Texas football player Ronald Leary was convicted of drunk driving as a result of an incident that took place in September 2012. After pleading guilty to the drunk driving charge, the Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman was given a sentence of 18 months probation. He may now have to face disciplinary action from the NFL that could include a suspension.
The drunk driving incident happened near the intersection of O’Connor and Riverside in Irving. According to police, Leary was pulled over after a police officer noticed him driving erratically while committing several traffic violations. When the officer approached him, Leary allegedly displayed signs of intoxication that included slurred speech and bloodshot eyes. The arresting police officer also noticed the smell of alcohol on his person.
After forming his initial impression that Leary seemed intoxicated, the police officer asked him to undergo a field sobriety test. According to the officer, Leary failed the field sobriety test. During the incident, he also willingly submitted to the officer’s request to take a blood sample. It is unclear what the results of the blood test were.
When someone is charged with drunk driving, the results of a blood test may be an important part of their defense. In some cases, a person may display blood test results that show that their blood alcohol content was close to the known legal limit. In cases where the blood test results are marginal, an attorney might argue that the prosecution has insufficient evidence of intoxication. An attorney may also argue that results of a field sobriety test are unscientific and subjective.
Source: CBS DFW, “Cowboys OL Leary Pleads Guilty To Drunk Driving Charge“, L.P. Phillips, July 14, 2014