Man Arrested for DUI Tells Police He Has Coronavirus
Among the things that you should never do, even if you are drunk, is tell police officers that you have an infectious disease that is currently responsible for an unprecedented economic shutdown across the country and the world. Why? Because police are compelled to take that literally and to take it as a threat. One Orlando motorist is going to have to learn this the hard way after he was pulled over for DUI.
Thirty-year-old Austin Davis was pulled over by police after someone called in a man who was asleep in his car. When police pulled Davis over, they said he smelled of alcohol, but Davis refused to take a blood test. Davis was later taken to the station where he told police that he had “changed his mind” and wanted to have a blood test done at the hospital. Police informed Davis that this was impossible, but afterward Davis told them that he thought he had COVID-19. Police asked him to confirm what he had just said, but Davis was reluctant. The police were forced to shut down the station temporarily. Davis was charged with DUI and violation of the stay-at-home order.
Defendant Remains Lucky He Isn’t Facing More Severe Charges
This particular defendant is very lucky that the police did not also charge him with making a terrorist threat. This would not be unprecedented in the age of COVID-19. Many individuals who claimed that they had the virus in public have been charged with making terrorist threats around the country. This included one man who appeared in a social media video to be licking deodorant and another woman who allegedly said that she had the virus and then proceeded to cough on food resulting in $30,000 worth of food needing to be thrown away.
Instead, the defendant will face two charges. One charge is for driving under the influence of alcohol while the other charge is for violating the stay-at-home order placed into effect by the State of Florida.
The DUI charge will depend on whether or not Davis has any prior DUIs on his record, but is likely to be charged as a second-degree misdemeanor. Violating the stay-at-home order is also a second-degree misdemeanor.
Second-degree misdemeanors are punishable by up to six months in hail, so Davis is potentially facing a year behind bars for both crimes. Davis will also likely face a license suspension and minimum fines of $500 for each offense.
In a case like this, his attorney would attempt to determine what scientific evidence the state had at its disposal to convict the client. This can include blood tests, breath tests, and more. The police officer will likely testify that the defendant smelled of alcohol, which a jury is likely to believe.
Talk to an Orlando DUI Attorney Today
If you’ve been charged with DUI in the Orlando area, call the Florida DUI defense attorneys at FL DUI Group today and let us negotiate a reduced plea or get the charges against you dismissed. Call today to learn more.
Resource:
wesh.com/article/drums-dancers-livestream-as-coronavirus-moves-powwows-online/32104326
