Police in Warren County arrested a driver for a traffic violation only to find that he was intoxicated and pantless as well. Police performed a routine traffic stop on Charles Street at approximately 3:20 a.m. on Jan. 31. The officer was speaking to the driver and noticed the smell of alcohol coming from inside the vehicle.
According to the officer, the 22-year-old driver was not wearing pants or shoes at the time. He also allegedly had a bag of red wine sitting at his feet inside the vehicle. According to the officer, there were ‘shopping bags full” of Twisted Tea cans and wine boxes that were empty. The driver faces charges of reckless driving, consumption of alcohol in a vehicle and driving while intoxicated.
The driver is from Independence Township and he has been released from police custody until his appearance in court. It is not clear if tests to determine intoxication were performed at the scene of the accident, or whether there were any passengers in the vehicle at the time of the traffic stop. It is also unclear what infraction the driver was originally pulled over for.
When a driver is charged with DWI, there are a few defense strategies that may be available, including the validity of the stop. DWI first offense cases may be dealt with more leniently in court, and a lawyer can in some cases negotiate for reduced charges or a lesser penalty. If the defendant’s rights were violated in the process of a traffic stop, it may be possible to have a case dismissed.
