For most drivers, the legal limit for the amount of alcohol that can be in a person’s system while driving is .08%. There are times when a person can be convicted of DUI with less than this amount, but this is unlikely. However, when a person has a blood alcohol level in great excess of .08%, they can face much stiffer penalties. When this happens, it is called an “excessive blood alcohol” charge. There are two different thresholds for excessive BAC in California. The first is a blood-alcohol level of .15% but not .20%. The second is a BAC of .20% or more. If convicted, both forms of excessive BAC hold longer jail times, longer license suspension, mandatory installation of an ignition interlock system, and a longer version of DUI traffic school.
The Fresno Bee reports that a man has been charged in a suspected DUI crash that killed an elderly passenger and injured several others.
The crash occurred in Tulare County at about 5:20 p.m. Sunday night on Highway 198 just west of Road 248.
37-year-old Joshua Young was driving a 2001 Mercedes C200 sedan. Young was attempting to pass a car in front of him as he was traveling west on Highway 198. He pulled into eastbound lanes as he was traveling at about 80 m.p.h. When doing so, he hit a 2011 GMC Yukon head-on.
A 61-year-old Visalia woman, whose name was not released pending notification of next of kin, was the sole passenger, was killed in the crash.
32-year-old Amanda Clark, the driver of the Yukon, suffered from moderate injuries in the crash. 56-year-old Keely Stidham was also injured as well as a 6-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy.
Young is suspected of being under the influence at the time of the crash. He suffered from major injuries in the crash.
He is facing several charges, including DUI murder and DUI with a blood-alcohol level of more than .20 causing injury.
