A poor decision to let a friend drive drunk two years ago continues to have repercussions for a man from Eaton Rapids, Michigan. The man and an acquaintance drank together at the maple syrup festival in Vermontville in April 2010, and the man allowed his friend to drive them from the festival in the man's truck.

Unfortunately, the two men were in an accident north of Charlotte. The man's friend pulled out in front of a motorcycle at an intersection. The motorcyclist was killed and his passenger was seriously injured. The driver, the man's friend, was arrested for drunk driving as a result of the accident.

The driver's blood alcohol level was measured at 0.16, which is twice the legal limit in Michigan. He was sentenced last year to more than six years in prison. However, the owner of the truck was also prosecuted because he had allowed his friend to take the wheel even though he knew he had been drinking.

The Eaton Rapids man was sentenced to seven months in jail and three years of probation on two charges: allowing a person to drive drunk causing serious injury, and allowing a person to drive drunk causing death. The man had pleaded no contest to the charges in January.

While drunk driving charges are very serious in Michigan, this case shows that even being tangentially involved with someone who is driving drunk can have very serious consequences. Anyone who has been charged with drunk driving can consult with an experienced drunk driving defense attorney who can explain their options to them.

Source: Lansing State Journal, "Eaton Rapids owner of truck in fatal drunk driving crash sentenced," Kevin Grasha, Feb 10, 2012