Drinking and driving seldom has positive consequences, but after a few drinks at the bar, one does not expect to end up in another’s home, while still in the car. But, this is allegedly what happened to a local man Saturday.
The Westwood neighborhood in west Denver, Colorado, was the site of the accident. According to the police, they arrived to the crash shortly before 1:30 a.m. The vehicle was inside the house, pinning a woman inside. Police were able to release the woman, and she was taken to an area hospital. This is when the police claim that they found the driver, still in the vehicle, smelling of alcohol. The police reported that the driver’s speech was slurred and his eyes were watery and bloodshot.
The Denver Police Department, however, did not do a field sobriety test on him. Instead, they took the driver to Denver Health for a blood draw. The driver was then arrested for DUI and vehicular assault, but he has since been released from jail and is due in court Wednesday.
While the police paint an incriminating picture, our system of justice grants everyone innocence until the state can prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. And, this is where a criminal defense attorney becomes important.
For example, in this case, if the blood draw does not come back with a BAC above 0.08, then it will be very hard for the state to prove their case. Even if it does come back above that limit though, after an investigation, there may be mitigating circumstances or defenses available. This is why crafting a defense strategy immediately is key as proving one’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt is an extremely high bar.