At what point does an impaired driver learn his or her lesson? How many convictions and suspended licenses and stints in jail does it take for a repeat drunk driver to get the picture? How many car accidents and injuries are necessary to make a multiple offender wise up? We’ve seen a fair amount of stories of late about drunk drivers being charged for the second, third, even sixth time.
It begs the question: how many times is too many?
One Louisiana man still doesn’t have an answer. He’s facing his third charge for drunk driving after slamming into a school bus May 13 in Allen Parish. The school bus was stopped to let children out and was following proper procedure with stop signs out and warning lights on. Two children and the bus driver were injured. The children were transported to the hospital for their injuries.
Officers who were called to the scene believed the driver to be impaired by drugs. They called for an expert who agreed with their suspicions. The man refused to give a toxicology sample at the scene. A state judge then issued a no refusal warrant, which allowed officers to haul the driver to a medical facility to have a sample taken without his consent.
Investigators are awaiting the toxicology analysis and are still looking into the car crash. Meanwhile, the alleged impaired driver is being charged with illegal possession of Xanax, careless operation, failure to wear a seatbelt, DWI third offense and three counts of negligent injury.
This case is the perfect example of why victims of drunk drivers should exercise their rights and contact an attorney, who may be able to help them fight for compensation.
Source: ketknbc.com, “Louisiana man crashes into school bus, arrested for third DWI,” MIchael Wesp, May 14, 2014
