UPS Driver Charged with DUI After Multi-Vehicle Crash in O’Hara Township
DUI laws in Pennsylvania have been strict since drunk driving was first officially outlawed, and it seems like they are only getting tougher. You might think that drinking and driving is not a big deal, but sometimes just a small amount of alcohol can impair someone’s driving ability enough to cause a major accident. To be sure, serious crashes can be caused by those who have only had a small amount to drink, and if you are charged with causing one, you should hire a Pittsburgh DUI defense lawyer.
New Tougher Penalties for Repeat DUIs
On New Year’s Eve, Utah began enforcing a new law that states that any blood alcohol content (BAC) over 0.05% counts as DUI. While Pennsylvania still considers a BAC of 0.08% the threshold for DUI, it, too has made its DUI laws stricter. Until recently, all DUIs in Pennsylvania were treated as misdemeanors. According to the new law, though, a person’s third DUI in a ten-year period is a felony. Thus, Pennsylvania has become one of the states in which DUI can be a felony.
In the News
During Friday evening rush hour on January 4, a UPS truck caused a chain reaction multi-vehicle collision on Route 28 near O’Hara Township. News outlets did not report the number of vehicles damaged or the number of people injured or specifics about the severity of their injuries, but several people received treatment for injuries sustained in the accident. The driver, a 27-year-old man whose name police did not release to the media, was charged with DUI. A search of his car yielded an open container of an alcoholic beverage, as well as marijuana.
It is possible that the driver will also face criminal charges for marijuana possession. While Pennsylvania’s “compassionate use” laws make it legal for people with medical cannabis cards to possess small amounts of cannabis, people who do not have medical cannabis cards can still face charges for possession. It is not legal to drive under the influence of cannabis, even if you have a medical cannabis card.
Contact Gary E. Gerson About DUI Defense
Because of the new laws, it is possible to receive felony charges for DUI, even when you do not cause an accident. A DUI criminal defense lawyer can help. Contact the Law Offices of Gary E. Gerson in Pittsburgh about your DUI case.
Resources:
buzzfeednews.com/article/mbvd/utah-implementing-most-restrictive-dui-law
pennlive.com/daily-buzz/2019/01/ups-driver-packing-pot-alcohol-charged-with-dui-in-pa-crash-cops.html
pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2018/12/26/pa-tougher-dui-laws/
https://www.pittsburghdefenselawyers.com/arrested-for-drunk-driving-over-thanksgiving-break/
