Firefighters Use Jaws Of Life To Rescue Drunken Driver Nearly 5 Times Over Legal Limit

Firefighters in Washington ripped the roof off a wrecked vehicle to rescue the driver, who had to be hospitalized for “medical detoxification” with a blood alcohol level nearly five times the legal limit, authorities said.

The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office said South Kitsap Fire and Rescue crews responded at around 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 16, to a single-vehicle crash into a ditch on the 5100 block of Long Lake Road SE in unincorporated Port Orchard.

Rescuers had to use the Jaws of Life to free the driver, completely removing the roof of the vehicle to reach her. Photos shared by the sheriff’s office show the crumpled car, sans roof, in heavy vegetation along the side of the road.

The woman was transported to St. Anthony Medical Center, and according to the sheriff’s office, a blood draw allegedly showed a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) of .40%, nearly five times the legal limit of .08%.

“Because of the high level of intoxication, medical staff determined the woman would need to remain hospitalized for observation and detoxification,” the sheriff’s office said.

The sheriff’s office said it was forwarding the investigation to the Kitsap County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for review and a charging decision.