Caffeine helps many of us navigate through the circumstances of each day. For one man, however, caffeine only brought headaches after being charged with driving under influence even though he had no other substance in his system.
Caffeine, A Peculiar Case
Just smelling the aroma of the coffee will make one feel less stressed. Besides its delicious taste, it also has numerous positive effects to the body, which is why an average American drinks around 3 cups of coffee per day. However, the supposedly harmless drink may have gotten one particular driver into trouble.
In 2015, 36-year-old Joseph Schwab was pulled over by a California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control agent in an unmarked car, who was worried by Schwab's erratic behavior — he was reportedly driving in and out of traffic until the moment he was stopped.
The agent assumed that the man was under the influence of a substance, considering the way he drives. However, when the breathalyzer was used, Schwab had no alcohol whatsoever in his system. Further blood tests also revealed there was no other substance that could have influenced his driving and the only substance to be discovered was caffeine.
Schwab was quite surprised to find himself charged with DUI and is currently preparing for the trial. His defense team wants the cased dropped due to the fact that no actual charges were filed by the authorities for about 10 months after the incident. If the trial is to happen, then the blood test results will be among the most important pieces of evidence.
"No one believed me that I only had caffeine in my system until I showed them the lab results. I want the charges to be dismissed and my name to be cleared," noted Shwab.
The prosecution plans not to rely on the fact that caffeine was found in the man's system, but will rather try to prove he was under the influence of some other substance, even if it was never detected. The Califnornia Distric Attorney's office filed a motion to dismiss the case but just because the DUI charges didn't stick doesn't mean the man can't be charged with reckless driving.
Grab Your Cup!
In spite of the peculiar incident, no one can deny the many advantages of caffeine. First of all, it may actually make us better drivers due to its effect on the brain. Moreover, it temporarily increases brain power and may even help athletes reach better performances.
So, if you are looking for a stronger dose, choose light roasts instead of dark blends, because less caffeine is lost in the preparation process. Also, don't be afraid to have a cup of your favorite drink in the afternoon. Scientists say it will have a more powerful effect than in the morning.
