May 6, 2013 | Car Accidents, Trucking/Tractor-Trailer Accidents, Uncategorized
A 57-year-old Richland County, South Carolina man has died from injuries after a collision with a
tractor-trailer. The man died around 1:20 p.m. after being brought to Palmetto Health Richland hospital after being injured in a wreck that occurred on Bluff Road around 11:50 a.m., according to the Highway Department.
The man was driving his truck west when he swerved to avoid traffic, crossed the center line where his vehicle ultimately struck in the right rear by a Kenworth tractor trailer. After the collision, the truck struck a ditch, and the driver, who was allegedly not wearing his seatbelt, was taken to the hospital. He died a few hours later.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, call the law offices of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP. You can contact our Baxter Village office in Fort Mill, South Carolina at 803-548-4444, or toll-free at 877-374-5999.
Mar 8, 2013 | DUI & DWI, Uncategorized
A Chester, SC man will likely be charged with driving under the influence after he drove his car into a pool last week. The 32-year-old driver was airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center with serious injuries after he was rescued from the pool by emergency workers.
The crash is currently under investigation as the police believe the man was under the influence. The man resided across the street from where the accident occurred.
If you or a loved one has been charged with DUI, or a related charge, call the law offices of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP. We have experienced attorneys who are ready to fight for you. Call our BaxterVillage office in Fort Mill, South Carolina at 803-548-4444, or toll free at 877-374-5999.
Nov 12, 2012 | Assault and Battery, Drug Crimes and Controlled Substances Defense, DUI & DWI, Uncategorized
A York County police report this weekend stated that a man kicked a York County Sheriff Deputy after he was a pulled over for driving under the influence of pills and alcohol. Thereafter, he attempted to flee from police.
The man was pulled over into the Food Lion parking lot near Lake Wylie. The police report states that the deputy attempted to stop the man, and a pursuit around the parking lot ensued. The man appeared intoxicated to police while he was racing the engine of his Ford Mustang.
When police attempted to tase the man, he ripped the taser leads from his body and began to run. The police then reportedly tackled him down an embankment. Then, according to police, the man struck a deputy by kicking him as the police attempted to tase the man a second time.
The man is being charged with DUI, possession of controlled substances, underage possession of alcohol and four counts of assaulting a police officer while resisting arrest, according to authorities.
The decision to consume alcohol can lead to implications that can last a lifetime. At the law offices of Reeves Aiken & Hightower, we understand the troubles associated with alcohol consumption, and we are here to ensure that you are represented by a firm that is willing to fight for you. If you or a loved one has been charged with a crime related to the intoxication of alcohol, or stemming from the intoxication from alcohol, we will do whatever is in our power to present mitigating circumstances to the court. If you are charged in York, Lancaster, Chester, Clover, Rock Hill, Fort Mill, or anywhere else in the region, call our Baxter Village office at 803-548-4444, or toll-free at 877-374-5999.
Jul 28, 2012 | DUI & DWI, Uncategorized
I came across this interesting but slightly disturbing article. I say slightly distrubing because, if it comes to production, this new technology would impose itself upon everyone who has to try and drive the vehicle. Additionally, the technology in its current form is not without flaws according to this article. It appears that some car companies are now experimenting with equipping all vehicles with a device that would require the driver to blow into it to test their BAC before allowing them to start the engine. This research is being funded by taxpayer dollars. In theory, it is supposed to work similarly to the ignition interlock system that is currently installed on the cars of those individuals convicted of DUI. The legal BAC limit in most states is .08%, however according to some sources, this device would not allow someone to drive their car if they register a BAC of .02%. Supposedly, the apparent reasoning is that a person’s BAC level rises over time. Thus, if set at .02%, then again in theory, a rising BAC level would still stop t a person from driving who might reach a BAC of .08% or higher over time. The problem with this “one solution for all” is that the technology does not always work as intended. And, we use our cars for all types of situations, including emergencies. There is no reasonable basis to punish us all for the sins of a few. Moreover, people always seem to find a way to “get around” these devices.
The attorneys of Reeves Aiken & Hightower LLP stand ready to work tirelessly for you if you have been charged with DUI or BUI in SC. We encourage you to visit our website at www.rjrlaw.com and compare our attorneys’ credentials to any other firm. You can then call us toll-free at 877-374-5999 or contact us by email for a private, confidential consultation to review your particular case.
Alcohol-sensing technology could become standard in all cars
By Larry Copeland, USA TODAY
The long-term transportation funding bill just approved by Congress includes funds for researching alcohol-detection technology that could eventually be standard equipment in all new cars.
That funding — $5 million over two years — should have been stripped from the bill because it “uses American taxpayer dollars to fund something they’re not going to want in their cars,” said a group representing the restaurant industry.
“Spending lots of taxpayer dollars to develop alcohol-sensing technology that can come as standard equipment in all cars is a misuse of these funds,” said Sarah Longwell, managing director of the American Beverage Institute (ABI).
Since 2008, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the nation’s automakers have been researching technology that can non-invasively measure a driver’s blood-alcohol content and prevent a vehicle from starting if the driver is legally drunk. The national research effort is the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS).
Longwell argues that such in-vehicle technology will mean the end of social drinking in the USA. “Our main complaint is that (the in-car systems) will not be set at .08%,” she said. That is the blood alcohol level deemed unlawful for drivers in all 50 states. “It will have to be set lower, because after five drinks, your BAC level is not .08 right away. It will increase, and cross the legal threshold while you’re driving. The vehicle can’t just shut down mid-trip. So, for legal and liability reasons, it will have to be set below .08. We believe they will set it around .02 or .03.”
DADSS spokesman Wade Newton denied that. “.08 is the legal limit,” he said. “That’s what the devices will be set at.”
Newton said researchers are “looking at whether technology exists” that could potentially shut a vehicle down or take some other action if a driver’s BAC rose above the legal limit while the vehicle was in motion. “We’re still looking at how to check for a situation where the driver starts exceeding the legal limit once the vehicle is in motion, and also what to do with the vehicle,” he said.
The DADSS researchers are testing approaches that:
•Use “tissue spectrometry” to measure a driver’s BAC. Sensors in places such as the steering wheel, gear shift and ignition read blood-alcohol levels through the driver’s fingertips.
•Use “distant spectrometry,” a breath-based method in which multiple sensors in the vehicle’s cabin assess the alcohol concentration in the driver’s exhaled breath.
Researchers expect to have a “drivable test vehicle” within about two years. “We think 8-10 years is the earliest a consumer would see this as an option in an auto,” Newton said.
Longwell of the ABI said the new technology will signal an end to Americans’ ability “to have a beer at a ballgame or a glass of wine with dinner.” Her organization also challenges the accuracy of in-vehicle alcohol detection devices, arguing that even if they were “reliable 99.99966% of the time, it would still mean over 4,000 misreadings per day.”
Mothers Against Drunk Driving, an advocate of in-vehicle alcohol detectors, said the research funds are well spent. “Drunken driving costs the U.S. $132 billion each year, and we think that $5 million … is a good use of transportation dollars to potentially eliminate the problem,” said J.T. Griffin, senior vice president for public policy.
- Source: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-06-29/alcohol-detection-technology-standard-cars/55927610/1
Jul 12, 2012 | DUI & DWI, Uncategorized
The number 0.08% is important in South Carolina DUI (driving under the influence) prosecution. That is true. However, the state of South Carolina can and will aggressively prosecute a DUI against an individual who had less than a 0.08% blood alcohol content (BAC).
The state will do this because DUI requires, not a 0.08% BAC, but
- presence of alcohol or other intoxicating substance in the body, and
- impairment of ability to drive safely.
If an individual is physically impaired at the time of arrest, as evidenced in the police car video, the audio recording, or the officer’s testimony, a jury can, and some juries will, convict individuals who blow far less than a 0.08%.
The SC DUI Attorneys of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower
No matter what your blood alcohol concentration was, if you have been charged with DUI, you need experienced DUI representation. At Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, you can trust that you will get the representation you deserve from attorneys with extensive DUI experience. When you need help, call us at 877-374-5999, or contact us at this link, for a free, private consultation.
