Teen Crashes Into Fire Hydrant, Accused Of DUI

When a person who is under the age of 21 is arrested for driving under the influence, they may face even more charges than an adult drunk driver. California has a “zero-tolerance” policy for underage DUI. This means even a blood-alcohol level of .01% can land a teen driver into trouble, resulting in the suspension of a driver’s license for at least a year. Though, the driver will not be charged with a DUI until they have a blood-alcohol level of .05%. This DUI won’t require jail time, but the fines are expensive. There is also the possibility of having to attend DUI school. At .08%, a teen driver will face the same DUI penalties as an adult, including jail time and/or probation.

KHTS reports that a teen driver has been arrested for DUI after crashing into a fire hydrant.

The incident happened at around 11:30 p.m. on Friday, August 13th. Officials with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station made contact with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The contact was regarding a broken fire hydrant at the intersection of McBean Parkway and Valencia Boulevard.

According to authorities, a teenaged male crashed into the hydrant while driving an SUV under the influence. He then fled the scene and drove into a nearby condominium complex.

Two volunteers with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station spotted the driver and station deputies arrived to detain him.

The crash caused flooding in the area, shutting down McBean Parkway as officials worked to stop the flow of water from the hydrant.

Because he is a minor, details as to the teenager’s identity were not released.

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