According to this Dakota County Criminal Complaint a man driving erratically was stopped by a state trooper and admitted to be under the influence of drugs and texting while driving. They threw the book at him but why not go even further?
From the complaint:
On August 24, 2011, a Minnesota State trooper conducted a traffic stop on a driver in the City of Hastings, Dakota County, Minnesota, for texting while driving and speeding. When the driver pulled over, he drove into a yard and then weaved back towards the lane and stopped, still on a private lawn. Without being asked, the driver stated, “It’s my medication.” The trooper noticed the driver was drowsy, and that he had constricted pupils and drooping eyelids. The driver admitted he had been texting, and stated that he had no identification with him.
The trooper administered field sobriety and a PBT test on the driver and determined he was under the influence of a controlled substance. The trooper placed him under arrest and conducted a search of his person prior to placing him in his squad car. While searching the driver, the trooper found part of a spoon in his pocket. He also found pills in his right front pocket.
Hastings Police officers conducted a search of the vehicle prior to towing and found a driver’s license identifying the driver as the defendant, Joseph Warren Eineke, dob 9/11/1991. The defendant admitted he had given the trooper the name and date of birth of his brother. A Dakota County deputy found two hypodermic needles in the vehicle’s cup holder. One appeared to be unused and the other had a small amount of liquid in the end of it. The defendant admitted to the driving conduct for which he was stopped, and he stated that he used heroin two days prior. He also stated he is going through a treatment program.
The defendant consented to a blood draw and was transported to a hospital where a blood sample was taken, sealed, and submitted to the BCA for analysis. The results of the BCA gas chromatography/mass spectrometry tests revealed the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), codeine, morphine, and clonazepam in the defendant’s blood sample. THC is a Schedule I controlled substance. Codeine and morphine are Schedule II controlled substances. Clonazepam is a Schedule IV controlled substance.
This individual was charged with eight (8) counts covering the entire gambit ranging from felony to petty misdemeanor. Why wasn’t the person also charged with texting while driving even after they admitted it? How many others do you think drive around stoned on prescription medication and consider it completely acceptable to do so? Whatever you have to say about this one go ahead and comment on as I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Related posts:
Dakota Complaints Map
Dakota Inmate Dashboard
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February 23rd, 2012 at 8:09 am
curious… I see no facts to support the stop sign violation. I wonder if the officer messed up his report and charged the stop sign instead of the texting. Also, I don’t understand the charge for driving without a valid license. His report indicates they found his license in the car doing an inventory search. He had the licenses, the officer presents no facts indicating it is not valid, so why the charge? Sure the guy lied about who he was, but that is a different offense for which he has been charged. If I had to guess at a reason, I would guess sloppy police work on the report.
February 23rd, 2012 at 10:39 am
Its probably horrible and dangerous, but I love to Honk my horn when I am next to someone and see them texting. Often they jump, swerve, and slam on the breaks. Hopefully I give them little mini heart attacks that will make them think twice the next time.
Its scary that people are driving around messed up to the extreme listed above.
February 23rd, 2012 at 8:45 pm
I do the same……….especially at a stop light, behind some “dork” texting and oblivious of his surroundings.