It was recently reported that Metropolitan King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn pleaded guilty to driving under the influence (DUI) in Kittitas County after crashing his pickup into a ditch last month. The 43-year-old Councilmember explained that public officials should be held to a higher standard, which is why he chose to accept responsibility for his "dumb and unfortunate" decisions. While he likely could have pursued a deferred prosecution as a first-time offender, he admits, "What I did was wrong."
According to the Kittitas County Sheriff's report, Dunn decided to get behind the wheel after a night of drinking in the Cle Elum area of Central Washington, which is where his cabin is located. He first began drinking at the restaurant where he was having dinner, and then continued to drink at another restaurant shortly thereafter. According to Dunn, he consumed about four to five beers over the course of an hour. He then got in his pickup and attempted to drive the seven miles back to his cabin.
Dunn ended up driving the vehicle into a ditch during a rainstorm, causing both of the side airbags to deploy and an automatic alert system to call 911. He had a brief conversation with the 911 dispatcher before a neighbor picked him up and drove him back to his cabin. When deputies arrived over an hour later, they determined that there was enough evidence to place him under arrest for DUI. According to one deputy, he could "smell obvious odor of intoxicants" while questioning Dunn about the accident.
When the deputy explained that he had crashed on a straight stretch of road and that alcohol appeared to be a factor in the accident, Dunn dropped his head and said "that would be a fair statement." Once Dunn was placed under arrest, he refused to let law enforcement measure his blood alcohol content through a breath test; however, he has since decided to accept responsibility by pleading guilty to the charges. He has been sentenced to one day in jail and ordered to pay over $3,000 in fines and fees.
Even a first drunk driving offense can result in serious penalties, which is why it's important to discuss your case and legal options with an experienced lawyer before making any decisions. Lynnwood DUI Defense Attorney Jonathan Dichter represents clients charged with all types of intoxicated driving charges in King County and Snohomish County. If you or a loved one has been charged, contact our team today to learn how he can aggressively fight for you!