There are times when you definitely wouldn’t want someone to be under the influence while working. Police officers, firefighters, doctors, nurses, surgeons, to name a few occupations you would not want to be caught under the influence while working. Another person you wouldn’t want to be charged with DUI is the pilot flying you to your destination.
Federal prosecutors said Wednesday, April 27 that an airline pilot for JetBlue was under the influence while piloting a flight from Orlando to New York City. The flight carried 155 passengers.
A criminal complaint stated that pilot Dennis Murphy Jr was randomly selected for an alcohol test after flight 584 landed at Kennedy Airport on April 15, 2015. The results of his test showed a blood-alcohol level of 0.11. The legal limit for pilots is .04, and in most states, for drivers, it is .08.
Murphy’s co-pilot later told investigators that he witnessed Murphy drinking an unknown beverage from a cup before and during the flight. The co-pilot also states that he witnessed the same act during another flight earlier in the day.
Murphy was to face arraignment later that Wednesday at a federal court in Brooklyn.
JetBlue released a statement saying that it has a zero-tolerance policy on drugs and alcohol. They further stated that Murphy is no longer employed with the airline.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, 255 pilots for commercial airlines have had levels above the legal limit since 1995. In 2015, there were 56,327 blood-alcohol tests administered to pilots, mechanics, flight attendants, and engineers. Of those tested, only 119 tested above the legal limit. This equates to about 0.2%. Of 218,448 drug tests administered, there were only 1,546 employees who failed those tests.
If you have been charged with DUI, it is important to obtain representation. Our attorneys are experienced with DUI charges and their defense. Contact us today.
