With spring break in full swing and prom and graduation season looming just around the corner, Oklahoma officials are stepping up efforts to crack down on underage drinking throughout the state. Serious concerns have been raised recently about the rate of DUI accidents nationwide, and arrest rates reflect how seriously underage drinking is taken in …
With spring break in full swing and prom and graduation season looming just around the corner, Oklahoma officials are stepping up efforts to crack down on underage drinking throughout the state. Serious concerns have been raised recently about the rate of DUI accidents nationwide, and arrest rates reflect how seriously underage drinking is taken in Oklahoma. In 2010, there were a whopping 362 arrests in Oklahoma for underage drinking, 665 arrests for underage drunkenness and 163 arrests for minors driving under the influence of alcohol. If you are facing charges for underage drinking or drunk driving in Oklahoma, contact our DUI defense lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center for qualified legal help. Our attorneys are familiar with Oklahoma DUI laws, and will work diligently to help you build a strong defense in your case.
Oklahoma Teen Injured in Alleged DUI Accident
These increased efforts won’t only be extended to minors who engage in underage drinking however; they will also include any adults who aid this illegal behavior and those who get behind the wheel after drinking. One case in particular sheds light on the issue of drunk driving and the consequences associated with DUI accidents in Oklahoma. In July 2012, a 15-year-old Oklahoma boy named Hunter Emerson was ejected from an SUV driven by his friend’s mother and suffered a broken cervical vertebrae and shoulder blade, in addition to several large lacerations, one of which required staples to his scalp. Although the driver’s defense attorney maintains she was not, police who responded to the accident assert that the woman was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the wreck.
Adults Permitted Underage Drinking in their Home
Following the accident, Emerson described his friend’s parents’ home as a known party house, where teens were allowed to smoke cigarettes and marijuana and drink nearly every weekend. Prosecutors have filed charges against the driver in the accident that injured Emerson, but the teen’s family doesn’t think enough is being done to punish adults who provide alcohol to minors. Because of this, and because Oklahoma authorities hope to reduce the risk of DUI accidents, injuries and fatalities, Oklahoma residents – particularly minors – should be prepared for elevated enforcement in the coming months.
Contact Our DUI Defense Attorneys Today
The Oklahoma Alcoholic Beverages Law Enforcement Commission is working to combat the issue of underage drinking, and has designated the time period between spring break and high school graduations in Oklahoma as a special enforcement period. If you have been arrested for underage drinking and driving in Oklahoma City, or elsewhere in Oklahoma, your first course of action should be to consult our DUI defense attorneys at Oklahoma Legal Center for legal help. Our law firm is located in Oklahoma City, and our lawyers have years of experience protecting the rights of individuals charged with drunk driving throughout Oklahoma. With our reputable lawyers on your side, you may be able to have your charges reduced to a lesser offense or possibly even dismissed altogether.