Lower Saucon Township Police said in a news release Tuesday that a man who lost control of his vehicle and crashed on Bingen Road on the afternoon of Dec. 22 has been charged with DUI, after a blood test allegedly confirmed that he had smoked marijuana prior to the accident.
Police said Jonathan Bernardo, 18, of the 2400 block of Black River Road, Lower Saucon Township, was speeding when he lost control of the car, crossed over the double yellow line, hit a ditch on the opposite side of the road and flipped over.
Bernardo subsequently “admitted to smoking marijuana before driving,” police said.
Immediately following the accident, he was taken to St. Luke’s University Hospital for treatment, the news release indicated.
In addition to DUI, police said Bernardo has been charged with careless driving.
The effects of cannabis lasts three hours (approximately) after consumption. However, the tests can show positive for up to 40 days. A drug test would not be conclusive that a person had consumed marijuana prior to an accident. That being known, driving under the influence is stupid, wether it is cannabis, alcohol, or one of the many [altering] pharmaceutical industry product. I am glad the driver admitted their folly, and think it is a shame that cannabis prohibition still plagues our communities. This accident could have been avoided by quality education about responsible recreational cannabis use, just like the alcohol awareness programs.