Colorado Crime Lab produces false alcohol blood tests in at least 82 DUI cases
Eighty-two people in Colorado Springs, Colorado have reportedly been erroneously charged with DUI based on inaccurate blood test results. During a routine audit, Colorado Spring’s Crime Lab determined that out of 1000 tests conducted since January 2009 eighty-two results were incorrect and misstated the driver’s true blood alcohol content as above the legal limit when it was in fact not over the legal limit.  The review is still in progress and more false DUI blood test results may be discovered.

Crime lab personnel were quoted as saying “All of these samples are being re-analyzed by a senior forensic chemist and the Metro Crime Lab is issuing amended lab reports with the corrected results to the involved criminal justice entities…The Metro Crime Lab has initiated a formal corrective action plan and continues to investigate the root cause and full scope of the problem. To date, the lab has a method for identifying affected cases, and has already implemented new policies and procedures to prevent the problem occurring in the future.”

The Colorado Bureau of Investigations has commenced an independent investigation of the DUI crime lab to uncover the cause of the false DUI blood test results. Agilent Technologies, which manufactures the blood testing machines which are used throughout the country including in Georgia, insists their equipment is accurate. Tests designed by humans no matter how technologically advanced do fail.  Blood samples contain sugar and can ferment if improperly stored creating alcohol where none existed before.