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Hernando Today

Teacher 'Owns Up' To DUI

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KYLE MARTIN

Published: January 24, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - BROOKSVILLE - Jesse Mockler stood ramrod straight at the podium, hands crossed at his waist, a blank expression on his face.

As Circuit Judge Stephen Rushing read the terms of Mockler's plea bargain to a charge of DUI, he asked the Powell Middle School teacher: "Are you making this plea because you are guilty?"

Mockler hesitated, then answered, "Yes sir."

Within five minutes, 31-year-old Mockler had his walking papers and was out the courtroom door.

He referred the waiting media to his lawyer, Jimmy Brown, who was pleased with the resolution of the case.

"Everything worked out beautifully and the way it should be," Brown said.

According to Brown, Mockler should be back at the blackboard next week after a three-month suspension without pay, though that couldn't be confirmed with the district's attorney.

The suspension follows his arrest in the early morning of Nov. 10, when a deputy pulled him over for erratic driving below the speed limit.

The traffic deputy who made the arrest, Lance Origon, said the teacher showed "extreme signs of impairment" and placed him under arrest on suspicion of DUI.

Mockler accumulated two more charges, though, after a pat down of his pockets. Origon reported the discovery of 12 white pills, identified as the painkiller Roxicet, and three muscle relaxants called Flexeril.

The weight of the prescription drugs earned Mockler a trafficking charge, although that was later corrected to possession of Oxycodone.

An affidavit states that Mockler grew belligerent with the deputy and demanded to know why he was giving him such a hard time. He added, "Everyone drinks and drives."

After court on Wednesday, Brown provided the same explanation he gave to the school district.

There was no alcohol involved, he said. Mockler was tired, his bum knee was flaring up after a pick-up basketball game and he was taking medication to alleviate the pain.

The Flexiril belonged to his father, who had loaned him the jacket and forgotten the pills were in it. Mockler did have a prescription for the other drug, but it was expired.

Through the plea bargain, he was given pretrial intervention for the first count, possession of Oxycodone, essentially wiping it off his record. The second drug charge was dropped.

The DUI charge was changed to reckless driving, for which he'll serve six months probation and perform 50 hours of community service.

Mockler pleaded guilty to that charge, though he had a "no contest" option. Brown said it's because the teacher wanted to "own up" to his mistake.

He fully intends to disclose the DUI ordeal to his pupils as a cautionary tale and to not plea guilty "would have been a cop out," Brown said.

Reporter Kyle Martin can be reached at 352-544-5271 or kmartin@hernandotoday.com.

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