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Only time will tell, but apparently there is a fair to decent chance that potentially hundreds of Washington State DUI blood draw cases may be in jeopardy because of a recall on the vials used to collect the prospective DUI suspect’s blood samples. The faulty vials were used in approximately 22 counties across Washington, the vast majority of which were in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties. The issue came to light earlier this month when the WSP toxicology lab was informed that there had been a recall on those aforementioned gray-top tubes. The tubes at issue allegedly had little to no anti-coagulant additives; the white-powdery substance at the bottom of the vial which is required to maintain the integrity of the sample for testing. As a direct result of this problematic issue, it could - and probably will - be argued by DUI defense attorneys that the samples may be compromised and thus the test results related to the same are invalid. It will be interesting to see how the prosecuting attorneys in and around the state choose to deal with the affected blood draw cases moving forward.
If you or a loved one has been arrested for DUI (whether it involved a blood draw or otherwise) you should immediately contact a Seattle DUI defense attorney. A qualified and respected Seattle DUI lawyer, among other things, can quite possibly save the aggrieved person thousands of dollars in court and insurance fees, the extent of loss of privilege to drive, and the amount of jail time to be served. We have said it before and will say it again, Washington DUI laws are far too complicated for any ol’ attorney to handle. Be smart and consult with a qualified and skilled Seattle DUI attorney when arrested for an alcohol and/or drug related DUI in Washington State. SQ Attorneys is here to help – (206) 441-1600.