Semi Driver Flips Propane Tank, Flees Scene While Intoxicated

KSL-TV, Salt Lake City ^ | 4/4/2007 | Whit Johnson

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

The driver of a semi flipped his load of propane gas last night near mile marker 172 in Summit County on Interstate 80 and that's only the beginning of the story for the driver of the big rig. He fled the scene and troopers say he was driving drunk.

Troopers say it's amazing that there was no leak of any kind. The propane trailer pup flipped onto the median then knocked dirt and debree into the roadway of oncoming traffic. Thirty-six-year-old Jason Darrow was seven times over the legal alcohol limit for drivers of commercial vehicles.

UHP says Darrow was driving in the westbound lanes above the speed limit and passing traffic when his trailer pup lost control and flipped off the back. Darrow continued driving and parked his truck at a nearby reststop. Troopers eventually found him walking along the onramp.

Sgt. Harley Watkins of the Utah Highway Patrol said, "You have hazardous materials, you have gas, propane, things like that--all have the potential of creating a significant impact on the environment as well as on human life out here. These guys are held to a higher standard and they need to abide by that."

Darrow failed a both a breath and a blood alcohol test. He will likely face at least three charges and he does have a criminal history. His employer, Turner Gas Company, did not return our calls.

[eastforker]

If they paid drivers hauling hazerdous material a decent wage they would get decent drivers.

[Vicomte13]

“Really! So you can sit at your desk and sip a beer?”

Ummm...is there a problem with that?

[festus]

Semi Driver Flips Propane Tank, Flees Scene While Intoxicated

So was he supposed to stay by the flipped propane tank and sober up before fleeing ?

[org.whodat]

This isn't a particularly useful fact when the reporter doesn't tell us what the legal limit is in this case. I doubt that it's 0.08. It's probably considerably lower.

It is zero, you cannot have anything to drink for eight hours prior to driving.

[thackney]

No, but if requested to be tested and you exceed 0.04, that is grounds for dismissal.

[Inquisitive1]

This isn't a particularly useful fact when the reporter doesn't tell us what the legal limit is in this case. I doubt that it's 0.08. It's probably considerably lower

I believe it's 0.04 for CDL class licenses.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I’m sure his story will be that when his rig crashed, he and bottle of vodka were thrown free of the accident. He was so freaked out by the crash that he immediately opened the bottle, breaking the seal of course, and started pounding it in order to calm himself down. That angle didn’t work for the Utah County commissioner but it’s worth a shot. Lord knows his lawyer won’t be counseling him to tell the truth!