A 30-year-old woman was killed on the evening of Nov. 17 in an accident in Chester County believed to have been caused by an impaired driver. Reports indicate that an unidentified man was taken into custody at the scene on DUI charges after failing a series of standardized field sobriety tests. Authorities say that their investigation into the accident is ongoing and additional charges may be filed as more details emerge.
The accident took place at approximately 11:05 p.m. on Worthington Road in the vicinity of Caernarvon Drive in Uwchlan. According to reports, the victim was a rear seat passenger in a car being driven by her boyfriend. After the car was struck head-on by another vehicle, the woman, her boyfriend and her 4-year-old daughter were transported by paramedics to an area hospital. The woman was pronounced dead on arrival. Police say that the group was heading home after attending a Christmas tree lighting ceremony when they crashed.
Members of the Chester County Serious Crash Assistance Team are helping the Uwchlan Township Police Department with their investigation. Officers were aided at the scene by members of the Lionville Fire Company, the Uwchlan Ambulance Corps, Minquas Fire Company No. 2 and several other agencies.
Standardized field sobriety tests have been developed to help police officers to identify drivers impaired by alcohol. However, these tests are subjective and may not be reliable in all situations. Experienced criminal defense attorneys could seek to have drunk driving charges dismissed when allegedly failed field sobriety tests are not corroborated by toxicology test results. Attorneys may also challenge the results of sobriety tests when their clients are significantly overweight or suffer from medical conditions that could make performing the exercises extremely difficult.
