Missouri residents may be surprised to learn that a 48-year-old wheelchair-bound man was cited for DUI at a Georgia grocery store. Authorities were reportedly called to the scene to find the man backing his motorized wheelchair into the store walls and driving over merchandise.
The man submitted to a breath test. He was then cited for public drunkenness and driving under the influence. He reportedly told the responding authorities that he had drunk about a pint of alcohol and had taken anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medications.
People can potentially face impaired driving charges if they are operating any sort of vehicle. This means that a person who is operating any type of vehicle that has an engine, including a motorized wheelchair, can be charged if enough alcohol is found in their system. However, a criminal law attorney could potentially create a strong defense for those who are facing their first DWI charge or if they are facing serious consequences due to having prior drunk driving convictions. These consequences could include a jail sentence, fines and community service requirements.
If this is the accused person’s first DWI charge, the attorney can potentially negotiate with the court to prevent the person from losing their driving privileges, allowing them to be able to get to work, and from potentially going to prison. In some cases, the person may have the opportunity to attend alcohol rehabilitation classes. If the person has prior convictions on their record, the attorney may argue that they require treatment at a rehabilitation or addiction center. The attorney can also seek to have the case dismissed if there is evidence that any field sobriety tests that were given were not properly conducted or if any of the evidence was tampered with.
Source: FOX News, “Georgia man cited for wheelchair DUI”, Oct. 21, 2015
