A Beaver Meadows man was found not guilty of driving under the influence in a one-day trial in Carbon County court this week.

Michael Paul Collura, 36, of Beaver Meadows, was arrested for DUI on July 22, 2017, after crashing his vehicle along Berwick Street in Banks Township.

Trooper Anthony Sist, of the Hazleton barracks, responded to the crash scene and located Collura’s vehicle, but the defendant was not present. The trooper later learned that Collura left the scene and went to his girlfriend’s house and she took him to the Hazleton hospital. Sist received a radio dispatch that Collura was at the hospital.

Sist went to the hospital and spoke with Collura. He said Collura had the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on him, had slurred speech and bloodshot/glossy eyes. He also said Collura admitted drinking at a bar earlier in the day.

Collura refused a blood test and no field sobriety tests were performed.

Defense counsel Attorney Michael P. Kelly argued that Sist did not observe Collura driving, so how could he determine he was incapable of safe driving, as there was no blood evidence and no tests were performed.

The jury of seven men and five women found him not guilty.

Assistant District Attorney Seth E. Miller prosecuted the case.