St. Louis Man Faces a Felony Charge for DUI Accident
On behalf of Brown & Crouppen, P.C. posted in Motor Vehicle Accident on Friday, October 5, 2012
Although a man had a minor accident and the collision caused few injuries to the driver of another vehicle and her acquaintance in a parking lot, the man is facing a felony charge for driving under the influence of alcohol. He also faces lesser charges of leaving the scene of an accident with injury, leaving the scene of a property damage accident and operating an uninsured motor vehicle. The man was driving with a revoked license when the drunk driving accident occurred. His license had been revoked for a prior DUI conviction. Therefore, the man’s latest DUI charge was upgraded to a felony charge against him.
The man was leaving a bar in the St. Louis metro area. When he attempted to back out of a parking space, he hit another vehicle with his car. The owner of the struck vehicle tried to make contact with the man, and her acquaintance tried to speak with him, but the man tried to flee the scene and hit the female acquaintance while doing so. Later, deputies found the man sleeping in his vehicle at a nearby business. The deputies ascertained that the man was under the influence of alcohol, and requested that he submit to a field sobriety test and a breathalyzer test, but the man refused.
Fortunately the victims in this case do not appear to have any significant or long-lasting injuries. The woman who was struck by the man’s vehicle suffered from abrasions but denied any medical treatment. However, sometimes signs of injuries take time to develop, so it is hoped that this woman and the driver of the vehicle do get thorough medical exams. The women may need to file personal injury lawsuits to address any compensation they are entitled to from the man.
Source: Belleville News-Democrat, “Suspected drunken driver hits car, person before passing out behind wheel,” Scott Wuerz, Oct. 2, 2012