Many drivers who suddenly find themselves in immediate danger of being arrested for driving under the influence of intoxicants worry about what comes next. That largely depends on the circumstances of the DUII incident, which can quickly spiral out of control if a driver panics and makes the situation worse.
Two Oregon women arrested in separate cases will soon learn the consequences of their actions, which involved major property damage. In one case, a Portland woman allegedly drove her pickup truck into an auto parts store last Monday, shattering the windows and damaging a wall. Employees of the shop reported that the pickup quickly backed up and sped away from the area right after the accident.
Deputies soon located the truck and pulled it over safely. After questioning the 21-year-old driver and administering a field sobriety test, deputies arrested the woman and booked her into the Washington County Jail with a blood alcohol level well over the legal limit, according to a Sheriff's Office spokesman. She's expected to be charged with DUII, hit-and-run, reckless driving and second-degree criminal mischief.
Just a few days before that incident, a 51-year-old woman from Bethany, Oregon, crashed her truck into a restaurant after hitting three parked cars, according to a Sheriff's Office sergeant. Deputies said the woman was in a parking lot across the street from the restaurant when she backed into one car, drove forward and hit two more. She then drove over a retaining wall, over the sidewalk and across the street, right into the bistro's front window, police said. Because the business was closed for the weekend no one was inside. She was quickly arrested on suspicion of DUII and taken to the Washington County Jail.
Assuming these are their first offenses, both women will be subject to the fines and other penalties of a first-time DUII if they're convicted. It's also likely they'll be held liable for the damage they caused to the buildings they crashed into. But because the younger woman fled, she faces an additional charge of hit-and-run, which could earn her more serious criminal penalties. No matter what amount of damage you cause in the event of a drunk driving incident, it's never a good idea to flee. By doing so you're only adding to your legal trouble and increasing your chances of being found guilty of severe charges.
Source: Beaverton Valley Times, "DUII crashes damage auto store, restaurant," May 31, 2012
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