Earlier this month, a Pittsfield Township accident involving two vehicles resulted in the arrest of a 28-year-old Ann Arbor man for drunk driving. According to news reports at Mlive.com, the crash took place at approximately 12:30 a.m. in the area of Washtenaw and Foster Avenues. Upon arriving at the scene, police found the at-fault driver pinned in his vehicle. He was transported to an area hospital after being extricated from the vehicle.
The driver of the second vehicle was also taken to the hospital, although reports indicate neither driver suffered serious or life-threatening injuries. Police said only that alcohol appeared to be a factor in the crash, but gave no explanation as to how or why they came to this conclusion.
Considering that the driver who was allegedly at-fault had to be extricated from his vehicle, many questions remain. It’s almost a certainty that field sobriety tests were not performed, but what about a breath test? Was blood taken at the hospital, which indicated the driver’s blood alcohol content was higher than Michigan’s legal limit of 0.08%?
No doubt people who read the news often wonder how authorities come to the conclusions that they do. Unfortunately, even though an arrest does not indicate guilt or mean that the man in this case will be convicted, people often come to that conclusion. The man who has been blamed in this incident not only has to deal with injuries, but the public perception that he is a negligent individual who decided to get behind the wheel of a vehicle and put his own safety and others’ in jeopardy.
Individuals who are arrested for any criminal offense, including DUI, have constitutional rights and are innocent until proven guilty. It is unfortunate that in situations such as the one above, details as to why the man was suspected of DUI are left out, but the public still may come away with the impression that he is guilty.
A DUI conviction can result in serious criminal penalties which include potential jail time, fines, driver’s license suspension, community service, and more. If you have been arrested or charged with a drunk driving offense including OWI, OUIL, OWVI, or OWPD, consult with a highly skilled and aggressive Michigan DUI defense lawyer immediately.