Driving under the influence of….. Caffeine?

Whitman County Superior Court Judge David Frazier ruled that Daniel Noble, 31, was temporarily insane during the Dec. 9 incident and acquitted him of two felony counts of vehicular assault, two felony counts of hit-and-run and misdemeanor resisting arrest.

A man who allegedly speeds down a country road, hits two pedestrians, gets arrested and then runs handcuffed toward his wife's office in 5-degree weather, all while wearing only pajamas and flip flops, might lead someone to think of alcohol. But his lawyer successfully argued caffeine might be to blame

Washington State University Police arrested 31-year-old Daniel Noble early Monday morning after what state troopers call a "bizarre" series of events that sent two students to the hospital with broken legs. He's charged with two counts of vehicular assault and two counts of hit-and-run. State police and Nobale's attorney, Mark Moorer, say that initial blood work and psychiatric evaluations haven't yet explained what happened. So, Moorer is suggesting that "caffeine-induced psychosis" may be to blame for his client's alleged reckless driving and bizarre behavior.

The lawyer for Dan Noble, 31, of Moscow, said Tuesday that his client was known to consume large amounts of energy drinks and Starbucks coffee. Attorney Mark Moorer described Noble as a financial analyst in the University of Idaho Trust and Investment Office who worked long hours. Attorney Mark Moorer told Whitman County Superior Judge David Frazier that the caffeine could have accounted for Noble's strange behavior.


Drivers on the highway between Moscow and Pullman reported Noble's car driving erratically in the westbound lanes , according to WSU Police reports.

Noble then turned onto Stadium Way, the main street through the WSU campus, where he allegedly struck Hogun Hahm, 23, of Pullman, and Neil Waldbjorn, 19, of Malaga, Wash., in separate crosswalks about a block apart. Both pedestrians suffered a broken leg and other injuries.

According to documents, Noble stopped and exited the vehicle at the intersection of Stadium Way and Grimes Way, about 175 yards from the second victim. When WSU police approached him, Noble became "argumentative, incoherent, and resistive," documents said.

Officers used a Taser to subdue Noble.


  

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