POLICE: DRUNK CRASHES THROUGH ICE
HIGHGATE: A Swanton man is facing DUI charges, but is lucky to be alive after his truck went through the ice on Lake Champlain just before 4am on Sunday morning.
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Leonel Moreno, 29, of Swanton showed up at the Highgate Port of Entry, highly intoxicated, according to State Trooper John Bruzzi.
The Federal Agents called Vermont State Police to deal with Moreno. When Troopers arrived, Moreno admitted to driving in the area, but did not know how he got onto the ice, Bruzzi said in a press release.
Moreno’s vehicle, a light blue, four-door hatchback fell into a pressure crack in the ice and could be seen partially submerged all day on Sunday.
Moreno was then arrested for DUI (#2) and transported to St. Albans for processing. While being processed, Moreno provided a breath sample that indicated his blood alcohol level was 0.191% BAC, according to Bruzzi. The legal limit for driving in Vermont is 0.08% BAC.
About seven hours before the crash, Moreno posted on Facebook about watching the Patriots game at 14th Star Brewery in St. Albans. It is unclear if he left the bar with too much to drink.
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He is due in court to answer to the DUI 2 charge on January 30th.
A person convicted a second time for DUI in Vermont can face immediate suspension of their license and operating privilege for a period of 18 months. To have the license reinstated after a second conviction, the individual must successfully complete an alcohol and driving rehabilitation program. Alternatively, the driver must show substantial progress in completing a therapy program at their own expense, agreed to by the director of the driving rehabilitation program.
In addition, a person with a second DUI conviction in Vermont, may be fined up to $1,500 or imprisoned for no more than two years, or both. The defendant also may be ordered to perform a minimum of 200 hours of community service. Sixty consecutive hours of the defendant’s imprisonment must be served and cannot be suspended, deferred or served as a supervised sentence; however, credit for time served in a residential alcohol facility may be used as a credit against a prison sentence, but only if the program is successfully completed.
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