In what some Pennsylvania readers may find to be an interesting twist of fate, a Liquor Control Enforcement officer was accused of driving under the influence after a single-car crash in January. He now faces a DUI charge and a charge of careless driving. A formal arraignment is currently scheduled for April 10.

Police responded to the crash and discovered that the driver suffered a head injury. He was transported to an area hospital to be treated for his injuries. At the same time, testing was done to determine whether he was impaired when his vehicle left the road, hit a utility pole and then slammed head-on into a tree.

The test results indicated that his blood alcohol level was .278 percent. This is more than three times the legal limit in Pennsylvania of .08. Reportedly, the officer was placed on restricted duty after being released from the hospital.

Before the criminal case against him progresses further, he would most likely benefit from having his criminal defense team review all of the evidence Pennsylvania prosecutors intend to present to the court. Further, his interactions with police, sample collection and testing procedures need to be examined to identify any procedural mistakes and prepare applications for legal relief from the criminal court. A focused defense strategy will be necessary to combat the DUI charge and the careless driving charge. Prosecutors are required to meet a stringent  measure of proof characterized as beyond a reasonable doubt. If they are not able to overcome the presumption of innocence, the charges cannot stand.

Source: pennlive.com, “Pa. liquor control cop charged with DUI; blood alcohol 3 times limit in crash“, John Luciew, Feb. 18, 2015