23 Mar Another Ravens player cut for criminal charges

On behalf of Jack B. Rubin, PA posted in Drunk Driving on Monday, March 23, 2015.

Maryland football fans may be interested to learn that yet another Baltimore Ravens player was recently cut from the team following a DUI charge. The player, running back Bernard Pierce, lost his position on the team following his arrest on March 18.

According to police reports, Pierce was stopped for driving more than 20 mph over a posted speed limit in Towson. Suspecting that Pierce was driving under the influence of alcohol, the police officer who stopped him administered several roadside sobriety tests. He reportedly failed the three that were given, including the horizontal gaze nystagmus test, the walk and turn and the balance test.

Pierce is alleged to have told the officer he would be cut from the team and that the officer probably didn’t care. His dismissal from the team comes with the Raven’s new zero-tolerance policy. Another team member was also released upon being charged with a DUI in North Carolina. Ever since the team’s handling of Ray Rice’s domestic violence charges was heavily criticized, the Ravens have greatly tightened their policies regarding the conduct of team members. There is no word on whether Pierce submitted to breathalyzer or blood testing following his stop.

Just because a person is charged with drunk driving does not mean they are guilty of the offense. In order to prove that a person so charged is guilty, the prosecutor must provide evidence that the defendant’s driving was impaired as a result of his or her consumption. Since many people speed even when they are sober, a criminal defense attorney may argue that speeding itself is not sufficient to demonstrate impairment. Roadside tests are also potentially assailable, as they are sometimes administered incorrectly by police officers. People who are charged with drunk driving may thus want to seek help from a criminal defense attorney.

Source: CBS Baltimore, “Ravens RB Bernard Pierce arrested for DUI, released from Ravens,” Meghan McCorkell, March 18, 2015.