ramifications of being drugged

[OpenGambit]

A bunch of you guys need to start writing novels or for CSI with the amount of guess work and ridiculous assumptions of facts I see in this thread.

[Rob MacLennan]

a friend of mine crashed into a transport trailer (i don't know all the details) after having a two drinks with her cousin and her cousin's friend, she figures she was drugged, she only remembers having 2 drinks and playing pool. doesn't remember getting in her car or anything until waking up in the hospital. now apparently she is with out a licence because of it.

i can understand being held accountable for drinking and driving but where does the law stand where a noxious substance has been administered unbeknownst to the victim?

Do you know if they took a BAC and if she was over the legal limit?

As OpenGambit says, involuntary intoxication can be an effective defence, but it can also be a tough row to hoe.

Having a BAC that's well below the legal limit is a hell of a good place to start, if there is still evidence that intoxication caused the crash. Having a blood test showing the presence of the "date rape drugs" also helps, as they are rarely taken for recreational use. If a blood or urine sample is taken, then such drugs can generally be detected for a couple of days afterwards, contrary to the CSI "undetectable" crap.

She needs the medical records, at the very least, and the services of a good attorney.

[DownUnder]

Its also quite possible that her injuries in the accident caused her memory loss as well. Ive seen many people not be able to recall anything that happened the hours before an accident.

[Rob MacLennan]

Also true.

[Pan]

could check with the place she drank at, see if there are cameras that caught anyone putting stuff in her drink

[Cat13]

Can't they do blood tests to check for that? According to CSI your hair actually retains signs of being drugged too.

Its not whether or not she was drugged that she needs to prove. But whether or not it was voluntary.

Not quite true. I was drugged 2 different times at bars in West Hollywood (and people wonder why I don't go to bars).

Friend of mine was drugged on three for sure occasions and one shes pretty sure but isnt 100%. One time was a friends party. She said before that she would have trusted everyone there with her life. Now shes extra cautious.

could check with the place she drank at, see if there are cameras that caught anyone putting stuff in her drink

That would be the best option I think.

[nobbie48]

One thing I don't understand:

If she really had been drugged, I assume the symptoms of feeling drowsy/drifting out of consciousness would have been apparent before she completely blacked out. Which leads me to say, she had no business being behind the wheel of the car in the first place. Her cousin/friend should have intervened if they weren't drunk/drugged themselves.

Her explanation is sketchy at best - no evidence and leaving with two companions? Not to mention the admission of drinking beforehand.

Sorry to hear about her situation, but she's going to need some luck and a good lawyer to beat this one.

The problem with any stupifying substance is that it impairs logic. While a regular drinker can say I'm good to go after two the same person wouldn't necessarily recognize an impairment if it was induced by an unfamiliar drug.

[Griffin]

Considering the amount of this going on, how is it that people can be so unconcerned that they have it happen to them at all, let alone repetitively? Do people not protect their drinks in public places? Are people so un-informed that they don't take simple precautions? I am not getting something here.

I mean, how many times do you need to be attacked before you start taking precautions?

My daughter was informed long before legal drinking age that women are highly susceptible to sexual assault and to having their drinks tampered with in bars. She has known since she was about 15 what she needs to do to protect herself. Is that such a rare skill for young women to have? Wow.

To the OP, there should be a simple solution for your firiend - get disclosure and see what the Crown is bringing forward as evidence of impairment. then prepare your defence accordingly. A lawyer is obviously a first step. I think.

[mxs]

How would she prove that she was drugged? vs. she took the drugs intentionally?

Yeah, I can see a problem with that. To me they would treat it as "doping" cases, kind of. Prove that you didn't take it intentionally. I'd say the person's chances are small as I can imagine many people would take this route out.

[mxs]

Considering the amount of this going on, how is it that people can be so unconcerned that they have it happen to them at all, let alone repetitively? Do people not protect their drinks in public places? Are people so un-informed that they don't take simple precautions? I am not getting something here.

I mean, how many times do you need to be attacked before you start taking precautions?

My daughter was informed long before legal drinking age that women are highly susceptible to sexual assault and to having their drinks tampered with in bars. She has known since she was about 15 what she needs to do to protect herself. Is that such a rare skill for young women to have? Wow.

You assume that common sense is very common nowadays, but sadly the opposite is the truth. Oh you are being probably a good parent too, which is not so common either.

[raginduck]

There is a lot of wrong advice and assumptions here. There are not enough details to actually say anything substantial.

But all I will say is that involuntary intoxication can be a effective defence.

Read this post... again. Tell your friend to talk to her lawyer!

[daught]

So this is where all the good stuff is going

Honestly, I find it somewhat hard to believe chicks have their drinks drugged so often. Doesn't make much sense from a rapist angle to just throw drugs in random drinks and see if some chick would fall in his car. I guess he would establish contact first, isolate from friends then drug up.

I think a lot of chicks use "OMG I was drugged" as an excuse for drinking too much.

[Red695]

So this is where all the good stuff is going

Honestly, I find it somewhat hard to believe chicks have their drinks drugged so often. Doesn't make much sense from a rapist angle to just throw drugs in random drinks and see if some chick would fall in his car. I guess he would establish contact first, isolate from friends then drug up.

I think a lot of chicks use "OMG I was drugged" as an excuse for drinking too much.

[QUOTE=daught;1752809]So this is where all the good stuff is going


My first response to this is...Grrrr!!!! You try being a chick and see how awesome it is!!!

But yeah, people will and certainly have used the "I was drugged" excuse for drinking too much.

That being said, it does happen and for those that it has happened to what you just wrote is extremely offensive.

[daught]

[QUOTE=Red695;1752828]

So this is where all the good stuff is going


My first response to this is...Grrrr!!!! You try being a chick and see how awesome it is!!!

But yeah, people will and certainly have used the "I was drugged" excuse for drinking too much.

That being said, it does happen and for those that it has happened to what you just wrote is extremely offensive.

You admit it yourself, people use that excuse. As offensive as it might be, it's good to tackle the issue to bring back personal responsibility when it comes to drinking. I often see females out clubbing that are so drunk that they look like they need a cold shower before getting in bed, not roofies.

[Red695]

[QUOTE=daught;1752860]

You admit it yourself, people use that excuse. As offensive as it might be, it's good to tackle the issue to bring back personal responsibility when it comes to drinking. I often see females out clubbing that are so drunk that they look like they need a cold shower before getting in bed, not roofies.

Of course some people use it as an excuse, no one is going to argue that. It is human nature and there are always ******** out there making the rest of us look bad. But you are missing the point.
Are you saying no one has ever been roofied? No because that would make you a moron and clearly you are on par with a rocket scientist . It does happen. For realsies. Maybe in this case the girl was drugged and maybe she wasn't. We have to assume she was in order to look at the problem and come up with answers to the op's query.
Your comment has no validity here and is clearly pot stirring. I know because I am an expert in that area

[raginduck]

[QUOTE=Red695;1752891]

We have to assume she was in order to look at the problem and come up with answers to the op's query.
Your comment has no validity here and is clearly pot stirring. I know because I am an expert in that area

There is no proper answer to the OP query... except to tell the OP to tell her friend to contact a lawyer and talk to them.

[Mr.Azim]

Crashing into a transport trailer.... if she hit her head in the impact the memory loss could be because of that.

lawyer lawyer lawyer.

[RockerGuy]

Crashing into a transport trailer.... if she hit her head in the impact the memory loss could be because of that.

lawyer lawyer lawyer.

Exactly my first thought.

Even crashing a bike, you can't even remember the specific details of the crash, even if you were perfectly sober.

...talk about recalling evens after drinking and involved with an accident.

[Gumby256]

One question if the OP has lost her license as you stated what was the charge? If it was DUI then 2 drinks were enough to put her over the limit.
The drugs if any would not effect this. Just because she has memory loss does not mean she was drugged. This could be from the accident.

[promac]

If a person shows signs of impairment such as staggering or slurred speech they can still be charged with impaired driving even though they may be under the legal limit. Running into the back of a truck & poor recollection of events is also pretty damning evidence.

It might be a good idea to find out what really happened ie drugs or more serious issues such as fainting, diabetes, seizure, narcolepsy, inner ear problems or some other neurological disorder. I wish your friend the best of luck!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD