Firefighter Accused Of Felony DUI Acquitted

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SAN FRANCISCO—Charges brought against a San Francisco firefighter accused of causing a serious crash while driving under the influence of alcohol have been dropped due to a lack of evidence.

The crash, occurring on June 13, 2013, was captured on video showing the 32-ton fire truck crashing into motorcyclist Jack Frazier, who according to standard traffic laws, had the right-of-way due to a green stoplight.

Firefighter
The DUI charges were dropped due to the inadmissibility of the breathalyzer tests administered at the scene of the crash.

Michael Quin, the driver of the truck, had his emergency lights on as he crossed the intersection with a red light, giving him the right-of-way over all civilian vehicles.

According to Frazier’s attorney, Quin did not slow down properly to ensure the intersection was clear of traffic.

Because of this, Frazier has brought a lawsuit against both the city of San Francisco and Quin, who has since quit his position with the fire department.

The dismissal of the felony DUI charges against the former firefighter came after issues surfaced concerning the validity of the breathalyzer tests administered to the Quin by fellow firefighters at the scene of the crash.

Subsequent sobriety tests given by police were inadmissible because they occurred six hours after the collision.

According to the prosecution, further video evidence pictures Quin attempting to drink large amounts of water at a nearby restaurant in an attempt to pass sobriety tests.

The San Francisco District Attorney’s office released a statement saying: “We completely disagree with the decision and are exploring all appellate options.”