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Wrong-way driver faces drunk driving charges in Washington

On Behalf of | Sep 2, 2015 | Drunk Driving |

Three people were hurt in a car accident police are blaming on a possible drunk driver, according to local sources. Washington police arrested a 24-year-old man after a head-on crash they believe was predicated on the man being intoxicated behind the wheel. While official drunk driving charges have not yet been filed, they are pending, according to law enforcement.

Details of this case are somewhat unclear as of this report. However, it has been confirmed that the driver was apparently fleeing police when he went the wrong way on a one-way street. His vehicle apparently struck a second vehicle head-on, sending three people, the 22-year-old female driver and her two unidentified passengers, to a local hospital.

The man was apparently uninjured in the crash and was apprehended by police at the scene. He has since been booked into a county jail to await formal charges. However, it should be noted that at no time was it made clear in the report whether a Breathalyzer, blood test or roadside sobriety test was administered by police at the scene. This casts doubt on how police could have known the man was drunk at the time of the accident.

Washington authorities will carry the burden of proof in this case if they are seeking a conviction on the drunk driving charges they say are forthcoming. If police at the scene did not conduct the proper tests in a manner in accordance with the man’s rights, any evidence gathered at this time may be deemed inadmissible in court. Without compelling evidence of intoxication, the charges might be dismissed or not filed in the first place.

Source: Q13 FOX News, “3 injured in crash involving wrong-way driver fleeing police in SW Washington“, Aug. 23, 2015

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