DUI Operation At Lake Chelan Under Heavy Criticism From Attorney

A Memorial Day High Visibility Enforcement (HiVE) patrol at Lake Chelan is under heavy criticism by an East Wenatchee attorney. 

John Brangwin of Woods, Brangwin & Bratton, PLLC represents one of the nine people arrested for DUI in the operation. 

He says a state trooper credited with making four arrests took two people into custody who registered a fraction of the legal limit for alcohol. 

“That’s an out-of-control agency with an out-of-control trooper that doesn’t care about actually arresting guilty people,” said Brangwin. “That’s just someone who cares about making arrests in order to justify their existence.” 

Brangwin said he only checked two of the breath tests out of the nine people arrested. 

He provided KPQ with copies of the two tests. One showed a blood alcohol level of .046 while the other registered .006. The legal limit for alcohol intoxication is .08.  

Brangwin is representing the woman who registered .006. He likened the result to a motorist driving six miles per hour under an 80 miles per hour speed limit. 

State Patrol Trooper Jeremy Weber offered the following statement to KPQ: 

“This is a current investigation so we cannot be commenting on specifics.  We are aware of the concerns, and it is under internal review. 

In everything we do, we want to always do the right thing.  When we make an arrest, we look at the totality of the circumstance and the ramifications of not making an arrest.” 

Again, this is an ongoing investigation and under internal review.  At the end of the day, strive to always do it right.” 

It’s a fact that people can be legally intoxicated under the influence of drugs or medications without registering any blood alcohol level. 

Brangwin said he argued for his client in Chelan Couty District Court that there was not probable cause for his client’s arrest and said Judge John Volyn agreed there was not probable cause. 

He asked for the charges against the client to be vacated but has not heard back from the state patrol on the issue. 

Brangwin said he’ll take the case to trial if the charges aren’t dropped. 

He further told KPQ he’s filed a complaint with the state patrol office of professional standards and will discuss a lawsuit against the state patrol with his client later. 

Brangwin is an attorney who specializes in criminal defense, DUI and injury cases.