24 Nov New York man charged with DWI after crashing into house
Police in New York say that a 30-year-old man was driving under the influence when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a residence on Nov. 21. In addition to drunk driving charges, the Scottsville resident is facing counts of leaving the scene of an accident, driving without a valid driver’s license and contempt.
According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to a residence on Main Street in Scottsville after reports were received that an SUV had crashed. Deputies arrived to find the vehicle had been driven into the home’s front porch, but they found no trace of the driver.
Deputies then called in a K9 unit and accessed vehicle records to try to identify who had been behind the wheel. They subsequently discovered the man at the nearby residence of his girlfriend. The contempt charge was added after it was discovered that there was an order of protection in place preventing the man from seeing his girlfriend. It was not reported if there was anyone in the house at the time of the crash.
The penalties for drunk driving in New York can increase substantially when an accident causes injury or damage, and even first time offenders may receive a harsh sentence. However, proving such charges may be challenging for prosecutors in certain situations. A criminal defense attorney could closely scrutinize the maintenance records of the alcohol testing equipment used as well as examine if law enforcement officers followed required testing protocols. An attorney could also help negotiate a less severe sentence in exchange for a guilty plea.
Source: rochesterhomepage.net, “Scottsville man charged with DWI after crashing into house“, November 22, 2014