There are numerous reasons why a Tennessee driver might have a single-vehicle accident. Based on a driver's behavior and appearance when law enforcement officers arrive at the scene, an incorrect supposition might be made. A driver can be arrested in DUI charges even if alcohol was not a factor.
Being tired or injured in the accident could mimic the types of behavior and appearance that many police officers are trained to believe means that alcohol or drugs impair the driver. This was the supposition made against a former Tennessee Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck when he was found standing outside a wrecked vehicle on Interstate 65 back in February. It was approximately 3 a.m., and the officer claimed to smell alcohol and believed Bulluck to be intoxicated.
Recently, Bulluck's attorney reported that Bulluck was not drunk on the night in question, but instead was overtired. After numerous trips across the country in a short period of time, he knew that he should not have been driving. Therefore, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of reckless endangerment for which he received probation and an order to attend alcohol safety school, among other conditions. He also lost his driver's license for a year for violating Tennessee's implied consent laws.
Just because an individual is facing DUI charges after an accident does not mean that he or she is automatically guilty. Extenuating circumstances might need to be taken into consideration. Further investigation into the incident could reveal that a plea bargain might be the best course of action for the driver, which could also keep the individual from having a DUI charge on his or her record.
Source: tennessean.com, "Former Titans player Keith Bulluck pleads guilty in DUI case", Stacey Barchenger, May 17, 2016