Chicago DUI lawyer wonders how a lawyer gets charged with a DUI on the way to a murder trial

This one takes the cake. I suspect after preparing for trial and motions for a considerable amount of time to have an accident on the day of trial and be charged with a DUI has to be a nightmare most trial lawyers never even consider.

June 19, New Boston, TX

A state district judge declared a mistrial in a murder case and ordered a defense attorney to reimburse Bowie County for jury costs after the attorney was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated on his way to court.

Bryan Simmons of nearby Atlanta was taken into custody Tuesday after a car wreck near New Boston.

On Friday, he told The Associated Press that he lost control of his car during a sneezing fit brought on by allergies and black pepper sprinkled on catfish he had just eaten. His car left the road and landed in a ditch with a flat tire.

Simmons says he was "not under the influence of alcohol or any illegal drugs." He said he was just really tired from having kept late hours preparing for the murder trial.

"I might have been too tired to be driving, but hindsight is 20-20," Simmons said.

He demanded a Breathalyzer test but the officer didn't administer it, he said. The results of a blood test he submitted to won't be known for several weeks.

Yikes! I can't imagine having the ability to concentrate on your livelihood, in this case the lives of others, while dealing with your own DUI. I do know other courts have said that you ought to be able to do just that without a problem.