Man Arrested for DUI After Crash Into Residence
Mohave County Sheriff’s deputies have made an arrest in connection with a crash into an Arizona home allegedly caused by a drunk driver, according to news reports. Deputies were called to the crash scene and found a Ford F350 truck crashed into the wall of a home with the male driver unconscious and a female passenger awake. Deputies removed the two from the vehicle due to a possible gas leak that could possibly have caused an explosion, as the truck struck a gas meter prior to hitting the home. Two residents, who were uninjured, were also removed from the home. Benjamin Hanson, 23, of Kingman, was transported to a local hospital where he was released after being treated for minor injuries. He was arrested for DUI with a blood alcohol concentration of more than .20 percent as well as criminal damage and endangerment. He will face four separate DUI counts: DUI, DUI with a BAC more than .08 percent, extreme DUI and super extreme DUI. Hanson was apparently traveling at a high rate of speed, according to witnesses, when the truck went airborne and struck the gas meter. The truck then knocked down a chain link fence as the vehicle entered the yard and struck the two trees before hitting the residence.
DUI and Property Damage
Most stories about DUIs deal with death and injury, but property damage is another significant issue tied to driving under the influence. DUIs cost taxpayers an estimated $51 billion in property damage, according to expert sources. This means that a driver who is operating a vehicle under the influence may be facing problems on two fronts: criminal charges for the DUI and a civil lawsuit to collect monetary damages for property damage in addition to injuries or deaths caused by DUI accidents. The likelihood of injury or damage may go up as the driver’s blood alcohol content goes higher. If a driver is arrested with a BAC of more than .20 percent in Arizona, he or she not only faces serious criminal charges when enhanced penalties but a higher probability of being involved in an accident that includes property damage or injury. For professional legal representation if you are charged with a DUI of any type, contact the Oswalt Law Group for more information about how to protect your rights and possibly avoid penalties.