Pubdate: Wed, 20 Jun 2018
Source: Sacramento Bee (CA)
Copyright: 2018 The Sacramento Bee
Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/0n4cG7L1
Website: http://www.sacbee.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/376
Author: Jordan Cutler-Tietjen

BIKER DIES AFTER COLLISION WITH DRIVER HIGH ON WEED, POLICE SAY

Police demonstrate the Alere DDS2, a saliva swab test some authorities
are using to determine marijuana impairment, in May at the Capitol in
Sacramento.

Police demonstrate the Alere DDS2, a saliva swab test some authorities
are using to determine marijuana impairment, in May at the Capitol in
Sacramento.

A bicyclist has died after colliding with a vehicle driven by a man
under the influence of marijuana, according to the Sacramento Police
Department.

The cyclist, Amar Askhra, 41, struck the vehicle on Truxel Road near
the South Natomas Community Center at noon on Saturday. The driver had
the right of way, police spokeswoman Linda Matthew said.

Askhra suffered serious injuries and was taken to a local hospital,
Matthew said. He died there three days later, according to the
Sacramento County Coroner's Office.

The driver stayed on the scene after the accident and was subsequently
taken into custody. He was booked with a misdemeanor for driving under
the influence of marijuana, Matthew said.

However, the department's Major Collision Investigation Unit is still
consulting witnesses and examining evidence. It is unclear whether the
driver's impairment was a factor in or a cause of the collision,
Matthew said.

Marijuana is legal for medicinal and recreational use in California.
Unlike driving under the influence of alcohol, which is illegal if the
blood alcohol content of the driver is equal to or greater than .08
percent, there's no legal limit to the amount of marijuana in one's
system. Any blood THC concentration can qualify a driver for a DUI if
authorities determine the driver was "no longer able to drive a
vehicle with the caution of a sober person," according to the Judicial
Council of California Criminal Jury Instructions.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, scientists have yet
to come to a consensus on whether marijuana use statistically impacts
driving ability.

Evidence from a 2013 metadata study published in Clinical Chemistry
suggests that " recent smoking and/or blood THC 2-5 mL are associated
with substantial driving impairment."

However, NIDA reports that a 2015 study conducted by the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration found "no significant increased
crash risk attributable to cannabis after controlling for drivers'
age, gender, race, and presence of alcohol."

State law dictates that a marijuana DUI resulting in a felonious
injury can result in between six and 16 years in prison.
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MAP posted-by: Matt