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Bicyclist Critical After Hit By Five Time DUI Offender

By Eddie Farah

This is a tragic story.

A 77-year-old man, riding his bicycle 10 a.m. Saturday morning on Seminole Road in Atlantic Beach, was hit by the driver of an SUV.

Charges have now been filed against the driver, 41-year-old William Adams.

He was driving his SUV, towing a trailer when the right fender well of the trailer hit the man. The unidentified man was taken by helicopter to Shands Medical Center in Jacksonville and is listed in critical condition.

Our prayers go out to this bicycle rider for a full recovery. Riding a bicycle should never been hazardous if you are following the rules and riding on a road through a residential area with a slow speed limit.

Adams has been charged with driving under the influence and driving without a license. Police report he had four prior DUI convictions.

All states have DUI laws that deem anyone intoxicated with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above 0.08 percent. No additional proof of driving impairment is necessary.

In Florida, for a first, second, or third offense, suspension or revocation of a license is an option. Repeat DUI offenders incur a harsher fine and generally receive a number of days in jail. And Florida law requires the ignition interlock be put on a vehicle for second and third DUI convictions.

As of October 1, 2008, it was required for all offenders with a BAC at .15 or higher.

Why this man's vehicle was not confiscated before this time or an ignition interlock breath-testing device, that measures the BAC, installed on his vehicle, I don't know. He may have already been forced to enroll in a mandatory alcohol education program, but a DUI at 10 a.m., obviously that program didn't work.

The definition of a hardcore drunk driver is three offenses within 10 years or a fourth offense in a lifetime.

In 2007, nearly 13,000 people in the U.S. died in crashes where the driver or motorcycle rider was legally impaired, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

There are approximately 14 million licensed drivers in Florida. In 2008, the state reports there were more than 22,200 alcohol related crashes and more than 1,100 alcohol related fatalities in the state.

Injuring someone, while DUI and driving without a license will finally bring this driver some much deserved jail time. Obviously nothing else has worked. #

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Full post as published by Jacksonville Personal Injury Lawyer on September 08, 2009 (boomark / email).