The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
After a West Virginia man was in a single-vehicle crash and arrested for driving under the influence, he allegedly pulled out a beer and tried to continue drinking at the police station while he was being processed.
Just before midnight on March 26, 56-year-old Dwight Coffelt was driving in Randolph County with a passenger in his truck.
Coffelt got into a wreck, and when the authorities arrived, they took him and his passenger to a nearby Par Mar store.
Officers went to the Par Mar, and it was reported by the staff that Coffelt and his companion were acting obnoxious and annoying the other patrons. They additionally informed the police that Coffelt and the passenger were already drunk, but they wanted to buy more alcohol.
When Coffelt reportedly attempted to pay for beer, he was unable to successfully operate the card reader machine.
The police talked to Coffelt, and it was reported that he smelled like he had been drinking alcohol. The man told the officer that he was the person who got into the accident.
Coffelt, who reportedly informed the officer that he did not drink any alcohol since he crashed his truck, would not consent to a breath test at the scene. It was also reported that he did not perform up to par on the roadside sobriety tests.
Several empty beer cans were allegedly discovered in Coffelt’s vehicle, and the police found an unopened beer on his person when they patted him down before placing him under arrest.
Coffelt was taken into custody and transported to the Elkins Police Department.
While he was being processed, Coffelt reportedly agreed to take a breath test to determine his BAC.
Before the test was administered, Coffelt allegedly produced a can of beer from inside his clothing and popped the top in a purported attempt to take a drink.
The beer can was taken from Coffelt, but the man was not able to take the breathalyzer test.
Coffelt was booked into the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $750 bond. He is expected to face charges for DUI first offense.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a DUI offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.