An 18-year-old Oklahoma man was taken into custody for driving under the influence of alcohol during the early morning hours of March 8 after he was involved in a single-vehicle accident in Enid. Breath tests conducted at the scene allegedly revealed the man’s blood alcohol concentration to be between .17 and .20. Drivers in Oklahoma are considered intoxicated with BACs of .08 or higher. The man was transported to the Garfield County Detention Facility and has been charged with DUI and destroying city property.
The accident took place at approximately 4:32 a.m. at the intersection of West Garriott Road and South Cleveland Street. The man is said to have told police that he lost control of his Ford pickup truck when he applied his brakes to stop at a red light. According to a police report, the man’s vehicle struck a curb and flipped onto its roof before coming to a rest. An eyewitness told responding police officers that the man appeared to be disoriented when she helped him out of the pickup truck.
Officers say that they asked the man to perform a series of standardized field sobriety exercises when they detected the odor of alcohol on his breath and noticed that his eyes were bloodshot and watery. Officers also say that the man’s speech was slurred. When questioned, the man allegedly told officers that he had not consumed any alcohol before driving. The destroying city property charge was added because the man’s vehicle damaged a utility pole.
Experienced criminal defense attorneys may advise individuals facing DUI charges to remain silent rather than making statements to police that could later be proved false. Lying to law enforcement is unlikely to discourage officers from making an arrest, and it could make negotiating favorable terms during plea negotiations more difficult.