.29

I've avoided writing about Carter Albrecht because I thought that most of you wouldn't be interested. I really haven't changed my mind about that, but there was some news tonight that prompted this post.

Albrecht was a popular Dallas musician who used to play with Edie Brickell and The New Bohemians (Sidenote: Sheesh, there debut album was in 1988! Somebody stop the passage of time!) He was killed about a month ago when he went into an unexplainable rage and began banging on his neighbor's back door in a violent manner. That neighbor, concerned over the number of "home invasions" that have occurred in the metroplex, fired a pistol through the door but "aimed high." Not high enough, however, as it struck the 6'4" Albrecht in the head. (The 911 tape is online.)

Some of his friends, believing that he wasn't a heavy drinker or drug user, blamed the "stop smoking" drug Chantix. (Sidenote: That drug works like gold. I saw the results.)

Well, today we learn that Albrecht had a blood alcohol concentration of .29. Interpretation: That is hammered drunk. I've reviewed hundreds (maybe thousands) of DWI cases over the years, and I can count on one hand the number of alcohol levels higher than that.

That doesn't make him a bad guy. But people always want to blame something when a tragedy occurs.