A car accident in Oregon will often lead to an investigation by police. They police will try to determine why the accident occurred. If they believe that alcohol was a factor in the incident, the driver or drivers could face criminal charges for driving under the influence.
Recently, a Portland man was charged with several criminal charges including DUI following an accident. According to reports, the 36-year-old man was accused of rear-ending a 67-year-old woman while driving on Interstate 5 near Cottage Grove around 12:30 a.m. while he was driving a 1999 Honda Civic. Police claim that following the initial impact, the Civic left the road, hit a sign and landed on its top.
Following the accident, both the man and the woman were injured and taken to local hospitals. Neither is suffering from life-threatening injuries.
In order for police to bring charges after accidents like this, police must have evidence of intoxication. This can include a person's behavior or demeanor, but it must also include evidence of a person's blood alcohol content level. This level can be obtained through a number of tests including a urine test, blood test or breath test. A field sobriety test might also be used. If these BAC level test show that a person's BAC level is higher than the legal limit, charges may be brought.
Because of the importance of these tests, those accused of DUI should make sure the tests were properly administered. Mistakes in the testing procedure can invalidate the results. Without the results, prosecutors may not have enough evidence to convict a person of drunk driving.
Source: The Oregonian, "Portland man accused of drunk driving, other charges after I-5 crash," John Killen, Aug. 29, 2014
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