One man in Colorado was recently charged with driving under the influence. The DUI charges were filed in connection with a two-vehicle crash. The collision took place on a Wednesday night.
Police said a man blew through a stop sign and struck an ambulance, causing the ambulance to spin counter-clockwise and then flip on its side. It occurred at an intersection. Authorities said the ambulance had both its siren and lights activated when the man’s vehicle struck it.
There was no patient inside the ambulance at the time of the accident. The person driving the vehicle and two employees in the ambulance suffered injuries and were taken to the hospital, where they received treatment and were then released. The man was arrested on suspicion for driving under the influence and faces other traffic-related charges.
The prosecution is responsible for proving DUI charges beyond a reasonable doubt; otherwise, a criminal conviction cannot be secured. Those facing DUI charges have the right to go to trial to fight these criminal charges, or they may accept a plea deal, if offered. The benefit of plea bargaining is that it may lead to lesser charges and/or a lighter sentence for the accused party than would have been received following a guilty verdict at trial. Because of the potentially severe consequences a conviction could bring, a careful review of the evidence that the prosecution intends to present to support the charges is typically the focal point for defense counsel in this type of criminal case in Colorado.
Source: thedenverchannel.com, “Suspected DUI driver hit ambulance, flipped it“, Deb Stanley, Jan. 21, 2016