When to Charge DUI

[Diamond Dave]

Question:

Single vehicle incident, vehilce driving over a large bridge. Vehicle crosses lane of travel and hits barrier. Vehicle drops 60 feet into water...

Heroic witness rescues driver from submerged vehicle.

Evidence (allegedly) suggests alcohol is involved. Other agencies are first responders.

Driver is a county employee of the county where the incident occurred.

Thoughts? :?:

not much info there skippy. What "evidence" are you talking about?

[Diamond Dave]

"skippy" is refering to the fact that the "driver" is alleged to have admitted to being intoxicated at the scene. Facts are sparse on this case due to political implications so I cannot answer your question accurately.

However, wouldn't it be prudent for an investigative officer to have obtained sworn statements from those that responded to this incident? First responders, etc.

I am no expert in this but wanted to stimulate some converse about it...

Can anyone put him behind the wheel? Do they have injuries that indicate they were the driver? Do they tell rescue/anyone not in a LEO Uniform on scene he was driving?

Find some way to put this case on the SAO's desk and make them decide to pursue. You don't want your name on the front page of the local paper saying "Trooper ______ lets county employee walk on DUI."

Seems like most SAO wont file unless the judge actually sees the defendant driving. Statements, evidence, and common sense aren't good enough. It happens all of the time on single vehicles in remote places......"I wasn't driving......the driver ran off into the woods. No, I don't know his name"

[Diamond Dave]

Great information, thanks. problem is there are rumors of WHY nothing happened that bear looking into.

No media about a truck flying off a major bridge for over two months, then, there it is, in an award ceremony, providing the hero kid that saved the guy with a certificate.

I realize that this does happen quite a bit, but this one is special.

Hey Diamond Dave off topic, but are u the "Diamond Dave" as in the boxer?

Hey Diamond Dave off topic, but are u the "Diamond Dave" as in the boxer?

Don't know.

"Diamond Dave" David Lee Roth perhaps?

Looks like a few posts were deleted from this thread.

FACT: Colonel Brierton has said in my presence that FHP will handle any incident or crime a trooper comes up on. So why was the post about Brierton deleted stating that FACT.