O.C. Lab Error Leads to Inaccurate DUI Results

Last November, the Los Angeles Times reported a lab error that caused a stir among DUI (driving under the influence) cases pending in Orange County. It was feared that the Orange County Crime Lab has produced inaccurate blood alcohol results in 2,200 cases filed by prosecutors in 2013.

The incident has led prosecutors to send correspondences to people with pending charges feared to be included in the miscalculation—including 900 who were convicted. Statements from crime lab officials say that the “human error” took place over almost five months with mistakes in the forensic examination of blood alcohol content.

Orange County Crime Lab Director Bruce Houlihan shared that the facility discovered the alarming flaws in its analysis early in October while conducting a crucial audit caused by a wrongly calibrated instrument. Lab testing would normally involve two machines before averaging results. Late May of 2013, one of the five-calibrator data points for levels of alcohol in the blood was entered incorrectly therefore causing the glaring error of 0.003 percentage points affecting a handful of results.

While these officials claim that the miscalculation affected only 200 cases, with a mere 20 blood alcohol test levels dropping below 0.08%, a veteran DUI attorney in Orange County would accept no excuses. A group of known DUI attorneys stressed that the erroneous lab testing will affect many more than they claim, as sentences and negotiations are based on how far over the legal limitations a motorist was determined to be.