Pinellas forensic toxicology expert Ron Bell said a blood alcohol level of .430 can be enough to kill someone.
That's the level Pinellas deputies said Brian Jandernal, 30, of Clearwater had in his system when he slammed his Toyota 4-Runner into the back of two cars waiting at a light on Super Bowl Sunday. Behind the wheel of one of the waiting cars was Deputy Matthew Ware.
In Florida, a driver is considered impaired with a blood alcohol level of .08.
The crash happened in the southbound lanes of U.S. 19 at Tampa Road just after 10 Sunday night. Deputies said Jandernal's vehicle was so badly mangled that rescue workers had to extricate him.
Emergency room doctor Wenzel Tirheimer of University Community Hospital in Tampa said poisoning can occur with a blood alcohol level that high.
"You would expect a patient like that to have very poor judgment, poor muscle tone, nausea, vomiting, difficulties doing simple tasks like walking and speaking," Tirheimer said.
Brian Jandernal bonded out of jail early tonight. He faces charges of DUI with property damage, DUI, and DUI with personal injury. The other two drivers involved in the crash were not seriously injured.
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