A man has been accused of driving under the influence of alcohol after he allegedly crashed into two mailboxes before landing his car in a ditch. The Illinois man was injured on June 26 when his vehicle crashed. He has been cited for drunk driving among several other traffic-related offenses.
According to police reports, the man was driving down Illinois 142 while texting on his phone when he lost control of his vehicle. The car crossed into the oncoming lane before leaving the road and striking two mailboxes. The car then ran into a ditch. The driver was injured in the crash.
The driver allegedly admitted to police that he had been texting at the time of the crash. Police allege the man was also drinking at the time of the crash. He has therefore been cited with a drunk driving charge as well as illegal transportation of alcohol and improper lane changing. He was taken to the hospital following the crash, and there is no word as to whether or not he is currently in police custody. No court date has yet been set.
Texting while driving is never a good idea, but it pales in comparison to the drunk driving charge this driver faces. It will be up to the prosecution to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the driver was also intoxicated when the accident took place. Defense representation might benefit from reviewing the arrest log to ensure the driver’s rights were respected during the arrest process, and that he was granted a proper roadside sobriety test to confirm or deny the intoxication charge.
Source: courierpress.com, “Illinois driver charged with drinking and texting while driving,” June 27, 2013