Idaho Senator Michael Crapo was arrested in Alexandria, Virginia for suspicion of driving under the influence on December 23, 2012. Senator Crapo was released from police custody after posting a $1,000 bail bond. His court date is scheduled for January 4, 2013.
Senator Crapo was stopped by the police after running a red light, according to a spokesperson from the Alexandria Police Department. The police officer smelled alcohol on Crapo’s breath, according to court documents. The police officer also noticed that Crapo was slurring his speech and had bloodshot eyes. The Senator informed the police officer that he drank several shots of vodka a few hours prior to driving his SUV.
Initially, the Idaho Senator took several field sobriety tests and then agreed to take a breath test. The legal blood alcohol limit in Virginia is .08, but Crapo’s blood alcohol content measured at .11. When another breath test was administered at the jail, Crapo’s blood alcohol level was .14. The Senator was charged with a misdemeanor DUI charge. The police reported that there were no injuries or accidents involved.
Crapo issued a public statement apologizing for the actions that led to the DUI arrest. He stated that he accepts responsibility for the events that transpired and will accept the consequences of his actions. The Senator said he will undertake the necessary steps to ensure this type of incident doesn’t happen again in the future. Crapo won’t contest the charges during his next court appearance.
The state of Virginia is known for having some of the harshest DUI punishments in the country. A blood alcohol level above the legal limit of .08 will result in an automatic 7-day suspension of your driver’s license. For a first-time DUI conviction, Senator Crapo is potentially facing a minimum $250 fine and a one-year license suspension.
It is highly advisable to consult with a Virginia DUI lawyer prior to admitting guilt to law enforcement or discussing the details of the case with anyone else. A Virginia DUI lawyer will explain all of your legal options and determine the best defensive strategy for your case. Depending on the facts and circumstances of your case, it is possible that the DUI lawyer can either get the criminal charges reduced or dropped. Visit our Virginia DUI lawyers website if you want to learn more.
People often mistakenly believe that breathalyzers are 100% accurate, but as demonstrated by the discrepancy with Crapo’s blood alcohol results, this is not the case. There are a number of factors that affect the blood alcohol content measured by a breathalyzer. A person’s height, weight, medical conditions, metabolism as well as the consumption of certain types of medications and foods can cause a breathalyzer to inaccurately measure an excessively high blood alcohol content. There are also instances when the breathalyzer is defective or the breath test is not administered properly by the police officer.
Was there a justifiable reason for the traffic stop? If the police officer didn’t have a valid reason for pulling the driver over, the DUI lawyer can request the court throw out the evidence gathered from the traffic stop. When the prosecutor doesn’t have sufficient evidence to pursue the charges, the case will likely be dropped.
If you have been charged with DUI in Maryland, contact a Maryland DUI lawyer. Schedule a consultation to discuss your case. Due to the complexity of the DUI laws and the severity of the criminal punishments, having an attorney represent you will significantly increase the chances of reaching a favorable outcome in the case.
I would like to recognize Tampa Lawyer Stephen Higgins for his assistance with this post.
