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Greenville, North Carolina area residents may be aware that the drinking age in North Carolina is 21. When a person under the legal drinking age allegedly drives with any evidence of alcohol in his or her system in North Carolina, state laws allow prosecutors to bring underage drinking and driving charges. Notably, an officer’s alleged observations during a traffic stop of a driver that lead the officer to believe that the person has consumed alcohol may be sufficient for an underage drinking and driving charge to arise.

Underage driving under the influence charges need not involve an alcohol test showing that a under 21-year-old driver is above the general legal limit to drive—which is set at 0.08 percent blood alcohol concentration in North Carolina. That type of evidence may surely give rise to a full-fledged DWI charge. An underage DUI charge, however, can bring harsh consequences for a young driver.

Police accuse an East Carolina University student of underage drinking and driving after authorities responded to a report of a traffic accident Tuesday morning at the intersection of Greenville Boulevard and 10th Street, according to WITN. Authorities claim that the ECU student ran his car into the rear of a pickup truck at the Greenville intersection. Authorities say that the driver of the pickup suffered minor injuries in the rear-end crash. He was taken to Vidant Medical Center.

Meanwhile, the ECU student was processed on suspicion of drinking and driving as an underage DUI offense. He also faces a traffic violation for allegedly failing to reduce speed.

Alcohol-related offenses, including underage drunk driving, can leave a permanent scar on a student’s permanent criminal record in North Carolina. Young drivers accused of underage DUI or other DWI charges should consider seeking the assistance of legal counsel to learn what defenses or options may be available in individual cases.

Source: WITN, “NEW INFO: Early Morning Wreck at 10th And Greenville Boulevard,” June 11, 2013

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Law enforcement continues to investigate a fatal car accident that occurred on Highway 213 in Marshall, North Carolina September 13. However, police believe that a 41-year-old man was driving while impaired when the accident occurred.

A North Carolina State Highway Patrol trooper claims in court documents filed November 9 that the man smelled of alcohol after the fatal crash. The trooper also claims that the surviving driver of the accident had blood shot eyes and was slurring his speech after sustaining injuries in the wreck.

Police say that the man was driving a Ford Mustang on Highway 213 that collided with a Ford Escort at the intersection between the highway and Silver Mill Road. The Mustang collided with the Escort as a woman pulled into the intersection from Silver Mill, according to the Citizen-Times.

The 30-year-old woman driving the Escort was killed in the accident. The man driving the Mustang and his 26-year-old passenger suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the wreck and were taken to an area hospital. Police believe the speed of the Mustang may have contributed to the cause of the crash.

Law enforcement says that the man driving the Mustang refused to submit to a chemical test. Agents from the North Carolina Division of Alcohol Law Enforcement reportedly visited an establishment in Marshall where authorities believe the man driving the Mustang had been before the fatal crash, although details about that investigation are sketchy, according to the Citizen-Times.

Authorities say that testing is being conducted on blood work related to the investigation. Additional charges may be filed pending the outcome of that analysis. Law enforcement continues to investigate other aspects of the crash.

Source: Citizen-Times, “Lunsford faces DWI charge,” Melissa Dean, Nov. 26, 2012

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A woman who is accused of crashing her car reportedly told authorities that her children had been ejected from the vehicle during the wreck. A North Carolina trooper found the car in the ditch along Grants Creek Road. Authorities reportedly searched the area surrounding the rollover car accident. The two children were not found anywhere near the scene.

Apparently the woman had been disoriented in the serious injury accident. Officials say that the children were located at the home of a relative of the car accident victim–the children reportedly were found safe.

The woman will be facing North Carolina drunk driving charges. Her boyfriend reportedly was also arrested. He arrived at the scene of the accident while emergency responders were attending to the accident victim. Law enforcement claims that the woman’s boyfriend appeared to be under the influence when he arrived. Officials claim that the man assaulted an emergency worker at the scene.

The woman who reportedly rolled her car into the ditch suffered serious injuries in the crash. Authorities say that her Ford Explorer rolled over several times in the ditch. She was flown to Vidant Medical Center with serious injuries, although the Jacksonville Daily News reports that the hospital said Monday that no patient was listed as of Monday under the accident victim’s name. Authorities say the reckless driving and DWI charges are pending for the woman.

Her boyfriend was charged Saturday in Onslow County, North Carolina, with assault-inflicting serious injury, according to the Jacksonville Daily News.

The accident was reported in Onslow County around 8:25 Saturday evening.

Source: Jacksonville Daily News, “Driver hospitalized, friend arrested following weekend wreck,” Amberly Pozzi, Sep. 10, 2012

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People from all walks of life can find themselves facing charges for driving while impaired in North Carolina. News has broken that the son of the police chief in Shallotte, North Carolina, is facing new DWI charges. The 29-year-old has had a previous brush with the law. The man’s father says that the young man previously has faced drunk driving allegations in North Carolina.

The man was driving erratically early Monday, according to a Sunset Beach police officer. The officer conducted a traffic stop around 2:30 Monday morning after the alleged erratic driving conduct observed on Georgetown Road near N.C. 904. But the new allegations go beyond DUI charges. Law enforcement accuses the Shallotte man of drug crimes as well, after the traffic stop.

The arresting officer claims that a small amount of heroin and drug paraphernalia were discovered in the Shallotte man’s Chevrolet pickup truck. It is not clear how law enforcement discovered the alleged drugs and paraphernalia.

The 29-year-old was arrested on suspicion of a slate of North Carolina criminal charges. He is facing felony heroin charges, and the allegations of possession of drug paraphernalia. He is also accused of DWI, failure to comply with conditions placed on his driver’s license that restrict him from having a 0.04 percent or greater blood alcohol content and other driving offenses.

The man was booked into the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Detention Center early Monday. Bond has reportedly been set at ,000 on the DWI and drug-related criminal charges.

Sources:

• Star News, “Son of Shallotte police chief faces DWI, drug charges,” Cassie Foss, Aug. 20, 2012
• WECT News, “Shallotte police chief’s son arrested, charged with DWI,” Nadine Maeser, Aug. 21, 2012

Greenville DUI Attorney Blog | North Carolina Underage Drinking Lawyer | Pitt County First DUI Law Firm

A North Carolina woman apparently was short on cash and needed to find an ATM after having dinner and allegedly drinking at a Mexican restaurant in Gastonia. Police claim that some kind of civil disturbance broke out and officers responded to the area.

Law enforcement claims that the Charlotte woman began cursing at people in the neighborhood of the restaurant when she saw police arrive in the area. Later, she would be arrested on DWI charges that eventually expanded to a string of criminal charges.

News reports are unclear about what the reported civil disturbance involved that brought law enforcement into the area. Eventually, the woman was arrested on suspicion of driving while impaired. Police claim that they saw the woman weaving in her car in the parking lot outside the restaurant. Matters grew worse as the evening went on, according to authorities.

Gastonia police say that the young woman was combative during the police encounter-and beyond. Authorities claim the woman kicked a police car, spat on the window of the vehicle and had not yet settled down by the time that she was brought into a magistrate’s office.

The woman’s alleged DWI and reckless driving case grew to include a list of additional alleged offenses. Law enforcement accuses the woman of resisting arrest and two counts of assault on a government official. She is also accused of driving on a revoked license, although the media does not indicate what basis served for the license revocation.

Authorities booked the Charlotte woman into the Gaston County Jail, where she is being held in lieu of a ,000 secured bond.

Source: Gaston Gazette, “Friendly meal ends in DWI, assault charges,” Diane Turbyfill, June 4, 2012

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A man accused of drunk driving is facing upgraded felony charges after an incident Saturday night in a Mount Holly, North Carolina, parking lot. Authorities claim that a 50-year-old Charlotte man ran over his friend with a truck in the parking lot after some alleged form of argument.

Authorities had originally arrested the Charlotte man on suspicion of driving while impaired after the incident. Meanwhile, the 60-year-old friend was reportedly transported to Gaston Hospital after the incident with serious personal injuries, including head trauma. The man was later airlifted to Charlotte. He reportedly died at Carolinas’ Medical Center Monday evening.

Mount Holly Police say that they spoke to witnesses at an Asian market where the two men had visited before the parking lot incident. Authorities claim that the man accused of drunk driving admitted to his friend that he was too drunk to drive. A worker at the market says that the two men had some king of scuffle in the parking lot, and moments later the witness claims the 50-year-old man ran over the man who had earlier been a passenger in the pickup.

Authorities say that they do not know why the passenger was not inside the pickup when the accident allegedly occurred. Details remain sketchy about the incident. It is unclear what evidence besides the alleged admission inside the market that authorities have gathered to support the DWI charges.

After the 60-year-old man passed away Monday evening, the Gaston County District Attorney’s Office charged the man accused of drunk driving with second-degree murder. Authorities claim the man also faces a charge related to restrictions on his driver’s license.

The Charlotte resident is reportedly being held in the Gaston County Jail under a million secured bond.

Source: Gaston Gazette, “Murder charge filed in Gaston DWI death,” Wade Allen, May 30, 2012

Greenville DUI Attorney Blog | North Carolina Underage Drinking Lawyer | Pitt County First DUI Law Firm

More charges are pending after an assault that killed a Leaf Rapids man on Saturday.
Manitoba stories

A North Carolina Highway Patrol trooper says a driver fled after the trooper tried to conduct a traffic stop on Highway 68 in Thomasville last week. Apparently the trooper was attempting to pull over the driver on allegations of speeding and to investigate a suspicion of driving while impaired. News reports do not indicate what observations the trooper made to lead him to suspect the driver of DWI before attempting the traffic stop.

Law enforcement claims a 28-year-old man from Charlotte was driving a Jeep SUV that failed to stop. After an alleged chase, the state Highway Patrol says the driver lost control of the SUV and was eventually arrested on a string of charges, including felony fleeing or eluding arrest with a motor vehicle, DWI, careless driving and reckless driving, and a red light violation.

The trooper claims the driver led a high speed chase that ended on N.C. Highway 109. Law enforcement claims the man accused of fleeing law enforcement reached speeds around 100 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone. Law enforcement claims the driver had taken the Business Loop off of Interstate 85. When the Jeep reached Highway 109, law enforcement claims the driver took a right turn too fast and slid across Highway 109.

Law enforcement apparently took the driver into custody along Highway 109, where the Jeep reportedly struck a guardrail.

The driver was booked into the Davidson County Detention Center on ,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear on the numerous charges on Dec. 14.

Source: The-Dispatch, “Man flees from trooper, crashes his Jeep,” Nov. 14, 2011

Greenville DUI Attorney Blog | North Carolina Underage Drinking Lawyer | Pitt County First DUI Law Firm

Most North Carolina residents are aware that they have the right to remain silent when suspected of committing any type of offense. Many Americans who are aware of the right are less sure how the right applies. The right to remain silent may be lost when a person voluntarily speaks. And that includes comments made to friends, coworkers and even the news media.

A 37-year-old North Carolina woman was arrested this week on serious DWI charges. Police claim the woman was involved in a traffic accident that involved two separate motorcycles. Law enforcement claims the woman crossed the center line, side-swiped one motorcycle and then crashed head-on into a second motorcycle. The two riders on the first motorcycle were injured. The two people on the motorcycle involved in the head-on crash died in the accident.

News reporters apparently showed up in the area after the crash. Neighbors in the area of the crash claim they say the 37-year-old woman accused of being involved in the crash as she apparently was walking in the woods close to the accident area. A news reporter claims the woman denied having been involved in the accident.

The news reporter clams the woman admitted being too high to drive. News reports about the incident do not indicate whether prosecutors intend to use the statements the woman made to the reporter in the criminal case brought against the woman.

The woman apparently declined to speak to reporters after a court appearance Wednesday morning. The woman appeared on DWI and felony hit-and-run charges Wednesday. Prosecutors say they may file additional charges against the woman. The accused is scheduled to return to court Nov. 16. She reportedly is being held on 30,000 bond.

Source: WSOC TV, “Woman says she was high before hitting motorcycle killing father, son,” Oct. 26, 2011

Greenville DUI Attorney Blog | North Carolina Underage Drinking Lawyer | Pitt County First DUI Law Firm

North Carolina law treats all allegations of drunk driving harshly. This blog has reported several stories about the harsh standards for underage drinking and driving. The state has a zero tolerance policy toward underage DUI in North Carolina. Any evidence of alcohol can enough for a person under the age of 21 to face serious charges.

The stakes only get higher when an accident is associated with drinking and driving. One North Carolina teen is accused of drinking before allegedly being involved in a fatal drunk driving accident in Bahama early Thursday morning.

The 17-year-old Durham resident is charged with DWI and driving after drinking with a provisional license. The charges stem from allegations that the teen lost control of his vehicle along U.S. 501 around 2 a.m. Thursday morning. The car reportedly went into the ditch along the roadway and struck a tree. The car apparently rolled over in the crash.

Two people reportedly were ejected from the vehicle in the wreck. One of the passengers, a 20-year-old from Durham, was killed after being ejected. Two women who were passengers in the crash were taken to the hospital for treatment.

Although the man accused of driving the car in the fatal crash is currently charged with at least two DWI-related charges, the North Carolina Highway Patrol says the teen could face more charges as the investigation proceeds.

Certainly, at 17-year-old in North Carolina, the teen is automatically facing the charges in adult court. As this blog recently reported, North Carolina is one only two states where teens age 16 and older face all charges automatically in adult court.

Source: WTVD-TV, “Northern High student involved in fatal crash,” Oct. 15, 2011

Greenville DUI Attorney Blog | North Carolina Underage Drinking Lawyer | Pitt County First DUI Law Firm