A truck driver in Oregon is making an unusual claim to try and sidestep a drink-driving charge.
Ray Lewis, 45, a truck driver for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, crashed his truck spilling thousands of live salmon over the road. He had a blood alcohol level at .29 – three times above the legal limit.
He has argued that he suffers from a rare condition of the intestines known as “auto-brewery syndrome” which is caused by a high level of gastrointestinal yeast in the gut which converts carbohydrates into alcohol.
Just before Christmas in New York a similar case made headlines when she had her DUI charge dismissed when it transpired she had evidence that she suffered from this syndrome.
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It is unknown whether Lewis was aware of this case.
Even if Lewis has evidentiary support to back his claims regarding the condition, this shouldn’t necessarily absolve him from any wrong doing. As blogger Jonathan Turley writes:
“Even if this condition is documented, however, there remains the question of whether such people should be given licenses if they cannot detect a “flare” of the syndrome. After all, if he would be very negligent if he knew that he had this condition and decided to work as a truck driver.”
Read the full story here.
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