A man who was pulled over for unrelated reasons is facing a serious set of charges, according to local law enforcement. Washington police say they pulled the man over for speeding, but wound up hitting him with a laundry list of alleged infractions. They include DUI charges and charges involving endangering a minor. It is unclear if he is currently in police custody.
The man was pulled over sometime on the morning of March 14 while traveling along state Route 164. Police say he was clocked at driving 62 mph in a 50 mph zone, and he was pulled over for the speeding charge. Police say they had reason to believe the man had been drinking and subjected him to a blood alcohol test, which they allege measured at over twice the legal limit of .08.
There was also apparently a minor child in the vehicle with him. In addition to the DUI and suspended license charges, he was also charged with reckless endangerment. The report did not mention what his relationship to the child was, and whether authorities remanded custody to another family member. The man will face these charges in court at a later date.
DUI charges, especially where the endangerment of a child is concerned, can be profoundly life-altering charges to experience, even if found innocent. However, Washington prosecutors will have to prove the alleged blood alcohol test was taken in accordance with the man’s due process rights. Any deviation from how these sorts of tests are intended to be administered normally could result in the evidence being ruled inadmissible in a criminal court trial, a result which could be determinative of the DUI charges.
Source: courierherald.com, “Washington State Patrol blotter/Several charges“, March 25, 2015