Head of US marine force in Darwin stood down for drink-driving on nightclub strip

[digrar]

Head of US marine force in Darwin stood down for drink-driving on nightclub strip

Head of US marine force in Darwin stood down for drink-driving on nightclub strip

By Jacqueline Breen
Updated 38 minutes ago


PHOTO: US Marine Corps Colonel James Schnelle has been stood down, the court heard. (Supplied: Andrew Piehler)
RELATED STORY: Record numbers of US Marines arrive in Darwin for six months of joint training
The head of the US marine force stationed in the Top End has been relieved of his command for drink-driving on Darwin's nightclub strip.

Key points:

• Colonel James Schnelle was charged with medium-range drink driving
• He has been stood down from commanding the US Marines in Darwin
• He appeared in Darwin Local Court today

Colonel James Schnelle, 48, appeared in Darwin Local Court this morning, charged with medium-range drink-driving.

The court heard he failed a random breath test on Darwin's Mitchell Street in the early hours of a Sunday morning late last month.

No conviction was recorded, but the court heard Colonel Schnelle had been stood down from his job of commanding the largest contingent of Marines ever to rotate through the Top End.

'This is a man of very high character'
The court heard Colonel Schnelle was stopped at an RBT outside the Darwin Entertainment Centre on Mitchell Street at 2:20am on Sunday, September 30, where he recorded a mid-range reading for blood alcohol content.

He had been at Shenanigans Restaurant and Bar in the CBD and was driving home to Larrakeyah, a suburb about 3.4 kilometres away.

Following the RBT, the court heard he then walked home.

He then emailed superiors at 6:33am and they called him at 7:47am to relieve him of his command, the court heard.

So he'll be pretty much fucked from this point on?

 

[AWP]

He had been at Shenanigans Restaurant and Bar...

He then emailed superiors at 6:33am and they called him at 7:47am to relieve him of his command, the court heard.

1. Um, here's your sign? "What happened Colonel?" SHENANIGANS!
2. 1 hour and 14 minutes...the only way to lose you job faster is to be an NFL coach after the last game. Kudos to the USMC's HR program. If he were a ship's skipper it would take a few days to lose the job, you know?

 

[Teufel]

Head of US marine force in Darwin stood down for drink-driving on nightclub strip



So he'll be pretty much fucked from this point on?

Not really. Don’t get me wrong, the Marine Corps won’t let him pass ‘Go’ again but they will probably let him retire quietly without any further punitive measures.

 

[Gunz]

Shoulda had a snag and a roo sanger instead of on the piss spewing chunder on the booze bus, eh, mate?

 

[Teufel]

An alcohol incident, sexual misconduct, or a toxic command climate can effortlessly cut down the tallest trees.

 

[Devildoc]

Shoulda had a snag and a roo sanger instead of on the piss spewing chunder on the booze bus, eh, mate?

What in the hell are you saying? Talk English, man.

 

[DC]

 

[Ooh-Rah]

Shoulda had a snag and a roo sanger instead of on the piss spewing chunder on the booze bus, eh, mate?

Somebody was posting while birthday-ing!

 

[ThunderHorse]

It's Darwin, don't you have to be a functional drunk just to live there?

 

[Marauder06]

I don't understand the terminology.

"Colonel James Schnelle, 48, appeared in Darwin Local Court on Monday morning, charged with medium-range drink-driving."

I "drink drive" (vs. "drunk drive") almost every time I go out to eat. And medium-range? Shouldn't you have to be in the high range to get arrested?

Or are these degrees of drunkenness, like "low-medium-and really-really-drunk" or something?

 

[Gunz]

Yes, sir, I believe the legal term is "Shitfaced."

 

[MikeDelta]

Yes, sir, I believe the legal term is "Shitfaced."

Medium effective range shitfaced, is roughly 1/2 a click short of Area effective totally shitfaced range.

 

[Gunz]

edit

 

[Ooh-Rah]

Everyone back on track please.

 

[digrar]

I don't understand the terminology.

I "drink drive" (vs. "drunk drive") almost every time I go out to eat. And medium-range? Shouldn't you have to be in the high range to get arrested?

Or are these degrees of drunkenness, like "low-medium-and really-really-drunk" or something?

We don't have a distinction, drink driving is drink driving. Medium range puts him at .08 to .149 BAC. We're getting in the shit over .05. At .08 to .149 you probably know you shouldn't be driving, at .05 -.06 you're probably feeling pretty unlucky if you get picked up.

I'd assume Ocoka was at about .15 when he attempted that dodgy Australian accent up there^^.

 

[CQB]

Fuck me, at 3.4 Km, the cunt could have walked to Larrakeyah. (BARNKKK...thanks for playing).

 

[Lake Shore: 354]

I think its good that he's being reprimanded for his actions. As well as being the person that leads you, officers are suppose to set the highest of standards to the men and women their in charge of; I mean why else would the Marine Corp promote him if they didnt see him as responsible and held "their core values" to the best of heart.

 

[DC]

I think its good that he's being reprimanded for his actions. As well as being the person that leads you, officers are suppose to set the highest of standards to the men and women their in charge of; I mean why else would the Marine Corp promote him if they didnt see him as responsible and held "their core values" to the best of heart.

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

Not really. Don’t get me wrong, the Marine Corps won’t let him pass ‘Go’ again but they will probably let him retire quietly without any further punitive measures.

Yet, how many enlisted/NCO's careers did he kill in his time?

Fucking hate the double standards...

 

[Lake Shore: 354]

That is true; but shouldn't we hold the people in charge of us to higher standard then a regular private of the corp. His actions speak louder then any NCO and Private because of his Grade and position. Thats all i have to say on the matte.