Bobby Rydell Charged with DUI
It was reported last week that the former teen idol, now 67, is facing charges for driving under the influence when his 1969 Bentley jumped a curb and swiped a pole, shrubbery, and a landscape wall outside a yoga salon in Pennsylvania. He is set to appear in court on November 19, 2009 to answer for the DUI charges.
Although he reports only having “a couple of cocktails” at lunch earlier in the day, his blood alcohol concentration was 0.17% - more than twice the legal limit.
Rydell claims that the reason he lost control is because he was trying to avoid a car that was tailing too close. He also maintains that the reason he couldn’t lift his leg during one of the field sobriety tests (FSTs) was due to a hip transplant.
While it would appear that the evidence is overwhelming against him, that’s never the case. Rydell’s charges were based on a chemical blood test result. This means that his DUI defense attorney can possibly challenge the results of that test.
For example, in California, chemical blood tests must be obtained, stored, and analyzed under very strict conditions. Any violations of these procedures could compromise the accuracy of the test, which could result in reduced, or even dismissed, charges.
