Ann Arbor man arrested at work with a reported .27 BAC level
By Daniel T. Geherin
Most of our Ann Arbor readers probably know that being arrested on a DUI charge can have a significant impact on a person's ability to keep or gain employment. For the most fortunate of people, their employers are willing to look past this type of incident, especially if the arrestee is a valued worker who may have just made a one-time mistake, or if there is a possibility that the charges could be dismissed. However, some employers have a hard time seeing past an arrest like this because it can be perceived as such a big mistake, and for one Ann Arbor man in particular he will have a hard time making a case to keep his job in the wake of his recent arrest for drunk driving.
According to reports, the man, a 27-year-old employee at Michigan Automotive Compressor, Inc., was arrested shortly after 6:30 a.m. on April 3 when he caught the attention of co-workers in a bad way that morning. The reports indicate that the man alleged hit two vehicles in his employer's parking lot as he was reporting for work. Co-workers reportedly alerted security officers, who then detained the man because they suspected he was driving while intoxicated.
Shortly after the man was detained law enforcement officers reported to the scene and conducted a breath test. The man reportedly provided a sample that tested at .27, which is over three times the legal limit of .08. He was subsequently arrested and will now face a drunk driving charge.
Many employers have a policy that anyone who is arrested will be immediately fired, or at the very least suspended without pay while the criminal case is pending. While there is nothing illegal about this type of employment policy, it does seem to go against the notion that a person who is arrested is innocent until proven guilty. For the man who was arrested in this recent incident, only time will tell if his employment prospects will be permanently damaged by his arrest.
If you or a loved one has been charged with drunk driving, and want the help of local, experienced and dedicated DUI attorney in Ann Arbor, please call Dan and his team at GLG Michigan.
Source: mLive, "Ann Arbor man arrested for drunken driving after hitting two parked vehicles while going to work," Jon Szerlag, April 4, 2014