| May 5, 2026 | Case: 25-006738MM10A | Judge Brown |
| Facts: | The defendant was observed sleeping in a parked vehicle with the engine running. The officers banged on the window and woke the defendant up. The defendant's speech was extremely slurred, he was unsteady on his feet, he had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, and his eyes were bloodshot and watery. The police had come into contact with the defendant earlier that evening whereby he acknowledged drinking. He was directed not to drive. He was subsequently arrested for DUI and refused to perform a breath test. This was the defendant's second offense for DUI. | |
| Defense: | While the video made clear that the defendant was impaired, Parks & Braxton filed a motion to dismiss based on a necessity defense. Specifically, the vehicle that the defendant was sleeping in was in a parking lot adjacent to his home. Inside the home was his girlfriend who was acting violently towards the defendant. In an effort to avoid the physical harm, and de-escalate the situation, the defendant left the home and entered the vehicle. In deposition, the arresting officer acknowledged that sleeping in a vehicle was safer than an intoxicated person walking the streets. In addition, the officer admitted in testimony that sitting in a vehicle was safer than remaining in a violent situation. The defendant was in imminent danger, the harm of sitting in a vehicle as an impaired person outweighed the violent situation in his home, and there was no reasonable alternative. These facts satisfy the elements in the motion to dismiss. | |
| Result: | The State dropped the DUI. | |
