When driving at night, it may be easy to become disoriented. A combination of lack of visibility and fatigue might make it easier to take a wrong turn, for example. Unfortunately, it may be easy for law enforcement officials to assume that an action that may be born from a simple mistake was actually the product of an illegal activity. In fact, a man in Minnesota was recently charged with drunk driving following a collision with an ambulance and a squad car.
The incident happened during the early morning hours of a day in early October. According to reports, a 27-year-old man was traveling south in the northbound lanes of a Minnesota highway. Reports claim that the man’s vehicle sideswiped the northbound ambulance and squad car as they attempted to move out of its path.
The man was booked on suspicion of DWI. However, it is unclear what the man’s blood alcohol content was at the time of the accident or how it was determined. No injuries were reported in the incident. The man’s car reportedly sustained severe damage while the ambulance and squad car suffered moderate and minor damage, respectively.
Allegations of drunk driving in Minnesota and across the country are serious and often come with a variety of different negative consequences. Unfortunately, it may be easy to assume that an accident that happened under certain circumstances — such as during the early morning hours — was influenced by alcohol. In all cases, there must be sufficient evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in order for a person to be convicted. This standard is purposefully set high and is often difficult to meet to prevent wrongful convictions.