KUTV anchor Shauna Lake issues on-air apology over DUI arrest

I for one will give her the benefit of the doubt. No one was hurt and it wont happen again. 40 years ago I was given a seconed chance once as well.

Re: ConradGurch

I'm not sure what you're advocating here: should be more tolerant to reckless behavior that is know to kill?

Similarly, we need to be tougher on texting and driving, not more lax.

Someone pointed out that if she was a tanning bed, bleached hair, big earrings 'star' on TV that no one would have a bit of sympathy for her.

You have to admit tha'ts true.

Let's see where do I start?

1- She had no registration and the plates were for another vehicle.

2- She refused to take the B.A. test. Bad form an a really dumb choice on her part.

3- Drinking and driving in general.

Her apology was actually very smart. She just got the potential jury pool to feel bad for her if this goes to trial, which it won't.

I was a cop for 10 years and I have zero tolerance for those that choose to drink and drive. And yes, it is a conscious choice.

Due to the refusal, she should lose her license for 1 year. But she will never be convicted of DUI. She will plead to a lesser made up charge like Alcohol Related Reckless driving because she is a first offender.

She ought to look back at her BYU education and go back to living the standards again.

Part of her accepting responsibility for her grave error in judgment with the DUI should be pleading guilty. That is part of taking responsibility. She pled not guilty. A couple of sips wouldn't have resulted in the problem she had. If she has an alcohol problem than she should take responsibility for that and get some help.

Plead guilty and take your lumps rather than burden the police, DA, and the public you just apologized to with the costs of holding you accountable.

Do that - and I will pray that you keep your job and get a 2nd chance. Otherwise, you just continue to be a burden to society.

All of the self righteousness in these comments make me sick! How many of you commentators have sent a text while driving?

Here's my problem with this: DUIs are a 'tip of the iceberg' phenomenon. Ms Lake got caught and apologized, but almost certainly her 'lapse in judgement' was more than just an isolated event. What are the chances that the one and only time she drove after drinking was the time she got caught? This is the case for almost all DUIs--the number of time the individual is irresponsible and drinks before driving occurs dozens of times before getting in trouble.

We are far too lax on DUIs in the US. --Do it once, lose your license for 1 year. Do it again, lose it permanently.

If the drinking has had an ongoing history I would hope, for your personal well being, that you acknowledge it by attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. By following the steps in A.A. you can achieve the goals you have set and regain the trust of those you respect.

I have no doubt she is sincere. I also have no doubt that the drinking is symptomatic of something else. She would do well to address the root of the drinking: anxiety, depression ect.

Certainly wish this beautiful woman well. Knowing a little about substance abuse, I know that you have to hit rock bottom before becoming "aware". Hopefully, she is out of her trance and fully aware that she has a problem that needs to be addressed.

Once she has paid her price to the laws of our land, addressed her emotional needs (which we all need to do), I will welcome her back into my home without reservation.

There is more at work here. She is not only drunk and driving, she has no registration and has plates from another vehicle on her car. For someone in her position this is a total lack of responsibility. There is definitely a pattern of behavior here that is questionable at best.

Everyone makes mistakes of a different nature but to have to sit in front of a T.V. camera and apologize for their mistake takes a great deal of courage. Many individuals refuse to apologize for their mistakes. Shauna Lake is not one of them. She deserves a second chance from all that know her.

How can she plead not guilty when she could not even walk the line? She needs to pay for her mistake more than just say I'm sorry on air.

I agree with @patriot: "At the very least this woman should get probation and leave without pay for a month then then monitored and zero tolerance with another incident after that. A simple "I'm sorry" isn't good enough.

How do you plead not guilty and then go on tv and admit you did it?

Another public example of the wonderful fruits of alcohol. My goodness the financial, health, property, life, family, friends, personal toll this substance has taken on our society. Beyond calculation really...

I hear it doesn't even taste good.

This is a textbook case in crisis management: Admit the mistake, hope the majority of people will understand and accept the apology, and move on. I applaud Shauna for having the courage to do this but it was really her only option if she hopes to save her career.

@Justmythoughts

"Everyone has made mistakes... Cut her a break."

No, backing your car into your garbage can is a mistake...this is a serious and potentially deadly lack of judgment. Would you call murder a "mistake"?

There comes a point where the offense is serious enough to no longer be just a "mistake". This is beyond that point.

Her apology was nice and seemed sincere. Since we don't know her personal life nor what happened behind closed doors at her employment I choose not to speculate... however some kind of probation should be warranted after all, she was lucky this time. Hopefully there will never be a next time.

I'm sure Channel 2 is breathing easier. She is a star

@patriot

Matthew 7:1-5.

Why not wait and see if she is guilty of DUI, before all the moralizing begins? Having a beer and then driving is not a crime despite what many in Utah believe. If the BAC is over 0.08 then let the moralizing begin.

Class act as far as I'm concerned. It's how we handle the mistakes we make in life because we all make the mistakes.

Just don't forget to register your car properly like the rest of us must do and pay for each year.

But what's the story with the license plates?

"Earlier Tuesday, Lake pleaded not guilty in Murray Justice Court to DUI, a class B misdemeanor, and other charges."

That will be a hard case to make with this video in the public domain. It's admissible in court.

I admire her for taking responsibility for the situation. I know I'm not perfect but I'm not a celebrity so my shortcomings don't make the newspaper of tv news programs. I wish her well in recovering from this and I know she will back better than ever!

A heartfelt apology that is visible to all, but I am certain that she is suffering great pain and humiliation that is not visible to all. I hope her family feels love and support.

I am confident that she will change for good. As a community, we can forgive her. Regarding her mistake, please let her keep her job. Please rally around and continue to show love and support. But she must also face the penalty as described by law. Hopefully mercy is abundant, and she never does this again.

Drinking and driving kills people. It is foolish.

As a high school student I was hit head-on by a drunk driver and could easily have been killed, but miraculously escaped unhurt.

Nonetheless it takes a lot of courage to admit fault, to admit one's mistake publicly and do what this good woman has done. We should forgive and forget the matter, and allow her to move forward with her life, not judging that life by this incident or holding it in any way against her.

Everyone has made mistakes... Cut her a break.

She said that she drank alcohol and then chose to drive, but she pleaded not guilty. Is she arguing she wasn't intoxicated, like her blood alcohol level wasn't over legal limit? I feel sorry for people who make bad choices as I have made plenty, but I also support consequences that come from those actions. I hope she learns and doesn't repeat this bad choice.

my sister was nearly killed in a head on crash from a drunk driver. I have zero tolerance for someone who doesn't have the common sense or the responsibity to not drink and drive. At the very least this woman should get probation and leave without pay for a month then then monitored and zero tolerance with another incident after that. A simple "I'm sorry" isn't good enough.

Super Commendable to offer such a sincere apology. Everyone makes mistakes... it must be so much harder when so many people know about it. Hopefully KUTV will see the strengths outweigh any weakness.

At least she admitted it, unlike some of our State Legislator's, when caught drunk driving, issued statements like "I picked up a hitchhiker who gave me water that was really vodka". Or, "I was in a club, but not drinking, when someone must've put something in my drink". I think she learned a hard lesson and I'm glad to see her back on the air.