Importance of a Good DWI/DUI Lawyer

In a defense strategy that is sure to inspire many others who are accused of a DUI, a Jackson man was recently found not guilty of driving under the influence after claiming that he drank brandy in his vehicle to stay warm following a car crash. The man claims that he was not intoxicated when his vehicle slid off the road, but began drinking upon the realization that he may be stuck in the snow for several hours. A jury agreed and acquitted him of the crime.

According to defendant Thomas Drummond, he had been out with friends in Cape Girardeau before heading for home in the early morning hours of February 6, 2010. The weather was bad, so Drummond decided to take a different way home than his usual route. He missed a turn, attempted to turn around, and slid off the icy road into a culvert. In court, Drummond’s girlfriend testified that the stranded driver had texted her at approximately 2 a.m., stating that he was stuck in a ditch in the country and that his cell phone battery was dying.

Approximately two hours later, emergency and law enforcement personnel arrived on the scene, finding the car stuck in a deep culvert with the engine running. Drummond was unresponsive. Police attempted to administer field sobriety tests, and eventually gave Drummond a breath test. His blood alcohol content was found to be 0.148, and he was arrested for drunk driving.In his one-day trial held last month, Drummond maintained that he had been sober at the time of the crash, but began drinking to stay warm while he waited for police to arrive. According to Riverside car accident lawyer Stephen Wilson, Drummond made a sensible choice. “It was 32 degrees or colder out and he had brandy in the car,” he said, “so he kept warm.” A good DWI defense lawyer can make a world of difference.