By admin
A Pierce County, Washington woman registered a breathalyzer reading of 0.50 percent last month. Two hours after her arrest, Rebecca G. Lingbloom submitted to a blood alcohol test which showed she had a BAC more than six times the legal limit for DUI in Washington.
A state medical technician said such a BAC “would certain kill most people.”
Technicians are required to reanalyze a blood sample showing such a rare blood alcohol level.
Not surprisingly, Lingbloom was found passed out behind the wheel of her car after she had allegedly nearly hit a pedestrian. She was released on bail after enrolling in a six-month treatment program for alcohol abuse.
By Editor
PC World recently posted an article on Gadgets That Tackle Tough Problems on their website. The first device was a keychain breathalyzer.
OmegaPoint claims its BreathKey is accurate to +/- 0.01 percent BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) at a BAC of 0.08 percent. On their website they say law enforcement breathalyzers are accurate within 0.005 percent.
The BreathKey is Food and Drug Administration (FDA) certified, meaning it is “substantially equivalent” to other consumer breathalyzers on the market. OmegaPoint emphasizes that the BreathKey cannot be used as proof you’re below the legal BAC limit nor determine whether you’re safe to drive.
BreathKey is one of many keychain breathalyzers available. Other include AlcoHawk, Legal Limit, and Connectables. Prices on Amazon.com range from about $20 up to $70 and features vary.
While a keychain breathalyzer cannot be used in court, if used reasonably, it could help keep you out of trouble. Be aware that many states have lesser drinking and driving laws. For example, Colorado has laws against both DUI and Driving While Impaired (DWAI) . DWAI applies to any driver who is intoxicated, but below the per se limit of 0.08 percent.
By admin
Being convicted of DUI may now carry penalties that you would have never expected. If you’ve read the news lately, it seems like breath alcohol ignition interlock devices are all the rage in terms of fighting drunk driving.
For those unsure what this device does, an ignition interlock is installed in the vehicle of a DUI offender and requires a person to blow into a breathalyzer in order for the car to start. If any or a certain amount of alcohol is detected, the car will not start. With that said, three states currently have ignition interlock legislation waiting to be signed by their respective governors.
Illinois and South Carolina have recently “turned over” ignition interlock legislation to Governors Rod Blagojevich and Mark Sanford, respectively. The Illinois legislation would require people with a first DUI offense to install an ignition interlock if they wanted to drive to work while their driver’s licenses were suspended.
A Springfield Journal Register story added that this legislation would apply to anyone who is pulled over on suspicion of DUI and fails or refuses a breath test. It is unknown whether Blagojevich will sign this legislation, but he has a little less than 60 days to do so.
Hours before the legislature adjourned for 2007, the South Carolina General Assembly passed legislation that would require repeat DUI offenders to pay for the installation of ignition interlock devices in their vehicles.
South Carolina was thinking about requiring ignition interlock devices for first-time extreme DUI offenders (with a BAC of 0.15 percent or more), but that measure garnered too much opposition.
Underage drinking would also be especially targeted in this current proposal headed to Governor Sanford’s desk. Specifically, police would be allowed to find out who bought kegs at parties where minors were drinking while minors would be allowed to buy alcohol during police stings of bars and liquor stores.
In Oregon, a bill that would require offenders with a first DUI to install ignition interlock devices for at least a year after they resumed driving is sitting on the desk of Governor Ted Kulongoski. Oregon currently requires first-time offenders to use ignition interlocks for six months after regaining their driving privileges.
In addition to this legislation, Governor Janet Napolitano signed legislation on May 18th that will now require all Arizona DUI offenders in the state to install ignition interlock devices for at least one year. A similar law was enacted in New Mexico in 2005.
This prevalence on the use of ignition interlock devices is another example of how legislators are constantly looking for new means to curb DUI and how DUI penalties nowadays are getting much more creative and far-reaching as compared to years past.
By Editor
A Florida driver, pulled over for DUI, faces felony charges of bribery.
Mark L. Tearney offered two Brevard County Sheriff’s deputies $500 to take a breath test in his place. He has been charged with two counts of bribery, along with a misdemeanor DUI offense and a citation for speeding in an enhanced penalty zone.
The officers were watching for speeders in a construction zone when they clocked an SUV doing 106 mph.
Allegedly, during field sobriety tests, Tearney said, “I know this is a stupid question, but what if I gave you each $500 to take the test for me.”
Tearney has two previous DUI arrests.
By Editor
Arizona State Representative Tricia Groe was arrested for DUI last week.
State legislators are no longer immune from arrest and criminal charges for drinking and driving. Groe had been cited for DUI seven years ago in California. This latest DUI convinced her to enter a 30-day alcohol rehabilitation program.
The La Paz County Attorney plans to charge Groe with aggravated DUI, a felony. Conviction for a felony is cause for removal from the state legislature in Arizona.
Her prior conviction in California will make it more difficult for Groe to plead down to a misdemeanor.
Groe was pulled over for erratic driving. She attempted three different breathalyzer tests, registering a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.168, 0.158, and 0.148 percent. 0.160 percent is twice the legal limit for DUI in Arizona.
Groe told a deputy that she was “a functioning alcoholic.” She had been sober for many years, but had relapsed. Groe said she was thankful she didn’t injure or kill anyone.
