A Florida man was taken into custody on drunk driving charges during the early morning hours of Aug. 30 after he allegedly struck and damaged a sign that had been put into place to warn motorists about the dangers of getting behind the wheel after drinking. The 22-year-old North Port man has also been charged with damaging public property according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. The CCSO placed the sign during the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.
Driver allegedly did not know that he had crashed
The events took place on Tamiami Trail in Port Charlotte. The man is said to have told police that he spent the evening studying with a friend and was talking on his cellphone when his Mazda sedan struck the warning sign. Deputies who responded to the scene claim that the man had no idea that he had been involved in an accident. Deputies say that they asked the man to complete a series of field sobriety exercises after noticing signs of intoxication.
More than twice the legal limit
Deputies ordered the man to provide a breath sample after they determined that he had failed the field sobriety test. He was taken into custody after the breath test allegedly revealed that his blood alcohol concentration was more than double Florida’s .08 legal limit.
Remaining silent during police questioning
There is not much a motorist can say that will deter police officers from making a DUI arrest, but there are a great many things they could say that would make it more difficult for their attorneys to advocate effectively on their behalf at the negotiating table or in court. This is why experienced criminal defense attorneys would likely advise motorists who are suspected of driving under the influence to remain silent and ask for a lawyer.