Person driving whilst holding coffee cup

Arrested for Driving Under the Influence of… Coffee?

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One driver in California was arrested for driving under the influence of caffeine.

We’ve all done it. Perhaps it was unintentional, the product of time passed unnoticed. One minute we’re relaxing in dim comfort, our tired backs slouched against cool leather, the soft notes of old jazz mixing easily with the bittersweet aromas emanating from the bar, and the next we’re frantic, delirious, wondering where all those lights and signals and crosswalks came from.

Maybe we were simply feeling lucky that day, emboldened by the precipitous spike in focused energy that often accompanies our first, and especially second, refill. Without honest introspection, few among us would readily admit to having behaved recklessly, wantonly or even consciously, and yet we’re all offenders, each guilty of that most dangerous exercise: driving while caffeinated.

Wait. What?

In the summer of 2015, Joseph Schwab, after cutting off an agent from the California department of alcoholic beverage control, was cited for driving erratically. After his breathalyzer test flashed zeroes, Mr. Schwab was taken to the county jail and given a blood test. His subsequent toxicology report betrayed no evidence of cocaine, methamphetamine or THC use. The one drug Mr. Schwab had consumed: caffeine.

Yeah. Caffeine.

But. What?

According to forensic toxicologist Jeffrey Zehnder, Mr. Schwab’s arrest was “really stupid.” The state of California forbids drivers from operating vehicles while under the influence of any substance that could impact her or his ability to drive, but caffeine has never been proven to impair a person’s ability to drive safely, and Mr. Zehnder thinks he knows why.

“Because no one cares about caffeine,” he said.

We Never Stop Working for You

The trusted legal team at Hales & Associates, A Professional Law Corporation wants you to know that we take DUI charges extremely seriously, even if this particular state official did not. Regardless of the details of your case, we can help you obtain the outcome you deserve. Contact our office at (951) 435-0842 to get started.

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