According to police, an allegedly intoxicated driver crashed into a Taco Bell restaurant three different times. Police claim that they needed to use a drawn weapon in order to persuade the 19-year-old driver to stop. Police allege that the Georgia man was drinking and because he is under the legal age limit to drink alcohol, he was arrested by and charged with underage DUI among other charges.
Police claim that it appeared like the man was trying to hit anything and everything that stood in the path of his vehicle. After veering off the road, he ran over a water meter box before crashing into the Taco Bell. He hit the restaurant’s glass wall, which was completely obliterated. A Sheriff’s deputy was present, who proceeded to draw his weapon and order the man to get out of his vehicle.
The man has been charged with alcohol possession by a minor, underage DUI, inappropriate lane change, hit and run, aggravated assault and criminal property damage. Allegedly, he had a blood alcohol level of 0.142 percent at the time of his arrest. However, the man claims that the numerous collisions were not his fault. He says he struck the restaurant and other objects because the gas pedal on his vehicle was stuck.
The young man’s claims may in fact be true. It is not unheard of for a driver to experience a vehicular malfunction that leads to an accident. It may be possible to show that his vehicle did malfunction, and thus get many of his charges dropped, and perhaps his underage DUI charge could be subject to challenge as well. Either way, without an intelligently planned legal defense, this Georgia man’s criminal charges are serious, and he could face stiff penalties or a jail sentence if a conviction is ultimately secured..
Source: consumerist.com, Drunk Driver Must Really Hate Taco Bell, Rams Truck Into Building 3 Times, Chris Morran, Oct. 8, 2013