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DA: Man was drunk, and maybe stoned, when he smashed into an airport van and killed two
By adamg on Mon, 11/28/2016 - 6:15pm
A Swampscott man faces two counts each of manslaughter and OUI motor-vehicle homicide for an August crash just outside Logan Airport, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.
Steven Birenbaum, 27, had bail set at $5,000 today at his arraignment in Suffolk Superior Court.
Prosecutors say that Birenbaum had THC in his system and a blood-alcohol level of 0.15, nearly twice the legal limit, when he drove his Subaru at an estimated speed approaching 80 m.p.h into an airport van around 1 a.m. on Aug. 31.
The collision forced both vehicles into Jersey barriers, killing Joseph Rodriguez, 59, and Sandra Arreola, 56, who had just arrived at Logan from El Paso, TX. The van's driver and two other passengers were injured.
Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley said the case highlights the need for the legislature to figure out standards for marijuana-impaired driving, similar to thos for alcohol, now that voters have approved recreational pot.
It’s a proven fact that driving under the influence of marijuana is every bit as dangerous as it is for alcohol, but unlike alcohol, we don’t yet have a way to quantify a driver’s impairment from marijuana. Colorado and Washington have implemented per se THC impairment parameters, but still have no rapid and reliable test as they do for alcohol. Massachusetts has neither an established impairment level nor an efficient means to test for one. Policymakers should be aware of this knowledge gap and take steps to bridge it if we expect to identify and prevent THC impairment among drivers.
Innocent, etc.
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Comments
$5,000 bail?
Massachusetts strikes again!
Statistics please?
Has there been a problem with people skipping bail?
Re: Has there been a problem with people skipping bail
I don't have the current statistics but at one point there were something like 50,000 active arrest warrants in MA, many "default warrants" or "probation violation" warrants for skipping court. That prompted the current Warrant Management System (WMS) in the 90's that is only a slight improvement. By law, those arrested on default and probation warrants are to be held without bail but many of the clerk magistrates (mostly former legislators) would rather pocket the fee and release them on personal recognizance. The person fails to show up again at the next sitting of the court and the search begins anew. Catch and release. I had one clerk who loved me because I would make a lot of warrant arrests but then he would take their $40 and release them before I was done with the paperwork. I gave up, as did many other officers.
Maybe stoned
The anti-weed movement is still out in force.
Definitely the weed's fault.
"It’s a proven fact that driving under the influence of marijuana is every bit as dangerous as it is for alcohol, but unlike alcohol, we don’t yet have a way to quantify a driver’s impairment from marijuana."
False. It is not a proven fact. It is a proven fact that alcohol contributes to about 1/3rd of traffic fatalities in a year.
http://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/impaired_driving/impaired-drv_fact...
Yeah I noticed that bold statement
I seem to recall a recent study that showed that stoned driving, while more dangerous than sober driving, resulted in less accidents than being drunk. Dan's statement was straight out of Reefer Madness.
This is a horrific tragic
This is a horrific tragic story and my thoughts are with the familes but this is offensive to see it turned into an agenda driven story by both the DA and this website. Dont tell me for a second THIS is the reason to tighten the new weed laws when his BAC was double. This isnt a "highlight" of marijuana impaired driving.
Weed was also illegal when this happened
There is little or no evidence that the number of people using weed changes much at all when it is legalized.
If anything, this is a reason to legalize it - less covert consumption.
Texting While Driving Is Far More Deadly
Interesting
Now show us a graph that correlates all those activities you cited to actual deaths and injuries, and you might be able to make a point.
There's A Plethora Of Research, Easily Looked Up If You Try
What there isn't, is any data correlating the presence of THC in an individuals bloodstream, with their level of impairment hours or days after consuming cannabis.
Physical and mental sobriety tests are far more effective in determining actual impairment, whether it be from alcohol, prescription drugs, or other substances.
Proven? Really? By whom? Citation please.
The DA says "It’s a proven fact that driving under the influence of marijuana is every bit as dangerous as it is for alcohol." Really, Dan? Citation, please. Otherwise, just shut up.
It's very relative
Its very relative to the type of pot smoker you are. If you're an occasional smoker, yeah you probably shouldn't be driving. But if you're a daily smoker, you probably can drive OK without much issue. It's all about how your body deals with the high.
Watch this video from CNN. Even the girl who is a regular smoker, knew she shouldn't be behind the wheel of a car after smoking too much (even she said it was too much!) And honestly.. most pot smokers.. my self included, won't drive if they are overly stoned. Most regular pot smokers know their limits on what they can and can't do.
CNN Video from 2013:
And a BBC from 2010 that also backs up this claim.
BBC Video from 2010:
It really is relative to the person and how much they smoke regularly. And the truth of the matter is.. most stoners won't drive because they are just simply too paranoid to do so and its hard to separate your butt from the couch most of the time :-) (Even if there's a taco bell at the end of the ride!)
THC was in his system .. i
THC was in his system .. i think it takes like 30 days for it to completely leave your system but ask anyone who smokes and you will feel completely sober in like 3-4 hours . he coulda smoked a week before for all they know. liquor is the problem not weed . why does everyone try to put weed down on a crack / cocaine type of level ?
Jobs for DAs!
Lets face it - they would rather work with potheads than violent criminals any day.
Also, makes jobs by increasing the number of people in contact with the system, even though the demands for a safe society and public heath say that jailing people for a non-dangerous substance is what really creates problems in society.