There’s driving under the influence, and then there’s compounding on making bad decision. A Kitsap County sheriff’s deputy in Washington arrested a man on suspicion of DUI after dashcam video showed him entering a roundabout the wrong way at night. He had almost hit another car while doing so. The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office said the deputy caught the driver on camera at the roundabout and pulled him over before anyone could get hurt.
The dashcam footage opens from the deputy’s patrol vehicle. A car enters the roundabout against the flow of traffic. It comes close to slamming into a vehicle before the deputy stops it. The video then cuts to body camera footage taken at the driver’s window, showcasing the driver who seems very embarrassed and remorseful for having what he thinks is an unlucky day.
The driver, described by the sheriff’s office as a 58-year-old Port Orchard man, offered a rueful line as the deputy approached. He told the deputy that the day “has got to be the unluckiest day I’ve ever had.” When the deputy asked why he had cut through the roundabout the way he did, the captions say the deputy noticed signs the man was intoxicated.
Deputies said there was an empty beer bottle in the car’s cup holder. The man failed field sobriety tests, and a breath test put his blood alcohol concentration over the legal limit, according to the sheriff’s office. He was booked on suspicion of DUI and of driving while his license was suspended or revoked. The allegations have not been tested in court.
What a DUI Charge Means in Washington
Washington’s legal blood alcohol limit at 0.08 for drivers 21 and older, and a first-offense DUI usually nets you a gross misdemeanor. You can get a maximum of 364 days in jail with that as well as a fine of up to $5,000, and the penalties climb steeply with prior offenses or a reading of 0.15 or higher. In other words, it’s not a good idea to catch this charge.
Washington’s Department of Licensing can suspend your driver’s license based on the arrest alone, separate from the criminal case, and there’s only a short window to challenge the suspension. Being arrested on suspicion of DUI is not the same as being convicted, and a prosecutor decides what charges to file after reviewing the case. In this man’s case, he could have just skipped the potential headache and stayed out of that car while impaired.
Our Take
I think it’s safe to say: Don’t drink and drive. That is really the only take here.
The suspect was possibly actively drinking while driving as well, and this showed just how impaired driving can get while under the influence. You may not think it’ll happen to you, but you can’t truly predict how you will drive once you are inebriated.
It’s always best to get a taxi or Lyft. Maybe even a Waymo, depending on where you live. You may not like ’em, but there’s nothing worse than drinking and driving.