STAUNTON — Moments before his plea hearing in Augusta County on charges of driving under the influence, a Monterey man tested at more than three times the legal blood-alcohol limit for driving.
“He thought he was going to jail today. He said he was trying to calm his nerves,” defense attorney Paul Titus said of Sean A. Stanton, 34.
Augusta County Judge Jay T. Swett revoked Stanton’s bond, ordered him to Middle River Regional Jail in Verona and continued the plea hearing. Stanton planned to plead guilty, his lawyer said.
A bailiff measured Stanton’s blood-alcohol level at 0.25 percent – the legal limit to drive in Virginia is 0.08 percent – after a probation officer said he smelled what he thought was alcohol, authorities said.
“It was brought to the court’s attention that you may be inebriated, that you’re intoxicated,” Swett said.
Stanton shrugged. “You can go on.”
State police said Stanton last year ran his 1997 Toyota Tacoma off the right side of Route 250 at a curve in Deerfield and smashed the pickup into three motorcycles.
Four motorcyle riders, along with Stanton, were injured., authorities said. Two helicopters and an ambulance transported the crash victims to the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville and Augusta Health in Fishersville.
Authorities charged Stanton with three counts of assault and maiming while driving under the influence and one count of driving under the influence.
“He’s very sorry – it was a tragic accident,” Titus said.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement