People are imperfect beings, which means that they are prone to make mistakes from time to time. This even includes some public officials who would otherwise command a certain amount of respect. Unfortunately, one public official in Washington is now facing drunk driving charges.
The Washington State Patrol recently arrested a local deputy mayor one evening in mid-December for alleged drunk driving. The 68-year-old public official had been involved in vehicle accident. Apparently, the deputy mayor had ran into another vehicle that had been waiting at a roundabout on the road. A police officer arrived at the scene at approximately 3:15 p.m.
The police officer reported that he had noticed an odor of alcohol coming from the public official who will now be looking to defend himself against the criminal charges. The police officer took the man to a local medical facility in order to have his blood drawn. The results of the test for the man’s blood alcohol level have yet to be released to the public. The other driver did not report any injuries resulting from the collision in Washington.
However, the test results will certainly play a significant role in the future court trial regarding the drunk driving charges in Washington. The defendant will have the best chance of prevailing with a strong legal defense strategy that effectively addresses the charges. This will require familiarity with the law and how the relevant laws are applied to this particular situation. Unless the charges are dismissed for lack of evidence or another legal reason, the accused man will likely have a choice between proceeding to trial — where prosecutors will be forced to prove their case — or negotiating a plea agreement in exchange for reduced charges and/or favorable sentencing considerations.
Source: sequimgazette.com, “Sequim deputy mayor charged with DUI“, Dec. 17, 2014