Buncombe DA Moore, N.C. Sen. Jim Davis, Park Ridge team up for blood testing

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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blood_alcohol_testing_2014Press release below. Ron Moore is running for re-election for Buncombe County district attorney. He’s facing a primary challenge from fellow Democrat, and first-time candidate, Todd Williams. The winner of the primary election in May does not face a Republican challenger in November.

N.C. Sen. Jim Davis, Buncombe County District Attorney Ron Moore, and Park Ridge Health are pleased to announce a joint effort designed to save lives in Western North Carolina lost to the crime of impaired driving. Counties in the western part of the state are especially concerned with this crime as we see the devastating effects it has on our community every day. Buncombe County leads the state in the prosecution of Habitual Driving While Impaired cases convicting 339 individuals since 1999. The Buncombe County District Attorney’s Office recently won the 2014 MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) Prosecutor’s Award of Excellence for its innovative DWI Absconder Task Force and commitment to prosecuting impaired driving offenders.

Unfortunately, long delays at the state crime lab have left prosecutors in a difficult position as cases frequently sit for long periods of time awaiting testing by the SBI. Currently, Buncombe County has over 250 DWI cases at the SBI labs in Raleigh and Greensboro awaiting testing. Some cases are over 2 years old.

In an effort to solve this problem, District Attorney Ron Moore teamed up with Senator Jim Davis to pass new legislation which allows hospitals to test blood in driving while impaired cases. Today is the culmination of over a year and a half of work by Senator Davis, District Attorney Moore and others such as Waynesville Chief of Police Bill Hollingsed and Ellen Pitt of Western North Carolina MADD which resulted in the law being changed so that hospitals can test blood in DWI cases and District Attorneys can contract with local hospitals. Park Ridge Health has stepped up to offer these testing services. “Park Ridge Health has always been committed to the health and wellness of Western North Carolina and we are proud to partner with Buncombe County to help keep families safe in our community,” said Jimm Bunch, President and CEO of Park Ridge Health. “Sadly, we see firsthand the tragic consequences of drunk driving in our Emergency Room and we are confident that this innovative new partnership will save lives.”

“I believe this partnership with Park Ridge Health will save lives by expediting prosecution of Driving While Impaired cases. Typically, in Buncombe County, there are over 1,500 new cases of DWI filed each year. In over ten percent of those cases, blood samples must be taken and sent to a lab for testing. A very special thank you to Ellen Pitt of MADD and Waynesville Police Chief Bill Hollingsed for their support of this endeavor,” said District Attorney Ron Moore.

Image link for vial of blood.

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

  • 1

1 Comment

  1. Henry Wadsworth March 28, 2014

    Ron’s the best! He should be reelected as DA too!

    Read about his accomplishments at http://www.ronmooreforda.com!

    Reply

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