A 68-year-old male motorist from Christiansburg, Virginia, is now facing two separate drunk driving charges for incidents that occurred just days apart. He was also charged with refusing to submit to a blood or breath test in one of the incidents.
Police claim that the motorist, who has worked as an attorney in the area for approximately 40 years, was involved in a 2-car crash at approximately 11 a.m. They stated in a criminal complaint that he was found unresponsive and slumped over the steering wheel of his car after the accident. One officer claimed to have found a bottle of vodka in the car. A witness said that he was driving erratically prior to the crash.
The man was taken to a medical facility for treatment of possible injuries. Police said that his blood alcohol content was 0.30 percent, almost four times the legal limit. Two days later, police said, they stopped the same driver, who was reported to again be impaired while driving. It was during this second incident that he allegedly refused to take a breath or blood test.
Drunk driving charges, particularly multiple accusations, can result in very serious consequences upon conviction, including incarceration, fines and temporary or long term loss of driving privileges. The role of a criminal defense attorney in such cases is to see to it that the rights of the accused are respected, and that the prosecution is required to attempt to present admissible evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. In instances in which a conviction does occur, a defense attorney can also play an important role in presenting the case for mitigating the punishment and having the court opt for alternatives to incarceration, such as probation, suspended sentences and alcohol treatment or counseling.
Source:
Roanoke.com, “Christiansburg lawyer faces DUI counts” Melissa Powell, Aug. 31, 2013
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