A 45-year-old man is likely regretting his decision to get behind the wheel on Memorial Day. A social media post from the California Highway Patrol reveals that he found himself sinking in a pool of liquid manure after losing control of his SUV in southern Sacramento County. Firefighters rescued the man from his stranded vehicle, and then CHP officers charged him with driving while under the influence of alcohol. According to the CHP, the man was trapped in the manure pool for almost two hours.
911 operators receive frantic call for help
The series of events took place on a dairy farm near Elk Grove. The manure pond is used by local farmers to dispose of animal waste according to media reports. CHP officers were dispatched to the area at approximately 1:30 p.m. to respond to the man’s desperate 911 call. The man is said to have told emergency operators that he had accidentally driven into a water source that he could not identify. Officers then spent about 50 minutes searching for the man’s vehicle. They discovered it with a trailer attached almost up to its roof in manure. Rescue workers from the Cosumnes Fire Department were then called to the scene to extricate the man.
Officers claim the man was obviously intoxicated
Police say that the man was trapped inside his vehicle for about an hour before he called 911. Initial reports do not reveal what the man’s blood alcohol concentration may have been, but they do state that officers claim to have observed obvious signs and symptoms of intoxication. A social media post indicates that a tow truck was used to pull the SUV and trailer out of the pond.
Police must follow strict procedures in drunk driving situations
The rules for conducting field sobriety and breath tests on suspected drunk drivers are strict, and experienced criminal defense attorneys may seek to have DUI charges dismissed when they were not followed. If you are charged with driving under the influence, a defense attorney could scrutinize police reports to ensure that these protocols were adhered to and the equipment used to conduct toxicology tests was working properly.