Man Arrested for Drunk Driving After Motor Home Crash

Date: August 9, 2010
Location: Highway 242 near Sisters, Oregon
Names: Frank W. Gasperetti

When police spotted a man walking away from a burning motor home, they arrested him for drunk driving. But the driver later told reporters a very different version of events.

According to an OSP press release, on August 9, 2010, around 1:10 AM, police were advised that a motor home was blocking Highway 242 near Sisters, Oregon. The vehicle was on its side, completely engulfed in flames, and the fire was spreading into nearby trees. Firefighters acted quickly to extinguish the flames.

Trooper Evan Sether was responding to the scene when he saw Frank W. Gasperetti, 39, of Redmond, walking away from the crash scene. Gasperetti was transported back to the accident site, where police arrested him for DUII. Gasperetti was then taken to Lane County Jail, where the DUII investigation was completed. He was cited and released with a court date.

Gasperetti said a wheel on the motor home caught fire, the brakes went out, and when he tried to make a turn, the motor home flipped over. He said he was not drunk, but disoriented due to a head injury from the crash. Since there was no cell phone service in the mountains, he went walking for help.

Gasperetti said that police refused to give him a breath test at the scene. Instead, they did a field sobriety test (walk a straight line, stand on one foot), which he flunked due to his disoriented state. Gasperetti also claimed that when he did blow a Breathalyzer reading, at the jail, no alcohol level was determined.

Any time someone is injured in an accident, it is tragic. And sometimes, not even the police know exactly what happened.

Even “minor injuries” from a car crash can turn into problems that cause pain and affect your life. That’s why it’s so important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Not only will it help identify any serious problems, it will give you a treatment record, which can be helpful if problems develop later.

Also, after an accident, either you, a friend or family member, or a qualified attorney, should collect evidence from the accident scene. Evidence can disappear quickly, so doing this as soon as possible is of extreme importance. We understand that you may not want to do this while you or your loved one is in the hospital, so you may want to ask an Oregon accident attorney to do it for you.

There are time limits to filing a claim if you have been in an accident. And there’s so much stress. Meanwhile, the insurance company won’t leave you alone, but they won’t help you either. So please, do not hesitate to call our Portland personal injury lawyers or request a free copy of our book, 7 Common Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Oregon Accident Case. Our website has helpful advice, and what we don’t cover there, we will be more than happy to answer ourselves.