When a car collides with a structure, police may seek to investigate whether the driver was operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol. A Tennessee woman recently found herself under such suspicion. She now faces charges that include driving under the influence and child endangerment. The latter charge relates to her having a toddler in the vehicle at the time of the accident.
The car struck a central heating unit outside a home shortly after 3 a.m. The gas line to the home was split as a result of the collision, and the gas was shut off by firefighters that responded to the scene after a witness notified emergency services. The 24-year-old woman's vehicle remained immobile in the yard after the crash.
She was arrested and scheduled for a March 24 court appearance. In addition to the child endangerment and DUI allegations, she was also accused of violating the implied consent rule. The child, less than 3 years of age, and the woman's car were released to another party with a valid driver's license following the incident.
A criminal conviction for driving under the influence has a specific set of legal consequences. When a child is in the car, the potential consequences are more severe, as appears to be the case with this Tennessee woman. Anyone facing drunk driving charges and/or related accusations will likely benefit from having an attorney experienced in handling these types of cases review the situation and help prepare a vigorous and meaningful defense. If no blood alcohol testing is available at trial, there may be room to negotiate a plea bargain or to pursue an outright dismissal of the DUI accusation, depending on the specifics of the case.
Source: parispi.net, "DUI, endangerment arrest made after wreck", Glenn Tanner, March 13, 2015
