Tiger Woods said an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications was to blame for his early-morning DUI arrest near his Jupiter Island home in Florida on Monday. The former golf champion was found asleep behind of the wheel of his car, with his seatbelt on and the motor running. According to the arresting officer, Woods’ speech was slurred and he was confused about where he was. He was arrested for DUI and released several hours later on his own recognizance. Woods said in a statement released by his spokesman that alcohol was not a factor in his arrest. Woods apparently willingly supplied urine and blood samples.
Similar to Florida, Tennessee DUI law makes it illegal to be in physical control of a vehicle if your ability to drive is influenced by ANY substance, whether alcohol, illegal drugs or legal prescriptions. It is illegal to drive on prescribed medications if they impair your ability, even if they are taken as prescribed.
The State may face a more challenging prosecution when only prescribed medications are found in a person’s system, but it still often results arrest, incarceration and an expensive and hard fought battle to avoid conviction for the citizen accused.
Prescription drugs most often associated with DUI arrests include the painkillers Loritab, Hydrocodone, Percocet and similar drugs. Also making the list are benzodiazepines such as Xanax and sleep medications such as Ambien.
Just because it is a prescribed drug does not prevent a DUI arrest if your ability to drive is allegedly affected. Alway be safe and determine the effects of a drug might have on you beforegetting behind the wheel.
In Defense of the Citizen Accused,
Frank Lannom