A 45-year-old woman is facing drunk driving charges after allegedly plowing her vehicle into a police cruiser. The Tennessee resident has been charged with DUI after a recent early morning incident involving police who were taking a juvenile detainee to be treated for a medical condition. The woman was heading north when she tried to make a left turn, apparently without using her signal. The police cruiser was heading south when the woman slammed into the side of the police car.
The cruiser was pushed off the road and into a field. The juvenile passenger along with a deputy were taken to hospital and treated for injuries. The woman was also charged with failing to yield. One of the passengers in her vehicle — a male, age 57, was charged with DUI by consent.
Tennessee residents may be charged with DUI by consent if they are the owner of a vehicle and they knowingly let a third party drive the vehicle when they know the person is intoxicated. Usually, that person is also in the vehicle, as in this case. Many Tennessee residents are unaware of this law.
Getting charged with a DUI has potential serious consequences if the person is found guilty. Not only might a person’s reputation be at stake, but a conviction could spell jail time and hefty fines, not to mention losing a licence, vehicle insurance rate hikes, impair the chances of getting gainful employment or even jeopardize relationships with loved ones. These possibilities stress the importance of obtaining the advice of an experienced Tennessee lawyer who may be able to help his or her client aggressively fight the charges.
Source: wjhl.com, “THP: Telford woman charged with DUI after hitting deputy’s cruiser“, May 17, 2018
