Just two days after being released from a detox facility, a Florida woman was taken into custody in Marco Island. The woman was charged with DUI and marijuana possession after she reportedly crashed her Mercedes into another vehicle.
The 19-year-old woman allegedly admitted to state troopers that she had been texting when she crashed her car and that she had been released from rehab just two days earlier. She and a passenger in her car were hospitalized for injuries that were not life-threatening. Two people in the Dodge Charger that was rear-ended were also taken to the hospital.
The driver of the Mercedes was reported to have bloodshot eyes at the hospital when troopers visited. They also said that she appeared to be confused and her speech was slurred. Upon being taken into custody, the woman reportedly gave the troopers a baggie of marijuana. In addition to the DUI and marijuana possession, she has been charged with five counts of DUI property damage.
If convicted of DUI, the woman would face penalties under Florida’s DUI laws for people younger than the age of 21. The legal blood alcohol concentration limit for adults of legal drinking age is .08 percent, but for those younger than 21, it is far lower. A first-time DUI conviction can result in a license suspension, fines, probation and up to six months in jail. Penalties become more severe with subsequent DUI convictions. However, the physical evidence of a breath test may not be accurate, which could result in an erroneous conviction. It may help a charged individual if the machine is examined to make sure that it was properly calibrated at the time of any alleged incident.
Source: NBC Miami, “Florida Woman Charged With DUI, Drug Possession Just Two Days Out of Rehab“, March 12, 2014