A 45-year-old man has been charged with driving while under the influence of drugs after he plowed his car into a 7-Eleven store in Oklahoma City Dec. 4. The incident occurred just after 6 p.m. at the corner of N.W. 122nd and Council.
Witnesses told authorities they heard the suspect rev the engine of his white Honda Accord just before the vehicle came crashing through the store's glass front doors. The car struck a female clerk and a pregnant customer as it barreled into the store. Both victims were taken to area hospitals and are expected to recover.
The Honda driver refused to get out of his car until the police arrived. Authorities said he failed field sobriety tests and smelled of alcohol. He allegedly admitted to an officer he was under the influence of OxyContin. He was detained and charged with DUI and license violations. In 2012, he was ticketed for public intoxication after he crashed his car at 122nd and MacArthur.
Penalties for a DUI conviction can vary depending on the details of an individual defendant's case and their prior criminal history. Defendants who have at least one prior DUI conviction will face harsher sanctions. In addition to jail time and fines, repeat offenders in Oklahoma can have their license suspended for six to 12 months. However, a criminal defense lawyer could help a defendant dispute some or all of the evidence gathered against them. Field sobriety and blood alcohol content tests are not always accurate, and the circumstances surrounding an alleged confession can be questioned. In certain circumstances, it may also be possible for a defense lawyer to negotiate with prosecutors for a reduction in charges or penalties.
Source: KOCO.com, "Police: 7-Eleven suspect had previous arrest for public intoxication", Kim Passoth, Dec. 5, 2014
