Years ago, I sat with the family at a turn-lane stoplight in Jacksonville. I perceived smoke or steam behind me and concluded aloud, "I think that guy just hit us." The others decried my conclusion with statements like "I didn't feel anything." I exited the car and found a Cadillac impaled on the trailer hitch of my SUV. It was a mess.
The Cadillac driver was likely at least an octogenarian. He apologized profusely and pulled a wad of Benjamins from his pocket. He was eager to avoid an accident report, saying that his son had warned him of lost driving privileges upon "one more accident." We were unhurt; the poor Cadillac had not even scratched my hitch's paint. I empathized with the kindly man. I declined his money and wished him a good day.
How often does that play out across the country? I suspect it is frequent. Perhaps more so in the promised land of retirees.
Recently, it reportedly played out similarly, and coincidentally in Jacksonville. Maybe this is a Jacksonville thing? Doubtful.
A 48-year-old backing his Mercedes from a space reportedly struck a Ford F-150 on the morning of October 7, 2025. But then there is the Paul Harvey (i.e., "the rest of the story"; see Make Your Point (July 2025)). This parking mishap occurred at 03:00. It allegedly occurred in the parking lot of a business called "Wacko's Gentlemen's Club." And there was some suspicion that the Mercedes driver may have been drinking.
The Daily Mail reports that the driver, a fellow named "Guy," exited his car and briefly spoke with the truck driver before attempting to leave the scene." He was detained by a parking valet and others, and the police were summoned. Perhaps such events are common, but this instance made the news, appearing on multiple platforms.
This may be one of the few times one might utter, "Some Guy hit me," with full accuracy. But I digress.
The Brunswick News reports that he did not leave the scene because he "was unable to do so as he appeared highly intoxicated." That report alleges the Mercedes driver "refused to exchange information and instead offered him (the truck driver) $500 to settle the damages." The power of Benjamins is perhaps expected to entice?
The Mercedes driver was allegedly "Superior Court Judge Robert Guy Jr. " of Georgia. He has served on the bench for about nine years (2016). At the time of the trip to Jacksonville, he currently served as "president of Georgia's Council of Superior Court Judges."
And, unlike the kindly gentleman whose Cadillac was once impaled on my hitch, Judge Guy is neither an octogenarian nor was initially perhaps perceived as particularly apologetic about the alleged collision. Rhiana is playing in my head for some reason (Take a Bow, 2008, Def Jam).
The judge reportedly self-reported the incident to the "Judicial Qualifications Commission" immediately. The New York Post soon reported on October 12, 2025 (collision plus 5 days), that Judge Guy has "resigned as president of Georgia’s Council of Superior Court Judges."
Those were both appropriate reactions to the allegations. There is merit in preventing, to the extent possible, having personal allegations implicate such a council, and it is always best to self-report potential discipline issues.
On October 16, 2025 (Collision plus 9 days), the Atlanta Constitution reported that Judge Guy had resigned from the bench. The resignation mentions the "honor and privilege" of serving on the bench and includes praise for judges, lawyers, and court staff. In all, a gracious departure. Some might see fault in the delay in resigning; others might say that it is reasonably rapid. Perspectives.
There are moments that draw us all in. They may be celebratory or less. I have found that people visit bars, imbibe, and socialize from a variety of motivations. Nonetheless, Mom's old saw that drinking should never precede driving resonates. Driving a vehicle is a decision.
Sobriety has its place in this world. I have written about that. See Sober as a Judge (December 2019), A New Miranda Warning (April 2020), and A Judge Under Surveillance (June 2025). Sobriety would have likely benefited the protagonists in each of those instances. Drinking does not mix with driving.
My favorite judge post involves the Conferences and Consequences (November 2019) story of strip clubs, heavy drinking, White Castle burgers, and sign language communication. One general rule I recommend to young and old is that nothing good happens after midnight (unless you count the publication times of these gripping blog posts).
The judges in Conferences and Consequences ended up involved in violence, embarrassment, and more. I reflect this morning and wonder how those judges view their experience in May 2019. Do you suppose the ones that were shot view it differently than others? I have never been shot, but I suspect it is memorable. I hope I never find out.
Yes, there are a few out there who have made grievous errors in judgment. More recently, we have seen it in Georgia. See She Must Go (May 2024) and Adjectives and Appearances (June 2024). We have seen it elsewhere also, including Florida. See A Judge Under Surveillance (June 2025).
There are easy lessons in life, and then some not so easy. If you find yourself driving 75 miles to a strip club, it might be worth reconsidering. If you are in any club at 03:00, same. If you strike another's auto and are inclined to pull out the Benjamins, same. There are signs of impending difficulty. Driving to drink will mandate driving back after having done so.
There will be those who will criticize this post. I will hear "preachy" and "unempathetic." I am neither. But I do believe that we cannot live long enough to make all the big mistakes ourselves (Eleanor Roosevelt). We owe it to ourselves to think on the misfortune and decisions of judges cited in these various posts. We might consider our course a bit harder before heading out for burgers or otherwise in the middle of the night?
Kudos to Judge Guy for truncating the need for investigation by the qualifications commission. Kudos for removing the potential for negative appearances of the bench by resigning the job. Kudos for taking responsibility and moving on with the personal challenges that are inevitable in any prosecution. His days will likely be difficult in the near term as he deals with these allegations.
For the rest of us, judges and otherwise, consider the implications. Do so before you imbibe, instead of trusting yourself to make valid and safe judgments after you have had a few. Think, then act, and avoid such allegations and consequences if possible. Hint: it is usually possible.
