DUI Experiences

[rm54]

'This is more of an inquiry about specific matter.  I drank too much the other nite (t.v. was out and
could not sleep) and anyhoo, ended up the next day having a minor collision and the authorities
found me to have an .05 alc blood count.  That alone would not be a problem but that morning I
had to take some bloodpressure meds (Coreg) and an anti anxiety med (Xanax) that would be in
my system at the time they were doing a blood test on me.  I believe they are going to try and say
the combination of these meds and the .05 count from the nite before will constitute Driving Under
the Influence which includes any kind of meds or alcohol or other substance that may impair
driving. Both these meds are said to perhpas exacerbate or contribute to he effects alcohol. Does
anybody have any thoughts on this or had a similar experiences?  What do you think my chances
are?  Tahnks.

[ibizan]

I've worked with DUI offenders for a long time and our county residents get offenses in other counties and cities.The sentencing seems to depend on the judge and how he/she does their decision making and how well the lawyer knows the judge strikes a deal for the client and how judge decides the sentence!No one should be drving a car with alcohol,drugs or rx drugs in their system...someone else or u could get hurt!

[cowher]

i had the exc. thing happen to me, i not only got a dui but was charged with drugs, and they are everyday scripts, and pres. pain killers, they dont care, you are not to drive a car even if you have a script, you will still be charged with drugs with your dui

[ibizan]

thanks for the clarification and more info.on ur medical condition.Xanax is in the benzodiazepine family....Ativan,Klonipin and Valium are its cousins and are habit forming but given for extreme anxiety conditions in which other anti-anxiety meds have proven ineffective.it does say on the bottle to not drive under useage and no combo with alcohol...did u feel any effects in the morning at .05?i would think that alcohol would irritate the IBS..stomach lining intestines etc....u should do ok legally as far as the DUI goes..i've seen a slick lawyer get it reduced to reckless operation in Ohio.

[rm54]

As to you collision question, I essentially sideswiped some highway
protective pylons that are large plastic tubes I think fill with sand or
something and are retainers to keep you from hitting something worse
behind them, like some concrete project the State or other road working outfit may have going.  I see no damage to them but the
right side of my pickup from the front bumber to maybe the 2nd passenger door are messed up, but, the vehicle was driveable, though the officer ultimately had it towed away since he haulded
me off in a squad car.  If Xanax is so habit forming, is there an al-
ternative, effective non habit forming solution?  I don't know if I'm
"habitized", but, I am used to taking it for elimination of the symptoms previously alluded to. It's odd, it does some seem to do
anything more for me than what I previously described so I don't
understand all this loopyness about it.  Maybe I'm an odd duck. Thanks.

[rm54]

Sorry I'm late in responding, did not know I had to go back to this
site, rather thought I'd see a reply on reg email.
Anyhoo, the morning after breath test was .05, it's .08 here too for DUI of non commercual useage. No I do not believe I've driven with alc and Xanax, at least not to the .05 extent, but Xanax never has had any loopy effects on me, it is used to quell physical anxiety symptoms (not mental)brought on by Irritable Bowel Syndrome that can have some really wierd symptoms. Essesntially, it has just quelled the odd sensations--tingling, nervousness, a variety of other things can happen if you want to research it.  Anyhoo, I've never found it to be anything but a ridder of symptoms making me just feel normal. Coreg which is for HBP supposedly slows the heart and/or opens up and/or relaxes blood vessels relieving pressure on the arteries, thus aiding the lowering of BP. It's never had any goofy
affect on me. I am worried about the blood test and how they rate the combinations that may be there to abjudicate DUI, or not, this is my concern, not too mention that the assimilation of the meds was promoted by being pulled over. I don't think I was on the road long enough for the Coreg and Xanax to assimilate that much into my system as I'm told it takes about 45 minutes for them to gell in. I take the stuff  practically as I walk out the door and was not on the road that much time, however, getting pulled over wasted a lot of time and then being dragged off for blood testing all allowed for more time to assimilate...all of which could be used against me, or could be defense, I don't know.      

In any event, after a trouble free life, at 53, this is very unnerving and I guess it was stupid of me to keep on trying and use the new
phone with the tiny buttons; its just as a business man you try
and make the most of down time which driving largely is;  though
I can now see why the dialing phone will be history.  I'd appreciate
any furhter thoughts you may have. I'll keep my eyes peeled. Thanks.

[ibizan]

4got 2 ask....could u please clarify minor collision?

[ibizan]

have u driven with some drinks in u and Xanax b4 and not felt effects of it?one can drink a lot go to sleep wake up and go and still register on a breathalyzer!since u don't have any previous DUI's u should do ok in the court u do have a prayer..be interesting to see the results of the blood test.U slept most of it off..had they tested u right after drinking would probably be  pretty high.What is legal intox in Calif?in Ohio it is .08.they will probably treat it as a first offense.I've worked with DUI offenders for 23 years..sober and clean 24 yrs.U need to watch that Xanax...very habit forming stuff!

[rm54]

To clarify:  the nite before at home, I evidently drank too much wine.
I went to sleep later than usual, got out of the house around 8:00
am after taking usual prescribed med of Coreg for high blood pressure
and Xanax for anxiety related to an internal disorder.  I was pulled over that morning say 45 minutes after leaving for work and was said to have via breath test an .05 BAC reading. Since California
does not distinquish between too much alc and/or prescription or
illegal substances, the officer, getting wind of my meds as he asked about same, he cited me for possible DUI due to the combo
of drugs.  They ran a blood test of which I awaiting results which
my attorney will have to get.  I have never felt any la la effects from
Xanax or Coreg, but, I've never been in this pickle before in all my
37 years of driving, never had much more that one or 2 moving vios
over all those years and no on record at fault accs until this given
day when I sideswiped some highway guarding type protective
pylons of which I swerved into as I was trying to use my new Black
berry phone, but, the numbers to press are so small on the phone
it distracted me.  Anyway, curious if one thinks I'm fried on not, or
have a prayer.

[ibizan]

yes Xanax will exacerbate the effects of alcohol in ur bloodstream not to mention put u in la-la land and dangerous to drive like this and the Coreg to boot.If u were out driving at nite.....and got picked up the next day..ur .BAC was much higher than .05 and dropped after several hours...this appears to be what ur saying.Is this a first DUI?dependent on what state ur in and how the judge makes his decisions is a big factor.I'm in Ohio and  a new law passed that a judge can look at ur entire DUI history for 20 years and sentence accordingly.