With the holiday season in midswing people are likely to be heading to parties and other festivities that may include drinking. People may not realize that they have had one too many drinks before getting out onto Oregon roadways. In these situations, people can easily end up with drunk driving charges if they are stopped by police.
Charges of driving under the influence are also likely if a person causes an accident after driving with a blood alcohol content level of .08 or higher. In these situations, charges can be increased to felony drunk driving or include intoxicated manslaughter, depending on the damage caused in the accident.
According to police, on Nov. 18, an accident at the intersection of Chemawa and Portland roads just north of Salen happened after one driver had too much to drink. Reports say that the 63-year-old Woodburn man was driving north on Portland Road. As the man approached the intersection with Chemawa Road his SUV inadvertently drifted into the left turn lane. In doing so, police claim, the man hit a Dodge pickup truck that was going to turn left. Police allege that the force of the impact between the man's SUV and the pickup truck caused the truck to move into Portland Road's southbound lane and hit a smaller car.
The SUV driver and his passenger were injured in the impact; however, no one else was hurt. After the accident, the man was charged with DUI, recklessly endangering another person, fourth-degree assault and reckless driving.
This man will now want to prepare a defense against the charges. DUI charges can have serious repercussions, including the loss of one's driver's license, especially if it is not a first offense.
Source: Statesman Journal, "Woodburn man charged after Portland Road crash," Nov. 18, 2012
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