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Accident with Portland police car leads to drunk driving charges

People who may have made the mistake of driving after having too much to drink generally want to avoid the police. If a police officer spots a potential drunk driver, the person can face serious penalties. However, if an accident -- or some other incident -- occurs and police are notified, charges will generally follow.

For one 26-year-old Portland woman, police were immediately on the scene of the accident she supposedly caused -- since she is accused of hitting a parked police cruiser.

According to authorities, the woman was driving at around 12:42 a.m. near the intersection of Haig Street and 170th Avenue in Portland. Police say, that a police car was stopped in the area and the officer was out of the car and talking to another person. While the police car was stopped, the woman passed the cruiser and, officers claim, she sideswiped it. Following the collision, the woman continued to drive for but eventually stopped.

Despite the fact that no one was injured in the accident, the woman was still arrested and sent to Multnomah County Jail. She was charged with reckless driving and DUII. She has since been released from jail.

Criminal proceedings are likely to follow once a person has been charged with DUII or other drunk driving charges. However, the accused should understand that even following a traffic accident, people will have the opportunity to defend themselves against the charges.

In these cases, it won't be enough for the prosecutors to just show that an accident occurred. Instead, prosecutors will have to prove that a person's blood alcohol content level was above the legal limit at the time of the accident. This evidence can be challenged by the accused and lead to a more positive outcome.

Source: The Oregonian, "Portland police identify suspected drunken driver who struck cop car," Yuxing Zheng, Dec. 7, 2013

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