19-Year-Old Held on $50,000 Bond for DUI Crash

 Posted on May 22, 2012 in DUI

A alcohol-influenced crash injured five people on the Southwest Side of Chicago in late April, and the driver responsible is being held on a $50,000 bond, according to theChicago Tribune. Lethanniel Barajas, 19, “faces felony charges of aggravated driving under the influence resulting in an accident which caused bodily harm and misdemeanor charges of DUI, operating a vehicle without insurance, and failure to produce a driver’s license,” police told the Tribune. Barajas had a blood alcohol level of .093,  which is .013 above the legal limit.

According to the Tribune, Barajas was operating a Honda Accord which left the southbound lane and hit a northbound Ford Crown Victoria taxi containing three passengers. The driver of the taxi, 41, was initially listed in serious-to-critical condition, as was a 19 year old passenger. The other two passengers, 21 and 19, were taken to the hosptial but were released. There were two passengers in Barajas’s car, one of whom was hospitalized, though both the other passenger and Barajas, were not.

Illinois is one of the handful of states that has adopted a zero-tolerance drunk driving law, which means that anyone whose blood alcohol content is more than zero will automatically have his license revoked for at least three months. If convicted of a DUI, which Barajas is surely facing, his license will be revoked for a minimum of two years. Zero-tolerance laws have also been adopted in California, Florida, New York, and Texas.

According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) statistics, the average drunk driver has driven drunk 80 times before the first arrest, and that one in three people will be involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lifetime. While Barajas’s case might not be unique, any criminal case can be complicated. If you or someone you know has been charged with drunk driving, contact a dedicated Chicago criminal attorney today.

Image courtesy of nixxphotography