At about 8:30 pm on Monday, August 8th, Michigan State Police officers from the White Pigeon Post in St. Joseph County, were called to the scene of an accident on M60. It resulted in a drunk driving arrest. Officers say that the driver who caused the collision was intoxicated and made a bad choice about how to deal with a missed turn.
The driver, a 38-year-old Three Rivers man, is said to have missed his turn while driving on M60. Instead of continuing on down the road and then turning around at the next available driveway or intersection, the driver decided to back up instead. He put his 1996 Ford F150 into reverse, checked the road behind him and reversed toward the road where he had planned to turn.
Unfortunately for him, the road wasn’t as clear as he had hoped for. Another driver was behind him that he hadn’t noticed, and while backing up, the allegedly intoxicated driver hit another vehicle. The vehicle he struck was a 2008 Chevy SUV driven by another resident of St. Joseph County, Michigan. According to police, the 30-year-old driver in the SUV saw the truck backing up towards him and tried to swerve out of the way, but was unable to make it in time.
Thankfully, no one was injured in the collision. The Ford truck driver was arrested at the scene and charged with felony Operating While Intoxicated 3rd offense. The driver, whose name has not been released pending his arraignment, is being held in the St. Joseph County Jail.
Under Michigan law, OWI third offense is a felony that can have serious administrative and criminal penalties. In addition to the possibility of the court requiring that you install an ignition interlock device, your driver’s license may be suspended for up to five years and your vehicle may be immobilized for up to three years. Criminal punishments could include a prison sentence of one to five years, fines of up to $5,000 and court-ordered community service for 60 to 180 days.
Operating while intoxicated, or any other drunk or drugged driving charge, will have a very serious impact on your future upon conviction. Loss of a driver’s license means that it will be that much harder for you to keep a job without reliable transportation. A felony on your record will make it that much harder for you to get a job to begin with. Long-standing community service commitments will make it more difficult for you to maintain a full time job and still have time for your family. And that’s after you get out of jail or prison.
The best way to avoid a drunk or drugged driving charge or conviction is to not drive while under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants. However, if you make a mistake, or misjudge your own sobriety, the next best option is to get an experienced and aggressive drunk driving defense attorney on your side. Which is exactly what we’re here for.
Our drunk driving defense team has handled hundred or perhaps thousands of drunk driving cases over the decades. They can be reach at 1 866-766-5245.
