What constitutes an extreme driving under the influence (DUI) violation? In some states it is if an accident occurs. In others someone may have been injured. In others it is the level of intoxication – usually double the legal limit of .08.
Should the punishment be harsher if there is extreme DUI? As reported in www.trutv.com.
Well it’s not the highest blood alcohol concentration (BAC) ever, that “distinction” may go to a Polish man who registered a BAC of 2.23, but that guy was dead from a drunk-driving accident. Elin Peterson was arrested on September 18, 2013, in Marion County Florida, was reportedly alive and had a BAC of .41, more than four times the legal limit.
Police found the 33-year-old intoxicated Peterson, with cans of beer in the car and a history of alcoholism. She was asked to perform a series of field-sobriety tests and each time she spoke, the odor of an intoxicating beverage became heavier. Then she blew a .41 and .402.
Just to put this into some kind of perspective, according to the BAC calculator at Progressive.com, a 160 pound woman would have to consume between 14 and 15 12-ounce beers in one hour to get a blood alcohol of .41. That’s one hell of a game of quarters.
Hopefully Peterson will see this as a wake-up call and seek counseling for her alcoholism. A comprehensive DUI and alcohol class is a place to start, but she must quit drinking ASAP.