News sources say that a home in Wisconsin has been so badly damaged by an alleged drunk driver that it is unlikely that anyone will be able to live there again for some time. On Oct.17, a man with six previous intoxicated driving offenses drove a truck into the front of a home in New Berlin. The home was occupied at the time of the accident; however, no one appears to have been injured in the incident.
According to police, a 44-year-old man was behind the wheel of the vehicle that ended up in the living room of the home in the 20500 block of National Avenue. Sources report that the truck came to rest within feet of a recliner that the owner of the home was using at the time. The homeowner compared the force of the impact to the feeling of a bomb detonating, saying that glass went everywhere. Media sources indicate that the driver was apparently unhurt in the incident, giving the homeowner a “thumbs up” from the cab of the truck when the homeowner went to check on him after the collision.
Police arrived shortly after the crash, and the driver was taken into custody. He is facing a charge of operating while intoxicated. The gaping hole left in the front of the home has now been temporarily secured with plywood.
Although the circumstances surrounding some OWI cases may seem to indicate a likely conviction, Wisconsin residents facing drunk driving charges may successfully challenge the evidence in some cases. A DUI defense attorney may examine the prosecution’s case and identify problems with the way the evidence was collected. The attorney could also negotiate for clients outside of the courtroom, which might lead to a reduction of the charges in some instances.
Source: WTMJ, “Drunk driver destroys home in New Berlin”, Shannon Sims, October 18, 2013
