Driver Suspected of DUI After Crashing Into Building

On Saturday morning, around 10:00 a.m., a Chevy Tahoe crashed into an office building, injuring four people, one critically.  The driver is suspected of DUI, but at this time there is no conclusive evidence of alcohol or drug use.  The driver was speeding, driving the wrong way on Colorado Boulevard.  The driver made no attempt to correct the car before crashing into the optical store.

The store owner was critically injured and two others were injured, but the injuries were not life-threatening.  The driver, a male in his 20’s, was taken to the hospital.  He also had injuries.  The car was left on scene due to serious structural damage to the building.  Denver police say they plan to charge the driver next week.

Depending on the severity of the injuries to both the driver and the victims, the police may have been able to require the driver to provide a sample of his blood to test for alcohol and drugs.  If any of the victims suffered serious bodily injury, such as a broken bone, the driver will likely be charged with vehicular assault.  Even if the driver was not DUI, he could still be charged with vehicular assault if police believe his driving was reckless.  Police could decide that speeding and driving the wrong way was reckless.

Because police suspect drug use, a blood sample should have been the only option for testing.  Drugs will not show up in a breath test.  It will likely take a few weeks before the police have the test results, but this delay does not prevent the prosecution from charging the driver with a DUI so long as there was other evidence to support their decision.

Source:  https://m.9news.com/localnews/article?a=12569309&f=1269