A federal judge in Michigan was “super drunk” when he allegedly crashed his car near his vacation home last year, according to court documents obtained by The Detroit News.
Judge Thomas Ludington, 72, crashed the Cadillac into two traffic signs near Petoskey in northern Michigan on October 3. The hits wrecked the vehicle and deployed at least one of the airbags, according to the report.
Michigan State Police arrested Ludington at the scene, and was later released upon posting a $500 bond.
The judge faces charges of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and operating with a high blood-alcohol content.
Under state law, the former charge applies when a driver has a blood alcohol content of 0.08, while the latter charge applies when the blood alcohol content is over 0.17 under what is known as Michigan’s “super drunk” laws.
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The first charge is punishable by up to 93 days in jail, a $500 fine, 360 hours of community service, and vehicle immobilization. The second charge carries up to 180 days in jail, a $700 fine, 360 hours of community service, and vehicle immobilization.
Ludington, who serves on the bench for the Northern Division of Michigan’s Eastern District, is currently scheduled to have his case go before a jury beginning February 27.
News of the case comes after a separate drunk driving incident last week had far worse results.
A college athlete and his girlfriend were killed in a crash in North Carolina, in an incident where illegal immigrant Juan Alvarado Aguilar was charged with felonies.
According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the crash happened late Friday night when Aguilar crossed the center line and collided head-on with another vehicle.
Investigators say Aguilar refused medical treatment at the scene and was transported for a blood draw before being formally charged.
The victims were identified as 20-year-old Fletcher Mark Daniel Harris and 19-year-old Skylar Nichole Provenza. Harris was the driver of the vehicle and a student-athlete at Catawba College, where he played on the men’s soccer team. Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
