In September 2010, the Gainesville State College student was pulled over by police for a busted taillight. But when the officer approached the car, the taillight was the least of Blackstock’s worries. The few drinks he had that night put him just over the legal blood-alcohol content limit and he was arrested on DUI charges.
Blackstock said he couldn’t help but think his chances of ever teaching may have ended from one bad decision.
"I was very much afraid of that," he said. "Some people are better understanding than others, but it’s better to not even have it to worry about."
If it weren’t for the decision of a judge to reduce the charge to reckless driving, Blackstock would still be faced with that possibility.
"I told (the judge) that I wanted to be an English teacher and the judge’s daughter was an English teacher," he said.