleen Shaw said in the agency statement released Friday afternoon that agents were working the area that night, concentrating on underage possession enforcement. Shaw said a female agent saw "what appeared to be an underage person in possession of what appeared to be a case of beer."

"The agent identified herself as a police officer and was displaying her badge," the statement said.

"The agents were acting upon reasonable suspicion," the statement added.

As the drama unfolded, roughly a half-dozen agents responded, according to authorities. In a written statement Thursday, Daly described the badges as "unidentifiable." She said she and her friends were unsure of who the agents were.

"One of the men ... drew a gun," said Daly, who is from Henrico County. "Our panic heightened."

She stopped the SUV for an agent driving a vehicle with lights and sirens, and apologized when she realized the agents were law enforcement officers, according to prosecutors.

"Other agents did not join the incident until the subject refused to cooperate," ABC said. "Rather than comply with the officers' requests, the subject drove off, striking two officers."

Daly said she and her roommates were "terrified" after being approached while carrying a blue carton of LaCroix sparkling water along with cookie dough and ice cream purchased for a fundraiser.

Authorities charged Daly with two counts of assaulting a law enforcement officer and one count of eluding police, all Class 6 felonies carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison and $2,500 in fines per offense.

“She was not arrested for possessing bottled water, but for running from police and striking two of them with a vehicle,” ABC's statement said.

A friend in the front seat of the SUV recently had heard stories from dozens of sexual assault survivors at an annual Take Back the Night vigil on UVa Grounds and was on edge, Daly's defense attorney, Francis McQ. Lawrence, said Thursday. The friend urged Daly to "go, go, go," court records state.

"They were not in anything close to a uniform," Daly said in her written account.

"I couldn't put my windows down unless I started my car, and when I started my car they began yelling to not move the car, not to start the car. They began trying to break the windows. My roommates and I were ... terrified," Daly stated.

The women dialed 911 while pulling out of the parking lot to report what was happening and to ask whether the agents were officers, Daly said. She said she was planning to drive to a police station.

Charlottesville Commonwealth's Attorney Dave Chapman said Thursday that he'd never encountered a similar situation in 34 years of experience.

"It wouldn't be the right thing to do to prosecute this," he said.

The process, he said, ultimately yielded an appropriate resolution.

Daly wrote that the incident "is not just forgotten by [Thursday's] results."

"This has been an extremely trying experience and one that has called into question what I value most: my integrity, honor and character," she said. "Cookie dough and ice cream for a fundraiser should not put you through an extremely degrading night and afternoon in jail, appearing in court, posting bond, having to pay an attorney ... not allowed to leave the state, causing you endless nights of no sleep, [a]ffecting your school work and final exams, wondering if you would be dismissed from school, wondering how this would damage your reputation and ability to get a job, all while waiting on pins and needles to see what the Commonwealth is going to offer you."

Daly wrote that she never has consumed alcohol.

"We take all citizen complaints seriously," the ABC statement said, "and the matter is currently under review by the ABC Bureau of Law Enforcement."

I really hope they do look into it and how to not to let that happen again.

I bet they are getting lots of flack now because this is in the media.

I want to apologize to everyone for my earlier comments, especially
to Charles-I sometimes let my anger get the best of me and I post
rash statements on these boards without thinking. Charles, when I
saw your initial response to me, I got upset and overreacted to that
response with an angrier repsonse of my own. I am truly sorry.

Thanks, Lee and no hard feelings here. :wave:

I really hope they do look into it and how to not to let that happen again.

I bet they are getting lots of flack now because this is in the media.
I agree. I was reading today and somebody mentioned it would be better to target the stores that are selling to underage kids instead of lurking outside in the dark and going after the kids. This student was 20. She was only a year under the age limit. I don't think you can always tell a person's age. Some people in their 30's look very young. Even if she had bought beer , the agents still crossed the line. Instead of trying to save face they should be trying to figure how to avoid a situation like this again.

What a mess.

http://www.wfla.com/story/22775106/va-abc-officials-changing-policies-after-uva-beer-bust

VA ABC officials changing policies after UVA beer bust
Posted: Jul 06, 2013 10:49 PM EST Updated: Jul 06, 2013 10:50 PM EST
By Associated Press

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - Virginia alcohol regulators have instituted a new policy following an incident in which a young woman was jailed after buying sparkling water.

The University of Virginia student was confronted by plainclothes ABC agents in April after they suspected the 20-year-old of purchasing beer.

The woman was charged with two felonies after she attempted to flee the agents.

In an announcement Friday, the State Alcoholic Beverage Control said it was immediately changing its policy and that it will require a uniformed officer to participate in similar operations.

As news of the confrontation emerged, the ABC office in Richmond was swamped with calls, as well as criticism on social media.

A prosecutor later dropped the charges against the woman.

http://www.wfla.com/story/22775106/va-abc-officials-changing-policies-after-uva-beer-bust

VA ABC officials changing policies after UVA beer bust
Posted: Jul 06, 2013 10:49 PM EST Updated: Jul 06, 2013 10:50 PM EST
By Associated Press

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - Virginia alcohol regulators have instituted a new policy following an incident in which a young woman was jailed after buying sparkling water.

The University of Virginia student was confronted by plainclothes ABC agents in April after they suspected the 20-year-old of purchasing beer.

The woman was charged with two felonies after she attempted to flee the agents.

In an announcement Friday, the State Alcoholic Beverage Control said it was immediately changing its policy and that it will require a uniformed officer to participate in similar operations.

As news of the confrontation emerged, the ABC office in Richmond was swamped with calls, as well as criticism on social media.

A prosecutor later dropped the charges against the woman.

This is a step in the right direction. It is just sad that it takes incidents
like this to make such commonsense measures a requirement.

I heard this story recently on the radio and was disgusted. Someone said it already. Pulling guns and seven agents for an underage booze purchase? I wonder if these fools have really considered how ugly this situation could have become. I'm thirty-five. I look sixteen. I carry a gun! And not a silly little pea shooter hidden inside a purse under maxipads and makeup. I can actually access and use mine!

I'm mean enough on my own... if someone approached my husband in a threatening manner... or worse yet, my young niece... :mad: Not that my hubby doesn't pack too.

And what if the car hadn't been full of shrill screaming college girls. What if it was me and my two brothers? My father? Worse yet, all three of them... armed and ex-military?

Maybe that's why they don't do booze busts in this part of Indiana. Too many heavily armed hillbillies running around! Just not worth the risk. :lol:

Still, underage drinking is a serious problem in this country and
it does not need to be completely ignored.

http://www.wfla.com/story/22775106/va-abc-officials-changing-policies-after-uva-beer-bust

VA ABC officials changing policies after UVA beer bust
Posted: Jul 06, 2013 10:49 PM EST Updated: Jul 06, 2013 10:50 PM EST
By Associated Press

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - Virginia alcohol regulators have instituted a new policy following an incident in which a young woman was jailed after buying sparkling water.

The University of Virginia student was confronted by plainclothes ABC agents in April after they suspected the 20-year-old of purchasing beer.

The woman was charged with two felonies after she attempted to flee the agents.

In an announcement Friday, the State Alcoholic Beverage Control said it was immediately changing its policy and that it will require a uniformed officer to participate in similar operations.

As news of the confrontation emerged, the ABC office in Richmond was swamped with calls, as well as criticism on social media.

A prosecutor later dropped the charges against the woman.

I'm glad they will have a uniformed officer but I'm not sure someone who looks underage, gets scared will noticed them.

I'm surprised the ATF has announced this though, I just figured they would make the decision and not say anything.