(Woodland, CA) – December 11, 2018 – On December 6, 2018, 19-year-old Davis man Dylan Dion Davies was convicted by a Yolo County jury of driving under the influence of marijuana as a result of traffic collision in the City of Davis on October 16, 2017. Mr. Davies made a left hand turn against a red arrow traffic signal, turning into the path of an oncoming vehicle. There were no injuries in the collision.
Officers from the Davis Police Department were called to the collision and saw signs that Mr. Davies was under the influence of marijuana. The officers conducted a DUI investigation, including each of the standardized field sobriety exercises. Mr. Davies was arrested and a blood test showed that Davies had active THC in his blood and that Davies had likely smoked marijuana within the two hours before the collision.
The trial took place before Judge Timothy Fall. The trial began on December 3, 2018, and the jury reached its verdict on December 6, 2018, after about two hours of deliberation. Judge Fall sentenced Mr. Davies the same day.
This case was prosecuted by one of Yolo County’s three Deputy District Attorneys who are working to stem impaired driving through prosecution, education, and community outreach. Under a grant from the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), these prosecutors provide training to law enforcement on identifying impaired drivers, educate members of the community about impaired driving, and do community outreach to increase awareness of the dangers of impaired driving. Yolo County’s OTS program is one of the most progressive programs in the state, with a strong focus on education and prevention. These prosecutors teach at educational events and take an active role in preventing driving under the influence by engaging the community through high school trials, college outreach, and other community events.
District Attorney Jeff Reisig praised the Davis Police Department for their thorough investigation. “This case is another example of how the District Attorney’s Office and law enforcement can combat impaired driving by working together. My office will continue to provide high quality training to officers on identifying impaired drivers and on conducting this type of investigation.” Reisig continued, “I’m proud of our grant prosecutors. Not only are they holding those who drive under the influence of marijuana accountable, they are also educating our community about the dangers of driving after using marijuana so that we can prevent these type of incidents. In this case, we were lucky nobody got hurt.”
OTS Director Rhonda Craft oversees Yolo County’s granted. “Impaired driving remains a serious issue that puts lives at risk,” said Craft. “We are pleased to work with the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office to make sure that those who choose to drive impaired are held accountable for their actions. Educating the public about the dangers of driving after consuming alcohol or drugs that affect one’s ability to drive safely will continue to be one of our top priorities.”
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