Accused Drunk Driver Arrested in Crash that Killed 20-Year-Old Glendale Man
By Craig Knapp on November 15, 2015

In Arizona, it seems as though drunk drivers have dominated headlines in recent years. It’s no longer something that drivers must beware of on weekends, holidays, and late at night. It’s happening in broad daylight, in the middle of the week, and in unexpected ways. The most recent surprise came this past Wednesday, on Veteran’s Day, at 11:30 a.m when James Coughenour crashed into Timothy Jordan Lewis.

Twenty-year-old Timothy Jordan Lewis was driving on Union Hills Drive and 41^st Avenue in Glendale when 36-year-old James Coughenour driving his full-size truck slammed into Timothy’s sports car. This sent Lewis’ car straight into a pole. Pinned between the pole and Coughenour’s truck, Timothy had to be extricated from his vehicle and died at the hospital a half-hour later. On the scene, Coughenour blew a .147 and told police that he had a beer the night before, but not that day. He was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

Further investigation found that this was not James Coughenour’s first offense. In 2006, he was arrested and tried for DUI. Court records showed that he was seen slumped over in his truck with the windows down and the care running. Witnesses watched him for several hours, believed he was unconscious, and finally called police. When officers arrived, they found open beer cans in the car and one in his lap. Coughenour blew a .302 and a .295 on the scene – almost four times the legal limit! A jury found him guilty, but a retrial was granted and a judge found him not guilty.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2010 more than 10,000 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes; one every 51 minutes. In Tempe alone, from October 2013-September 2014, the Tempe Police Department issued 1,446 DUI’s, according to Molly Enbright, the PIO for Tempe Police.

In Arizona, the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) shows that a first offense DUI violation results in: Jail time for not less than 10 consecutive days and fined not less than $1,250. You will also be required to undergo alcohol screening/education/treatment and to equip any vehicle you operate with a certified ignition interlock device, and be ordered to perform community service.

For second and subsequent offenses of DUI: You will be jailed for not less than 90 days and fined not less than $3,000 and your license will be revoked for 12 months. You will also be required to undergo alcohol screening/education/treatment and to equip any vehicle you operate with a certified ignition interlock device, and be ordered to perform community service.

Those who are charged with extreme DUI (a person with an alcohol concentration of 0.15 or higher), the first offense consists of: Jail time for not less than 30 consecutive days with no eligibility for probation or suspended sentence and fined not less than $2,500. You will also be required to undergo alcohol screening/education/treatment and be ordered to perform community service and to equip any vehicle you operate with a certified ignition interlock device.

For second and subsequent offenses of extreme DUI: you will be jailed for not less than 120 days, fined not less than $3,250 and your license will be revoked for 12 months. You will also be required to undergo alcohol screening/education/treatment and to equip any vehicle you operate with a certified ignition interlock device, and be ordered to perform community service.

With safe transportation alternatives in Arizona like the light rail, buses, cabs, Uber, and Lyft – there is no excuse for anyone to get behind the wheel while intoxicated, regardless of the distance you are driving.

If you have lost a loved one in an alcohol-related motor vehicle accident similar to the story of Timothy Jordan Lewis, an experienced car accident attorney at Knapp & Roberts can advise you on your options for filing a wrongful death claim that can provide money damages and help hold drunk drivers accountable. Contact us today at 480-991-7677 to schedule your free initial consultation.