DUI and DUID in Vermont

Trisha Conti, Ph.D.

December 7, 2016

VFL Toxicology Section

Senior Forensic Chemist / Section Supervisor

Amanda Bolduc

Forensic Chemists

Jeff Dukette

David Patlak

DMT Technician

Rob Driscoll

Information Technician

Marcella Giammanco

VFL Toxicology Section

Oversee evidentiary breath alcohol testing program

Calibration/certification

Maintenance/repair

Record collection

Officer training

Blood testing program

Distribute evidential blood kits

Receive evidence from hospitals/agencies

Test blood for presence/quantity of ethanol

Coordinate shipment of DUI drug samples to NMS Labs

Alcohol Physiology, Pharmacology, Testing, and Impairment Expert Testimony

Evidential Testing – Blood Alcohol

Headspace sampling / gas chromatography – flame ionization

detection (HS-GC/FID)

Measure ethanol concentration in whole blood samples

Detect other volatile compounds (e.g. acetone, methanol, etc.)

Evidential Testing – Breath Alcohol

Infrared spectrometry

Measure ethanol vapor concentration in breath samples

Instrument performs self-checks to ensure reliability

Breath vs. Blood

Breath preferred in Vermont

Minimally invasive

More accessible, less time lapse

Blood can be taken if:

Major crash; subject is in hospital

Subject can not provide an adequate breath sample

Breath test instrument is not reasonably available

Subject is under the influence of drug other than alcohol

Impaired Driving Data

Breath Test Data Analysis

68 agencies with DMTs

Software allows upload to

central computer at VFL

Data from September

2011 – July 2016

>10,000 breath tests

~2200 unique cases/year

Tests by Time of Day

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

14.00%

12:0

0

13:0

0

14:0

0

15:0

0

16:0

0

17:0

0

18:0

0

19:0

0

20:0

0

21:0

0

22:0

0

23:0

0

00:0

0

01:0

0

02:0

0

03:0

0

04:0

0

05:0

0

06:0

0

07:0

0

08:0

0

09:0

0

10:0

0

11:0

0

Tests by Day of Week

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Tests by Month

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Holidays and Weekends

Highest daily test average, 2012-2016:

Jan 1 (16.8)

Nov 1 (14)

Mar 17 (13.8)

Highest one-day overall:

Sunday, March 17, 2013 (28)

Average weekend: ~28 tests

Highest weekend overall:

Oct 30 – Nov 1, 2015 (56)

Tests by Age

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Test Results, All Ages

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

14.00%

16.00%

*Average 0.136 g/210L (highest 0.435 g/210L)

Test Results, Ages 14-20

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

14.00%

16.00%

18.00%

20.00%

High Test Results (>0.20 g/210 L)

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

14.00%

16.00%

18.00%

15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79

Tests by County, per capita*

0.00%

0.50%

1.00%

1.50%

2.00%

2.50%

3.00%

*Based on 2012 census population data

Tests by Town, per capita*

*Based on 2012 census population data

DUI/DUID Testing Summary

2014

150 blood-alcohol samples analyzed by VFL

2239 breath-alcohol tests taken on DMTs

158 blood-drug samples sent to NMS Labs for analysis

2015

180 blood-alcohol samples analyzed by VFL

2184 breath-alcohol tests taken on DMTs

190 blood-drug samples sent to NMS Labs for analysis

2016 (thru 11/30)

137 blood-alcohol samples analyzed by VFL

1865 breath-alcohol tests taken on DMTs

187 blood-drug samples sent to NMS Labs for analysis

Prevalent Drug Classes

Cannabis

Opiates

Synthetic NarcoticsBenzodiazepines

Anti-Depressants

Cocaine

2016

Cannabis

Opiates

Synthetic NarcoticsBenzodiazepines

Anti-Depressants

Non-barbiturates

Cocaine

AmphetaminesOther

2015

Delta-9 THC

~800 blood samples tested for Delta-9 THC (2012–now)

~40% cases positive for Delta-9 THC

~20% cases Delta-9 THC only drug detected

Delta-9 THC Levels in DUI Arrested Drivers

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

< 1 1-2 2-3 3-4 4-5 5-6 6-7 7-8 8-9 9-10 10-15 15-20 > 20

Nu

mb

er

of

case

s

Δ 9 THC Levels (ng/mL)

*Overall average Delta-9 THC = 4.25 ng/mL; 2016 average Delta-9 THC = 4.8 ng/mL

Poly-Drug Use

Multiple drugs found in a sample

Combined or synergistic effects of substances greatly

increase impairment

60% of 2015/2016 DUI drugs cases contained 2+

substances (does not include ethanol)

Future Directions

Bring blood-drug testing in-house at VFL (2017-2018)

Evaluate additional matrices for use

Oral fluid

Potential roadside drug screening capability (oral fluids)

Further analysis of DMT data

Time of stop (proportion of tests within 2 hours of stop)

Questions?

Trisha Conti

Director

Vermont Forensic Laboratory

trisha.conti@vermont.gov