A Lowell man was arrested this past weekend for Massachusetts Drunk Driving Charges after he allegedly drove his car into a Massachusetts State Police vehicle.
The defendant, Justin Castanza, is alleged to have collided with the state police cruiser while the trooper passed through intersection on his way to respond to another incident. The vehicle drive by the defendant allegedly passed through a red light.
The defendant was ultimately arrested for Operating Under the Influence of Alcohol.
OUI / DUI cases involving allegations that the motorist passed through a red light or even got into an accident are not necessarily fatal or defenseless. In the large majority of drunk driving cases, the question of whether the operating was impaired due to alcohol consumption will turn to the question of other indicia of impairment, such as field sobriety tests, breathalyzers, open containers, and other evidence of alcohol impairment (unsteady on his feet; odor of alcohol; failure to maintain proper balance, etc).
Though prosecutors will focus their case on traffic infractions and whether there was an accident to establish a causal connection with impairment, there could be very well be other defenses. For instance, a driver who runs a red light and/or is involved in an accident could have been distracted by a number of things: the cell phone or texting; fatigue; or perhaps a medical condition.
Not every single DUI / OUI case is worthy of trial, but the vast majority of them arguably are. Particularly given the extreme and collateral consequences one may face with a drunk driving conviction, it is important that a person charged with a Massachusetts OUI / DUI consults with an experienced attorney who is able to evaluate the totality of circumstances in an effort to undermine the strength of the prosecutions case and establish any viable defenses you may have.
Boston OUI / DUI Lawyer Lefteris K. Travayiakis has experience in successfully defending Massachusetts Drunk Driving Charges and is available 24/7 for consultation.
To schedule a Free Consultation, Click Here to Contact a Massachusetts DUI / OUI Lawyer or call 617-325-9500.