Fairbanks-area teen faces DUI and drug charges after Badger Road stop

A 17-year-old driver faces DUI and drug charges after a late-night speeding stop on Badger Road turned up a breath alcohol reading above the adult threshold and cannabis paraphernalia in the vehicle.

Troopers pulled the vehicle over at 10:38 p.m. on July 5 after observing it traveling 63 mph in a posted 40-mph zone. A Datamaster breath test returned 0.098, above the 0.08 adult DUI threshold. Under Alaska's "Use It, Lose It" law, drivers under 21 face license revocation for any measurable alcohol while driving, a stricter standard than the adult threshold. Troopers also found a DAB pen and a DAB bong. The minor was charged with Driving Under the Influence and Misconduct Involving a Controlled Substance in the Sixth Degree, then released to a parent.

Because the driver was 17, the case falls under juvenile delinquency procedures in superior court. The Alaska Court System describes the goal of that process as seeking "to hold juveniles accountable for their actions while also providing them with services and supervision designed to rehabilitate them and prevent future delinquent behavior."

All charges reported are accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.