DUI Unit Enforces “No Refusal”” Weekend for July 4th”

Attorneys with Charme Allen’s DUI Unit will be on hand this weekend to enforce a””No Refusal”” Weekend as part of a nationwide Fourth of July DUI prevention campaign. Prosecutors will be on call to assist law enforcement in obtaining search warrants to draw blood from individuals arrested for DUI who have refused to consent to a blood draw to determine the amount of alcohol and/or drugs in their system.

“”We all enjoy celebrating Independence Day, but too often, the celebration turns tragic on our roadways,”” stated General Allen.””The fact is that this holiday weekend is one of the deadliest of the year due to drunk and drugged driving crashes.”” According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, during July 4^thholidays from 2008 to 2012, 765 people lost their lives in crashes involving drivers with a blood alcohol content of .08 or more. These fatalities account for forty percent of all motor vehicle traffic fatalities over the same five-year period.””My prosecutors are always on call to help with search warrants, but we are putting a special emphasis on this ‘No Refusal’ weekend because there are so many deadly crashes that occur around the Fourth.””

DA Allen stressed how easy it is to avoid driving under the influence.””In this day and age, there are so many alternatives to driving while impaired. Designate a driver, call a cab, or use a service like Uber. There is no excuse for drunk driving.””

If you have any questions, please contact Sean McDermott at 865-215-2515 or Sean.McDermott@knoxcounty.org. For more information about the District Attorney’s Office, visit our website at dag.knoxcountytn.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.