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Posted by: kwflatbed

Liquor Store Owner Alerts Police

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Video: Driver's DUI Record

BOSTON -- A glaring mistake is being blamed for a repeat drunken driver keeping a valid license.

That mistake surfaced this week when the man was arrested for a 15th DUI charge.

NewsCenter 5's Gail Huff reported that Robert Scheller, 57, was arrested just minutes after leaving a liquor store on Tuesday. He was arrested for drunken driving several years ago, but the hearing officer for the Registry of Motor Vehicles did not notice at the time that he had 13 previous convictions for drunken driving, according to registry officials.

This week, he was arrested for a 15th OUI in Marshfield, and when police checked his record they were surprised by what they found.

"We were shocked. And the fact that he was driving through a school zone -- an elementary school zone -- at the time that school was getting out, just makes it that much more disturbing," Marshfield police Lt. Phil Tavares said.

The owner of Marshfield Liquor store said Scheller bought a bottle of vodka in the morning and returned a few hours later to buy more. That's when Keith Whitaker called police.

"Without question he had been drinking and the way he was walking and slurring his words, there was no way I was going to serve him," Whitaker said.

Under the new Melanie's Law, which was named after the victim of a drunken driver, Scheller could now lose his license for the rest of his life. Melanie's grandfather is an advocate for tougher penalties.

"I'm just baffled as to how it could conceivably have happened. I think this one slipped through the cracks. I mean, I really think that this one should have been caught way before this," Ron Bersani said.

It may have been caught beofe had Scheller's name been added to the national driver's registry of repeat offenders. Scheller had been convicted of drunken driving in Florida, West Virginia, Virginia and Colorado before he moved to Massachusetts and obtained a license.

Previous Stories:

• September 13, 2006: Man Faces 15th DUI Charge

Copyright 2006 by TheBostonChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Posted by: j809

Yeah, the last judge that sentenced him made the mistake. How about a 20 year sentence for this guy, no judge in Mass has the balls.

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Posted by: kwflatbed

Man Thanked For Alerting Police To Alleged DUI Driver

Melanie Powell Killed By Drunken Driver 3 Years Ago


Related To Story



Video: Family Thanks Liquor Store Owner



MARSHFIELD, Mass. -- A man who called police the day an alleged drunken driver left his Marshfield liquor store is got a big thank you on Friday.

NewsCenter 5's Steve Lacy reported that Keith Whittaker's phone call led to the arrest of Robert Scheller. Police later found out Scheller had more than a dozen drunken driving convictions against him.

"He was slurring and moving a little funny, so I refused him, and I did what we always do. I called the police, they got the license plate number, the description of the van and, fortunately, they caught him," Whittaker said.

After hearing about the role he played in the arrest of habitual drunken driver Scheller, the family of Melanie Powell went to Marshfield Liquors to thank the storeowner.

"I just always think if someone had stepped up and done something before the woman got behind the wheel of her car, my daughter would be 16 right now," said Melanie's mother, Nicole Powell.

Melanie, 13, died after she was struck by a drunken driver in Marshfield three years ago. Since Melanie's death, the family has become tireless advocates for tougher penalties for repeat drunken driving, culminating with passage of Melanie's Law in October 2005.

But Melanie's family said more needs to be done to stop drunken driving.

"If you think that just passing Melanie's Law will cure all of our ills relative to drunk driving, it is not. This takes an entire society to work together," said Melanie's grandfather, Ron Bersani.

The family has set its sights on defeating a ballot question that would double the number of liquor licenses statewide.

Scheller was ordered held without bail and will return to court next week.



Previous Stories:

• September 13, 2006: Man Faces 15th DUI Charge

Copyright 2006 by TheBostonChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Posted by: USMCMP5811

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwflatbed

Is it me, or does this guy closely resemble Nick Noltey?

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Posted by: Andy0921

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Posted by: BrianC

Quote:

Originally Posted by USMCMP5811 Is it me, or does this guy closely resemble Nick Noltey?

LMAO.

But in all seriousness........it's crap like this incident that makes ya feel like you're drying off a car in a rainstorm.

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Posted by: mtc

It's no mistake, it's plain incompetence. This guy should have been jailed 10 convictions ago.

J809 is right, no judge in MA has the stones.

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