He walks on a 6-foot-2-inches, 260-pound frame; his arms don several tattoos depicting logos of old-school punk rock bands and his face shows signs of acne scars.
Robert Oleson, 28, is suffering the consequences of his bad choices, but is determined to turn his life around in hopes of being able to enlist in the Navy; he exhales and begins to recount an incident that occurred the night of Oct. 25, 2010.
On that Monday, Oleson got behind the wheel of his 1998 green Honda Civic after leaving a bar he frequents in Garden Grove. Leaving earlier than typical nights, he pulled out of the parking lot and was caught off guard by those red and blue lights glaring through his rear view mirror. Oleson had been drinking, and at that moment, déjà vu struck as the officer forcefully cuffed him and took him to jail for his second time driving under the influence of alcohol.
“The moment I saw the lights flash, I knew I was screwed,†Oleson said. “I knew I had too much to drink and knew they would give me a field test.â€
The Garden Grove Police gave him a sobriety test, which he failed. This resulted in his second DUI offense in less than four years and resulted in the possibility of having to serve time in prison.
Oleson is still hesitant to admit he may have a drinking problem although he realizes his habitual drinking has created aggravation in his life. His record is tainted and there are holes left in his pockets because of this bad habit.
“Yes, there have been times where I might have blacked out because of drinking, but it isn’t a common thing,†Oleson said. “I do remember waking up in the hospital after apparently getting hit in the head with a brick because of a night of drinking. But I don’t think I have a problem, I don’t drink the moment I wake up and I’m a night person I only drink at night.â€
Oleson grew up in Whittier, Calif. and lived there until the age of 13. His family moved to Ponderosa Mobile Park in Anaheim, where he still resides. He attended Katella High School but never attained a high school diploma. After dropping out, he picked up drinking around the age of 17.
The repercussions of his drinking habit have begun to dawn on Oleson; the hospital bills and DUI offenses represent only a few. Time missed from work and money spent at the bar also adds up. He acknowledged that he spends the majority of his earnings at bars, but when asked if he would ever consider giving up drinking for good, a smirk followed by a sheepish chuckle made it clear that his attempt to change will be gradual.
“I have been late to work, but not just because of drinking, there are other reasons,†Oleson said. “The company I work at has been understanding, but I am not too sure if that will be the case this second time around with me having to miss work if I get a sentence of 30 days or more.â€
After Oct. 25 it would be the third time Oleson has been incarcerated over alcohol abuse and admits it has been a wake-up call. If he were to return, he remains optimistic and claims that jail can be a foundation for change since it gives him time to self reflect and plan for the future as well as keep in shape.
“One good thing about being in jail is that you’re able to lose weight because there isn’t much to do but workout,†Oleson said.
He is taking responsibility for his actions and will agree to the sentence. However, he is hoping for a lenient judge.
Oleson’s court date is slated for early December, and he is hoping to persuade the judge into letting him enlist in the Navy in lieu of jail time.  In his attempt to make a change for the better, Oleson counts on the support of his family and new girlfriend and hopes this is just a minor speed bump in his path to a better future.