Few Utah residents know how they would react in an emergency situation. Where some people might be able to keep their wits about them and call for emergency services, others might react by attempting to get an injured person to medical help on their own. This is what one man was doing when he was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs.
The passenger in his vehicle had been involved in an ATV accident. Reports indicate that she suffered serious injuries in the crash, and the driver was attempting to get her to the hospital as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, he was pulled over by an officer with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office for reckless driving.
Authorities requested a medical helicopter to take the injured woman to Intermountain Medical Center for treatment of her injuries. Meanwhile, the man’s vehicle was searched. Officers allegedly found drug paraphernalia, methamphetamine and beer containers in the car that they claim were open. The man was taken into custody and transported to the local jail.
Since there was more than one person in the vehicle, it will be up to prosecutors to prove to the court that the items found in it actually belonged to the driver. Furthermore, they will have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he was driving under the influence of drugs. The man might not have made the best decision in attempting to drive his passenger to the hospital, but that does not mean that he is guilty of the charges he could face.
Source: kutv.com, “Man arrested for drug possession, possible DUI while driving woman to hospital“, Daryl Lindsey, June 19, 2016