A Seattle-area man recently learned the hard way that you don't have to be drunk in order to be arrested for DUI. Law enforcement arrested him after he crashed his car into a local parking garage and could not smell the odor of intoxicants, but believed him to be under the influence of prescription drugs. The man later admitted to authorities that he had taken way too large of a dose of a generic alternative to Viagra, a pill intended to treat erectile dysfunction but which could also be used to lower high blood pressure and reduce the symptoms of altitude sickness.

When questioned by authorities, the man said he took five pills when the bottle said only to take one. Warnings for Viagra include the possibility that blood pressure may drop below safe levels, which may result in sudden vision loss.

Authorities are unsure if an overdose of the medicine is at fault or if the man may have been given a contaminated drug. Police obtained a warrant and collected blood at Harborview Medical Center soon after the crash, and they are hoping the test results will reveal some answers. Viagra has no “official” generics that have been approved for sale in the U.S., but there are arguably thousands of fakes and impostors sold online.

The man was arrested last Sunday night and booked into King County Jail. On Monday he pleaded not-guilty to a DUI charge, for which he will have a hearing on August 21st. He was released on Tuesday, but is ordered to be on home monitoring while away from his house, which he may only do in order to do any of his standard activities, including work or to meet with a monitoring agency.

Drug-Fueled DUI Charges

As stated previously, you don't have to be drunk in order to be charged with driving under the influence. The law states that if you are inebriated to the point where your ability to operate a vehicle safely by any foreign substance, you could be charged and found guilty of driving under the influence. This intentionally-vague wording is intended to be all-inclusive, meaning you could potentially be charged with DUI if you're under the influence of any drug, regardless of whether or not you have a prescription for it.

If you are currently taking medication or are about to begin a new medication, you should not drive until you know how the drug can affect you. This is particularly true for drugs like cold medications, painkillers, and allergy relief medicines, each of which feature ingredients that are commonly known to cause drowsiness which could potentially impact your ability to safely drive by reducing your reaction times or your ability to determine any potential hazards ahead of you. There's a reason why these drugs often feature a warning that says “do not drive or operate heavy machinery while on this medication;” it's highly advised you listen to it not only for your own safety, but to avoid a potentially serious DUI charge, and the heavy penalties it can carry.

If you have been arrested and charged with a DUI, the Law Office of Mark W. Garka, PLLC can help! We can provide you with top-quality counsel and relentless defense that is tailored to your exact case in order to help you avoid the harshness of DUI penalties. We understand that your rights could be in jeopardy in your case, and Attorney Garka can provide you with more than 15 years of legal practice work and the knowledge of thousands of cases to help you effectively fight back.

Call the Law Office of Mark W. Garka, PLLC today by dialing 888-252-1961 to request a 100% free case evaluation now!