StrangeDriver Registers 'comatose' During BreathalyzerDriver Registers 'comatose' During BreathalyzerThe Associated PressState Police early Tuesday arrested a man whose blood alcohol level allegedly was .491, more than six times the legal limit. (July 23)[Notes:ANCHOR VOICE] [Notes:man walking into courtroom]This 34-year old man is likely to be remembered in Rhode Island. [Notes:various of damaged truck] State police say he was pulled over early Tuesday after slamming his truck into a highway message board on Interstate 95. That's when police gave him a breathalyzer test.SOT: Maj. Steven O'Donnell, Rhode Island State Police: "In the first phase of the drunken driving test was apoint-four-eight, I'm sorry a point-four-eight-nine blood alcohol. A short time thereafter they gave him another test which was point-four-nine-one. Which is a reading that nobody, recent memory, in the state police could remember being that high." [Notes:various of man in court]That's SIX TIMES the legal limit and officials think it may be the highest reading ever for someone who's not dead.The health department says point-4 is classified as comatose -- another tenth of a point is considered fatal.The driver was taken to the hospital where he was put into the detox unit. He was arraigned later in the day and released after promising to be back in court for a hearing Friday. ___ ___, The Associated Press Author: AssociatedPress Keywords: extremely drunk driver registers 'comatose' breathalyzer Added: July 23, 2008
