Many Salt Lake City residents are familiar with local news anchor Shauna Lake. As she drove Interstate 215 early one Wednesday morning, a trooper with the Utah Highway Patrol noticed a vehicle driving slower than the posted speed limit in the inside lane of the highway, which is often commonly referred to as the fast lane. The trooper initiated a traffic stop. After speaking with Lake, the trooper suspected her of driving under the influence of alcohol.
The trooper claimed to smell alcohol coming from the inside of the vehicle and that Lake’s eyes were supposedly bloodshot. The trooper also noticed a plastic cup and asked Lake what was in it. She told the trooper it was empty and passed it out the window. The trooper’s report indicates that the inside of the cup smelled of alcohol.
Lake told the trooper that she had a couple of sips from the cup, but someone else had consumed the rest. She submitted to field sobriety tests, which the trooper says she failed. She refused to submit to a breath test at the scene and at the Utah Highway Patrol Offices. However, she did agree to submit to a chemical blood test.
As would be the case for anyone in Lake’s position, her refusal to submit to chemical breath tests was within her rights, but it may come with consequences. Those consequences, along with any potential criminal penalties she could face in connection with being suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol, could affect her personal and professional lives. Under these circumstances, it is always advisable to consult with a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible after a DUI arrest to understand and determine the possible ramifications.
Source: good4utah.com, “Local news anchor arrested on suspicion of DUI“, May 11, 2017
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