KURE BEACH, NC (WWAY)-- The cops pulled him over after spotting him driving with no front tire. Investigators say Charles Holden, son of former Southport Mayor Norman Holden, admitted he had been drinking and was under the influence of prescription drugs. But in May - a New Hanover County judge found him not guilty of driving while impaired. A viewer of ours just brought the case to our attention.
On January 16th 2009, Kure Beach Lieutenant Paul Hubbard responded to a call about an SUV driving on three tires and one rim. Lieutenant Hubbard pulled over Charles Holden. According to Hubbard's report he immediately detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage on Holden's breath. Hubbard says Holden's speech was slurred and his eyes were red and glassy.
Holden performed and failed several field sobriety tests. He was arrested and taken back to the Carolina Beach Police Station. Even though Holden failed the field sobriety tests, which were captured on the police dash cam, when he got back to the station he blew a .06. However, they say alcohol wasn't the only drug affecting his abilities.
According to the report Holden admitted to taking the prescription drug Lorazapam in addition to drinking. He was aware the drug should not be taken with alcohol and understood he should not drive while taking the drug. He also admitted to being recognized as the "mayor's son" during a previous DWI arrest in which, the charges were dropped even though he'd consumed alcohol and taken about 14 prescription drugs.
“If you don't heed those warnings about not operating machinery or not operating motor vehicles and you get behind the wheel of a car, you can injure somebody just as easily as if you had consumed alcohol,” said Lieutenant Paul Hubbard.
Lieutenant Hubbard testified when the case was heard in May. According to witnesses so did Charles Holden's father Norman, who picked up his son the night of the incident, but Norman, the former Southport Mayor, denied testifying on his son's behalf.
Judge John Carroll heard the case. Despite Holden admitting to taking the prescription drugs, failing the field sobriety tests, and driving about a mile on the rim of his car, Judge Carroll found Holden not guilty.
We couldn't reach Charles Holden for comment and Judge Carroll did not return our phone calls.
Holden's criminal record shows at least three DWI convictions. He's also been found guilty of communicating threats.
EDITOR'S NOTE - WHILE HOLDEN WAS PULLED OVER IN JANUARY 2009, HIS CASE DIDN'T GO BEFORE JUDGE CARROLL UNTIL MAY OF THIS YEAR.
judicial idiocy
Stunned once again by the outright corruption in Brunswick County's judicial system! Call out this idiot and label him for what he is, either an incompetent or blatantly corrupt. Please keep this story alive like the Oak Island Fire Chief...show everyone once again why your news organization is the best in Wilmington.
Regards,
Tom
Local Geography??
Check your facts. Pretty simple really, look at a map. Kure Beach is in New Hanover County not Brunswick.
This was New Hanover County,
This was New Hanover County, not Brunswick County.
DA & Police Harassment Law firm ??
Cases pop up from the McGuinness Law Firm . I'd think about filing suit if I were the Fire Chief, they have harassed that guy to NO end for months now.
I gotta get me one of those.
I gotta get me one of those. There's obviously nothing like a former mayor as a dad to keep my backside out of trouble.
Personally, I don't know who should be more embarrassed, the son, the Dad, or the Judicial System. Pathetic.
I spoke to Mr. Holden this
I spoke to Mr. Holden this evening and he said he hadn't really paid it any atention. It don't have anything to do with him he stated. My case is over. This is a get back at someone type of thing he stated and must be a lot of jealousy. He stated he took his evidence to court and his attoreny presented to the judge and the DA, with statements from a hospital and a doctor, that stated he had open heart surgery and walks with a limb do to a torn ACL, an old basketball injury.. It was almost two years ago and since then he has turned his life around do to a strong family and friends support. He stated he has completed everything the state has given him in only a couple months.
He stated this is water under the bridge and he had bigger fish to fry. He stated he is so use to the public stuff after being around it almost all his life, it don't phase him. He stated which thought about for awhile but it really made sense. He's just a small town guy and they just now talking about this stuff that happened years ago. He said dang I must be pretty popular. 2 years and still bringing it up...
He said laughing "Lovin Every Minute of It"
Nice mug shot there Chuckie
Karma sucks dont it? Was that a company truck you were driving? Thank god it wasn't the company truck from Progress Energy when you were an engineer at the nuke plant... Oh well, your daddy obviously cant hide you behind Easley anymore. have fun with that felony charge in November too...
Some of the people that are
Some of the people that are making comments on here need to look in their own backyards. It would be great if we all lived in a perfect world but unfortunately we don't. If Norman was hiding Dean behind Easley's coat tail then why pray tell has he even been convicted of any charges? I am sure if you were to compare the sentences he received on his previous dwi convictions you would probably see that he did not receive any special favors because of who his father is.
We are all human and make mistakes. Some people make numerous mistakes before they realize they need to change their lives. The important thing to remember is that Dean is not doing the things he used to do. If you were to look at the offense dates on his crimes, you might find that they occurred during a particular period in his life. Why is it so hard to forgive a person for the mistakes they make in life? Thank God when Dean was abusing sentences he was not involved in an accident and injure or kill someone. He has made efforts to change his life before that happened.
For those criticizing Dean's father for standing behind him during this rough time of his life, you mean to tell me if your child was in the same situation you would not be there to support your child? Just because a parent supports a child during tough times, does not mean that they like the behavior of their child. Do you not think that going to court with Dean was not embarrassing for Norman? It is a slap in his face. Norman devoted his life to working with people in the criminal justice system trying to help people to change their life. He has to go to court and sit in the same courtrooms in which he dealt with people going thru the very problems that his son is going thru. As a parent, I commend Norman for taking the step to be there for his son. I would think a lot less of him if he did not support Dean. As for as Dean's mother, a mother loves a child no matter what. They may not agree with what the child has done but they always love them.
As far as the Oak Island girls making posts on here, you have also went to court with your children. You stood in the very same spot that Dean's parents have. Did you throw your child to the curb because of their behavior. No you did not. Did your parents kick you or your siblings to the curb? Did you like it when people make degrading comments about your parents and family when your family members were in trouble with the law? I bet not. Give the Holden family a break. As far as Dean is concerned, only time will tell if he has changed his life. If he has, be glad. If he hasn't, he will have to face his punishment like everyone else.
Give it a rest. There is one thing for sure, when you go around doing bad to others it will come back to you. Let Dean move on with his life. Hopefully, he will be a better person than he has been the last few years.
You should know all about
You should know all about Karma, You have been slapped with it so many times and will get it again, You have a paper trail the lengh of Oak Island on arrests. You live a depressed life and nothing can make you happy but cutting everybody down... By posting these lies...
Remember big brother is watching.....haha
Daddy, come bail me out again, and dont tell mom...
How funny you say that, I dont have a record, I dont really care who watches, and there really isn't to much to lie about, its all there, like you, in black and white. I like that "Howe's my driving" sticker on the bumper, thats a riot!
THE COURT SYSTEMS
WE ARE NOT DOING WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO THE COURT SYSTEMS IS NOT FAIR AND WHEN A M,AN SAYS HE IS GUILTEY OF A CRIME THAT TELLS YOU WRITE THEIR SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT WITH OUR COURT SYSTEMS IT IS BACK WARDS AND WE NEED TO ELECT JUDGES THAT ARE CHRISTAINS AND THAT STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT AND I KNOW THAT JUDGES ARE LIKE LAWYERS THEY CAN PLAY POLITICE AND THAT IS NOT RIGHT AT ALL
I don't understand the problem here???
Mr. Holden did everything you would expect and respect for stepping up and admitting everything. What else you want out of this person. He did everything asked and answered all questions when address. This person was a cops dream to pull after midnight, telling the truth. He must have not been that drunk if he was so straight and talking to the officers, sounds like MR. Holden was not under the infuence by cooperating with the Kure Beach Police department. I understand there is more evidence for the defendant that is not being told . He has no ACL in his left leg and tore it a few years ago and the Hospital and the Doctors reports were used as evidence. He walks with a gait this caused by a loss of an ACL in the left knee. Or walk with a slight limp. He can't walk a straight line heel to toe right now. I know who Mr. Holden is and the past 8 months or so he's been a different person and a very good person. I had heard he had open heart surgery and knew he had just went through a divorce. I have heard he has finished all his required classes, jail time, paid fines. In a record amount of time.
Mr. Holden's Alcohol Problem
Mr. Holden should get off alcohol pronto. If he continues to drink and drive, there will be dire consequencies for someone, somewhere.
And will his dad and the judge clean up the mess Mr. Holden has left behind?
Undisciplined, reckless people always create messes for others to clean up, while they go on their merry way.
I am soooooooo sick of the damage alcohol is doing. Time for stronger DUI laws.
Let's do for alcohol what has been done to cigarette smoking. CURTAIL IT DRASTICALLY!
Mr. Holden has been thru
Mr. Holden has been thru Rehab and counseling, and class and has complete all of them and paid his fines and jail time.
THIS IS TWO YRS OLD >>>>come on people..this is old as dirt and the problem has been corrected...He's has no licenses ..
People reding this today dont have a clue of what happen two yrs ago. and how far he has come...I know he hasn;t dram
nk in 8 months and they have remove his scripts that was needed for his heart condition..He takes only blood pressure meds.
aged like cheese...
The only thing that is two years old is the charge, It was continued and continued and contined until his attorney got the right judge to see it HIS way. Money well spent from the holden family if you ask me.
A wonderful turn around
I know Mr. Holden and this news is so old. I have been with him during his recovery. Mr.Holden is a by far a changed man. Remember you are posting a story almost two years old. AS far as Mr. Holden, he volunteered to seek counseling and went through Walter B Jones for support and help. He completed all his DWI classes in just two months. He went to Walter B Jones before any court hearings on his own...Mr. Holden stepped up and said I need to make a change and he has turn around totally.
Instead of beating this man down you need to support this man and understand what he has accomplished in 2 years. It's amazing what he has done. All Classes are complete all fines are paid. He is just on Probation and has 18 months left on it. This is proof the system can and will work if you as a person steps up and admits you have something going on in your life. Yes, Mr. Holden went through a divorce, Open Heart Surgery, change of jobs and a large amount of stress during this period. Mr Holden had one speeding ticket in 1987 and that is it. Until the last two years of the stress he was going thru, 45 years old open heart surgery. How many of you people could go through that and turn your life around....
This is really a great story a very successful story and it needs to be looked at as a positive and not as a negative. The evidence is in the proof and in Brunswick county of everything he has accomplished.....
dwi
See ! This is what I mean. There is no justice for the common people in court. I am bi-polar but I don't take any narcotics. But I was charged with dwi and was convicted ! As they say, it's all in who you know and how much money you have.
Sounds like the GOB network
Sounds like the GOB network to me!
Sound like the MAN has a
Sound like the MAN has a damn good attorney...I may have to get in touch with him and find out his attorney..Is he a Brunswick county attorney or a New Haover county attorney...
Oh this is sooooo old you
Oh this is sooooo old you guys can't find anything else..How about a DWI a couple of months on a kid on a bike and he was dimissed...You guys kill me ..
so old...
...or maybe we could talk about the dwi from about 8 months ago, or the sdomestic violence from about the same time...or how about threatening a govt official?? hope he changes before he kills an innocnet bystander.