DUI case against South Carolina state senator dismissed

CHARLESTON, S.C. – A driving under the influence case against a South Carolina state senator has been dismissed.

Local media outlets report a judge dismissed the case against state Sen. Paul Campbell on Wednesday, a day before his trial had been set to begin.

The 71-year-old Goose Creek Republican was arrested for DUI after a Nov. 4 crash. He also was accused of giving false information to police after authorities said he lied about who was behind the wheel.

Campbell asked for a blood examination after his arrest, but a trooper didn’t help him get the independent testing, a requirement of state law. His lawyers argued the trooper’s misstep denied him access to potentially favourable evidence.

Campbell and the woman he rear-ended reached a settlement earlier this year.