While the blood-alcohol limit in every state is .08% when driving, alcohol may begin to affect a person’s ability to drive far sooner than that. Studies indicate that starting at 0.05%, difficulty steering and slowed response times are noted. It is at .08%, the legal limit that speed control, loss of visual acuity, and loss of the ability to process information occurs. Perhaps this is why many drunk drivers also tend to speed when they drive while intoxicated. There are times when the opposite occurs when a driver decides to drive while intoxicated. ABC 7 reports on a bizarre incident where a suspected drunk driver led police on a low-speed chase.
A suspect that was wanted for drunk driving and allegedly driving a stolen car led police on a low-speed chase on the night of Thursday, May 31st. The suspect made his way through the streets of the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles before being stopped by police.
Shortly after 10 p.m. police began chasing the suspect around Sherman Way near Wilbur Avenue in Reseda. The chase continued eastbound on Sherman Way into Encino and then finally Los Angeles. In Los Angeles, the suspect continued driving despite the fact that spike strips had flattened both the front and the rear right side tires.
The driver obeyed a red light on Ventura Boulevard, then continued driving with hazard lights blinking. Several other motorists stopped their vehicles and got out to film the chase, while others attempted to stop the vehicle.
The suspect eventually turned around on Ventura Boulevard at Noeline Avenue. He proceeded to continue driving despite the fact that all four tires were now flat. Two of his tires were down to the rims.
Police were finally able to stop the vehicle near Gloria Avenue after surrounding the suspect’s vehicle. The driver exited the car with his hands up before laying down on his stomach.
