Early this morning, a drunk
driver crashed into two power poles on Graham Park Road in Dumfries,
Virginia. Thousands of residents in the area
are without power because of the crash and Dominion Virginia Power crews will
need to replace the poles in order to restore power. Dominion Power officials estimate that power
should be restored by 7pm tonight.
In
addition to homes and businesses in the area being without power, traffic
lights could be affected as well.
Drivers in the area should be prepared to treat powerless intersections
as 4-way stops to avoid accidents.
Further, Prince William County Police warn drivers to avoid the area
this morning because Graham Park Road between Olde Port Lane and Woodlawn Drive
will be closed for a few hours because the damaged poles are blocking the
roadways.
Although
no one was seriously injured in this crash, it still warrants a reminder to
Northern Virginia drivers to never drive under the influence of alcohol. Police charged the driver in this accident
with drunken driving. Drivers are
constantly reminded and warned about the consequences of driving drunk, yet
people still commit the offense on a daily basis.
In
Virginia, the consequences of being charged with a DUI (blood alcohol concentration
of 0.08 or more) are severe and can negatively impact you for the rest of your
life. Virginia’s penalties for a
first-time DUI are among the most severe in the country. It is required
that for a first offense, regardless of
the blood alcohol concentration (BAC), an interlock device must be
installed for a minimum of six months to allow the driver to resume full or
conditional driving privileges. This is
a change in Virginia law that took effect July 1, 2013, where previously it was
in the court’s discretion to require an interlock device to be installed unless
the BAC level was over 0.15. If you have
been arrested for a DUI/DWI it is important that you consult an experienced
Virginia DUI attorney immediately because DUI is a criminal offense and carries
potentially severe penalties. An
experienced attorney can guide you through the court process and find any
possible defenses that can either mitigate the penalties in the case, or in
some instances, lead to an acquittal or dismissal.
If you or a family
member has been charged with DUI in Virginia and would like a free legal
consultation or if you would like more information on DUI or
DWI please feel free to contact our office at (703) 916-1227 to schedule
an appointment at one of our many offices located throughout Northern Virginia
or visit us on the web at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Criminal-Defense/DWI-DUI/
