On Sunday August 30th, just after 8p.m., a semi-truck driver was taken into custody after striking a power pole in Santa Rosa, California. According to the news, the driver caused two separate DUI accidents leading up to his arrest.
Officers had received reports that a semi-truck had slammed into a PG&E power pole before continuing to drive down the road. This triggered a power outage in the affected area. About half a mile from the downed power line, officers found the truck overturned and lying on its side. Apparently, the overturned truck had also released the large pipes it had been carrying, knocking onto the ground.
The second crash caused the driver of the semi-truck to be trapped in his vehicle, and fire personnel had to extricate him from the mess. Luckily, the driver came away from the accident with minimal injuries.
Authorities noted that the driver showed signs of intoxication and required him to undergo a sobriety test. The results revealed his blood-alcohol level to be over 0.08%, higher than the legal limit. Furthermore, the legal limit when operating a commercial vehicle is 0.04%. The driver was arrested for suspicion of a DUI shortly after. His identity remains unreleased and investigations are ongoing.
Commercial License Drivers and DUIs
People who hold a commercial driver’s license are held to a higher standard than regular license holders. They are subjected to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requirements that mandates that commercial drivers cannot use alcohol within four hours of operating a commercial vehicle. Potential court-ordered penalties for commercial drivers convicted of a first-time California DUI can include informal probation, up to one year in county jail, a fine and/or court-ordered California DUI school. If convicted twice, the commercial driver will lose their commercial license permanently.
Because commercial license drivers are faced with harsher penalties, they will need representation capable of navigating difficult cases as this. Here at the Law Offices of Taylor & Taylor, attorneys can ensure defendants will receive the best outcomes.
The post Truck Driver Arrested for DUI After Accident Causes Power Outage appeared first on Law Offices of Taylor and Taylor - DUI Central.