Authorities allege that an Oklahoma woman was highly intoxicated when she crashed into two homes with her vehicle. The woman faces various charges, including DUI.
The accident happened at about 10:45 p.m. on Oct. 17 in midtown Tulsa. The 24-year-old woman was turning west off Harvard onto Florence Place at the time of the accident. Police say that she lost control of her vehicle during the turn and hit a curb, then drove across a lawn and struck the garage of one home before crashing into the side of the home next door.
Police said the accident left the car standing in the houses in such a way that it was not possible for the driver to open the door on her side of the car, so they assumed she crawled out of her passenger-side window after the crash. In addition, because the car was new and only the driver's airbag was deployed, police said they didn't think anyone else was in the vehicle.
Authorities said the accident caused extensive damage to both homes. For safety reasons, the Tulsa Fire Department cut off electrical service to one home and stabilized the other home before part of it collapsed. However, no one in either of the homes was injured. EMSA examined the driver at the scene before police took her to jail. Police booked her on complaints of DUI, driving without a license, no proof of insurance and driving with expired license plates. She was released on bail by lunchtime on Oct. 18.
Even a first-time conviction on a DUI charge is serious and can result in a jail sentence of up to one year, plus other penalties. A lawyer could examine the details of the arrest to see if there were problems with the procedures that might allow negotiating for dismissal or lesser charges.
Source: News 9, "Tulsa Police Arrest Driver On DUI Complaint After Her Car Hits Two Homes", Tony Russell, October 18, 2013
