Probable cause is required for law enforcement authorities to pull over motorists and ask for things like breath tests, and a vehicle driving erratically might give an officer enough reason to suspect intoxication. A Rochelle Park man learned the hard way that other things can also give the authorities probable cause after he was found on Jan. 11 stuck under his own 1998 Jeep.
The 58-year-old man was reportedly found in his driveway with his right leg trapped under one of the Jeep’s tires, and a 911 call around 8 p.m. alerted the police to the man’s predicament. It seems that the man wanted to clear an object blocking his path when he lost his balance and fell while the vehicle was in reverse, and the police and EMS freed the man and secured the vehicle.
An officer said that the man smelled like alcohol, and he was detained by police after field sobriety testing. He was charged with careless driving and driving under the influence. The man did suffer injuries to his leg that he refused medical treatment for, and he was released into a family member’s care.
Drunk driving is one cause investigators might suspect when an accident involving a single vehicle occurs, and this also may be an avenue officers pursue when serious crashes happen. A relatively minor incident could involve misdemeanor charges while a severe wreck resulting in injuries to others could involve felony charges and result in large fines, incarceration or a license suspension.
When accused of DWI charges, one may wish to seek legal counsel to attempt to obtain the best results. Depending on the situation, several methods for proceeding may be applicable. An attorney might advise fighting the charges while plea bargaining is another option that could lessen the severity of charges or get some charges dropped.
