A 23-year-old man was arrested following a car crash that left some 100 residents of Lexington without power. Kentucky police apprehended the man, who is believed to have been drunk behind the wheel, around 1:30 the morning of Aug. 4. He is now charged with DUI, though it is unclear whether he is still in police custody at this time.
According to the report, the man apparently struck an electric pole with his vehicle, causing damage to both the vehicle and the pole. His car caught fire and the pole was badly damaged. This caused a power outage in the area, affecting roughly 100 homes according to the Kentucky Utilities power outage map.
Police say they are not certain how much the man allegedly had to drink, and no mention was made in the report of any roadside sobriety testing. The man was uninjured in the crash, and so a hospital visit was not necessary. As of this report, no court date has been booked and it is unclear whether the man has retained criminal defense counsel.
A DUI charge, even without a conviction, can have serious, long-term repercussions for the accused individual. If a criminal conviction is made, the man might lose his license, be forced to pay fines, and even face jail time. This is why his criminal defense attorney will carefully review all the facts of the case, including any sobriety or blood testing conducted, to build a compelling defense against any evidence brought forth by the prosecution.
