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South Dakota Women's Blood Alcohol Content Breaks State Record!

A South Dakota driver was found earlier this month passed out behind the wheel of a delivery truck. Police found Marguerite Engle slouched over and smelling of alcohol. When Engle was tested her blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was .708 which was almost 9 times the state's legal limit of .08! To add insult to injury, the truck Ms. Engle was driving happened to be stolen! Ms. Engle was arrested, hospitalized and then released on bond. State’s Attorney Jesse Sondreal speculated that the .708 BAC might be the highest ever recorded in South Dakota! Sondreal noted that a blood-alcohol level of .40 is considered a lethal dose for about 50 percent of the population.

"Per Se" Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Level - Most states have DUI laws that deem "per se intoxicated" any driver with a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above .08 percent. This means that drivers with a BAC at or above .08 are intoxicated in the eyes of the law, and no additional proof of driving impairment is necessary.

"Zero Tolerance" Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Level - All states carry "zero tolerance" laws that target drivers under the legal drinking age. These laws penalize persons under 21 for operating a vehicle with any trace of alcohol in their systems (a BAC above 0.0), or with negligible BAC levels such as .01 or .02 percent.

"Enhanced Penalty" Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Level - Many states impose harsher penalties on DUI offenders with a particularly high BAC at the time of the offense, typically .15 to .20 percent. DUI offenders with a BAC at or above their state's enhanced penalty standards will likely face additional jail time, harsher fines, and more severe driver's license sanctions.

"Implied Consent" Laws - "Implied consent" laws require vehicle drivers to submit to some form of chemical test, such as breath, blood, or urine testing, if suspected of DUI. If a driver refuses to submit to such testing, implied consent laws carry penalties such as mandatory suspension of a driver's license, usually for six months to a year.
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