Ore. Claims .72 Blood Alcohol Test in DUI—Nine Times Legal Limit

An Oregon drunken driving case has made international news after authorities said they arrested a woman for driving under the influence whose blood alcohol level registered at .72. That is nine times the legal limit in the state and substantially higher than the level ordinarily considered to be lethal.

Terri Comer, 42, of Klamath Falls was found in her car, after apparently having passed out and driven some 100 feet into a snowdrift, according to the Associated Press. She was reportedly unconscious for about 12 hours, but survived to be charged in the DUI case.

A blood alcohol level of .30 or higher is quite unusual, and .40 to .50 can kill, says Klamath County Sheriff Tim Evinger.