Beto O'Rourke's false claim that he did not attempt to leave the premises

"I have not tried to leave the scene of the accident, although driving drunk, which I have done, is a terrible mistake for which there is no reason for it. Excuse, justification or defense, and I will not try to provide any. "

– Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-Tex.), Senate Candidate, during a debate Friday

During a debate with his rival, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), representing Beto O. Rourke (D-Tex.), He was questioned aloud about a state-of-the-art driving incident. drunkenness at the age of 26: the scene of the crash? The Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News had recently obtained police reports about the crash and said O'Rourke had done so.

O'Rourke responded with what seemed like a handy answer. He categorically denied attempting to leave the scene of the accident but added that driving while intoxicated was a "terrible mistake" and that he would provide no excuse. He then reflected on the importance of second chances.

Cruz, for his part, said he would not discuss the issue, but turned to a discussion about O'Rourke's sponsorship of a resolution in 2009 to debate the legalization of narcotics then that he was on El Paso City Council. Interestingly, Cruz appeared to try to argue his point of view. He had previously obtained a "fake" PolitiFact Texas saying the resolution was to legalize all narcotics, rather than just debating the issue.

O'Rourke's assertion that he did not attempt to leave the scene of the accident is, however, disputed by the police records. So, that deserves a factual verification.

Facts

At approximately 3:00 am on September 27, 1998, at a suburb of Anthony, Texas, 20 miles north of El Paso, police officer Richard Carrera was dispatched to Interstate 10 approximately one kilometer away. the border with New Mexico. .

He met the driver, identified as Robert Francis O'Rourke, and asked him what had happened: "The accused stated that he had caused an accident," writes Carrera in his complaint. , accusing O'Rourke of driving while intoxicated.

In another archival report filed with the Texas Department of Public Security, Carrera wrote that "the accused was unable to be understood because of speech disorders" and that he had "bright eyes" an odor alcoholic drink. "When Carrera asked O 'Rourke to get out of the vehicle, he was" almost dropped to the ground "and was repeatedly unable to pass a resistance test on one leg. He "failed by totally losing his balance".

When O'Rourke blew into a breathalyzer, the results were a blood alcohol level of .136 and .134. The legal limit of the state in Texas at the time was 0.10; a year later, it was lowered to 0.08. With a blood alcohol level between 0.130 and 0.159, a person suffers from "severe motor impairment and a lack of physical control. Blurred vision and major balance loss. Euphoria reduces and starts dysphoria (state of malaise). For a 190-pound man, O'Rourke's weight stated in the police report, the blood alcohol level is reached after six drinks.

O'Rourke's crashed on the night of his 26th birthday. He registered his job as a salesman. (He had just returned from New York to El Paso and was starting an internet service company.)

In his interview with DWI, O'Rourke reported eating last time at 7 pm – pasta – and consumed two beers. He also mentioned that he had a cold.

The incident was observed by a witness. He told Carrera that O 'Rourke, driving a Volvo, had passed it at a high speed in an area of ​​75 mph, then lost control and "hit a truck in the same direction ". at the stop. (This video shows Interstate 10 near the accident.)

"The defendant / driver then tried to leave," Carrera reported. "The reporter then turned on his position lights to warn oncoming traffic and try to arrest the defendant."

Similar information appears in another document, the incident report and crime: "The driver tried to leave the accident but was arrested by the reporter".

There are inconsistencies in police records – the Volvo O 'Rourke is described as being both black and green, and he travels either west or east. crash. The witness is not identified. We were unable to locate Carrera for further comments.

The charges were dismissed after O'Rourke, whose father was the elected El Paso County judge, completed a court-approved diversion program, Chronicle reported.

A spokesperson for O'Rourke's campaign did not respond to e-mails or text messages.

The Pinocchio test

At The Fact Checker, we place great value on contemporary recordings. The police reports show that O'Rourke was not only very intoxicated but that a witness in the accident stated that he had attempted to leave the premises.

O'Rourke was so drunk he could barely get out of the car without falling, so he might not have been far away – or he was just confused. O'Rourke may think he did not try to leave. But, given his blood alcohol level at the time of the accident, the memory of O'Rourke, 20 years after the fact, is not as credible as police reports written just hours after the crash .

O'Rourke could have avoided the question during the debate or he could have said that his memory of the night was unclear. Instead, he chose to challenge the factual record. We also believe in a second chance and O'Rourke should review his answer if given another opportunity. In the meantime, he wins four Pinocchios.

Four Pinocchios

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