Published: 05:12 p.m., Thursday, September 9, 2010

AMSTERDAM -- A convicted drunken driver was arrested Wednesday after he allegedly drove drunk to a Montgomery County DWI victim impact panel.

Timothy Coughlin, 48, of Tribes Hill had a "strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath" after arriving at the St. Mary's Carondelet center in Amsterdam sometime before 6:30 p.m., city police said.

A county probation officer working at the registration desk noticed the smell of booze. Coughlin then told officers he drank four large beers around lunchtime, police said.

Coughlin, who was convicted of DWI last month, registered a blood alcohol level of 0.13 percent. The legal threshold for DWI is 0.08 percent.

He was charged with exceeding the legal limit, aggravated DWI and driving with a suspended license.

All are felonies because he has a DWI conviction within the past 10 years.

Coughlin was held pending an arraignment in Amsterdam City Court.

Robert Gavin

http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Police-say-man-drove-drunk-to-DWI-victim-panel-651801.php