A 19-year-old Santa Paula resident crashed his vehicle into a utility pole early Sunday while he was texting, but he had a bigger problem when it was found that he was allegedly driving under the influence…three times over the legal limit.
According to Santa Paula Police Sgt. Jeremy Watson on July 12 at approximately 2:24 a.m., SPPD Dispatch, “received a report of a single vehicle hit and run traffic collision in the area of Main Street and Staben
Court,” just west of Palm Avenue.
But upon the officer’s arrival, Watson said the driver of the vehicle was located at the scene.
Nineteen-year-old Juan Rodriguez told officers “that he was texting while driving his vehicle west on Main Street before colliding head-on with a utility police.”
Watson said during the subsequent investigation “it was determined that Rodriguez was under the influence of alcohol…”
Ultimately, Rodriguez, who was not injured in the collision, was arrested for driving while under the influence of alcohol and transported to the SPPD Station for booking.
Watson noted that Rodriguez’s Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) was determined to be over three times the legal limit of .08 percent but even higher because he is a minor.
“He was actually five times over the legal limit because a minor,” is considered to be driving under the influence with a BAC of .05 percent.
A minor can receive an infraction ticket at a .01 alcohol level.
Either way, Rodriguez was lucky he was not injured and did not injure others.
“His vehicle,” a Nissan Ultima said Watson, “was totaled” when it struck the Edison line pole.
Overall, he added, “It’s not everyday you get someone who will say ‘yes, I was texting and I hit a utility pole.’ ”
