Oklahoma police say that a suspected drunk driver may have reached speeds of over 100 mph during a road rage incident on May 10. The Broken Arrow resident was taken into custody and charged with DUI and child endangerment after he allegedly ran as many as 13 cars off of the road while driving with his wife and 15-year-old son in the vehicle.
Police responded when they received a call from a motorist claiming that they had observed a driver mount the curb and strike another vehicle. The witness said that the driver then ran several vehicles off the road while traveling at extremely high speeds between Vian and Broken Arrow. When officers arrived, they say that the man had exited his vehicle and seemed incoherent and unsteady on his feet.
Officers say that the man told them his wife had been behind the wheel, but the woman subsequently denied this. She told officers that the man had ignored her repeated requests to reduce his speed. The man's wife and son reportedly told the authorities that the driver had consumed several small bottles of schnapps and smoked either marijuana or synthetic cannabis before driving. Officers also claim that the man was uncooperative when asked to perform field sobriety tests.
Oklahoma motorists suspected of driving under the influence can face severe penalties when their actions result in property damage or injuries to others. However, proving DUI charges may not always be a straightforward matter for prosecutors. A criminal defense attorney may challenge the accuracy and impartiality of witness statements, and this is especially true when the statements are made by family members. The conduct of police officers could also be questioned, and the results of toxicology tests may be disputed.
Source: KTUL, "Drunk Vian Driver Goes on Road Rampage", Zak Patterson, May 11, 2014
