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Will driver in Christmas getup argue elf defense on DUI charge?

People in Virginia and all over the country get arrested on suspicion of drunk driving all the time. While it is unfortunate for those people, most of them have the benefit of not having their mug shot and details of their arrest show up on national news sites. However, one man hit with drunk driving charges recently was unable to avoid that fate when he was pulled over recently while wearing a holiday costume.

It wasn’t just any holiday costume that the driver decided to wear; in fact, it was a lime green outfit similar to the one that Will Ferrell donned for his portrayal of Buddy, a human raised as an elf on the North Pole in the movie “Elf.” As a result of the man being photographed in his costume, accounts of his arrest went viral across the country.

The man was reported to have registered a blood alcohol content level at more than 0.12 percent, which exceeds the legal limit of 0.08 percent. The man was ultimately released on $1,500 bond, but not before he was charged with speeding and drunk driving.

While the circumstances of the man’s arrest are amusing to many, they are no laughing matter for him. A DUI conviction could carry stiff penalties, hefty fines, and the potential to lose driving privileges. People in similar situations often have to install an ignition interlock device in their vehicle in order to prove to officials that they are able to operate a motor vehicle safely and not under the influence. An experienced drunk driving defense attorney can help a client to fight the drunk driving allegations.

Source: New York Daily News, “Louisiana man dressed as Buddy the Elf is charged with drunken driving,” Nina Golgowski, Dec. 16, 2013

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