Category: DUI Defense

A 54-year-old woman was arrested and booked for felony driving under the influence (DUI) after allegedly causing a fatal school bus accident while under the influence of a controlled substance. According to a CBS Los Angeles news report, the fatal bus accident occurred at Brookshire Avenue and Woodland Street in Ventura. Officials say the bus driver was transporting 11 children when she turned left and struck a 75-year-old female pedestrian. The elderly pedestrian suffered critical injuries and died at the hospital. The driver was released on bond and is due in court this month.

There are many charges that can result from an accident when someone has been injured or killed. If the driver was under the influence, it is possible for vehicle manslaughter charges to result in a 16-month, two-, or four-year jail sentence. There are additional penalties if the driver had underage passengers at the time of the incident.

Los Angeles drivers convicted for the first time of drunken driving can expect to receive a sentencing of three years of informal probation, a license suspension, fines and fees of approximately $2,000, and four months of alcohol education classes. There is even the potential for jail time on a first offense. All of these charges increase dramatically if the driver is a repeat offender.

A second driving under the influence (DUI) offense could result in a two-year drunk driving license suspension, mandatory jail time, and an 18-month alcohol education program. Under the law, a second offense can result in a jail sentence of up to one year, but it is more common for the sentence to be between four and 60 days. With the help of an attorney, it may be possible to convert the two-year license suspension into a restricted license after 12 months.

According to The California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs (ADP), there were 195,879 people were arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) in California in the year 2010. The average blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of convicted DUI offenders was .15 percent in the year 2009. That is nearly twice the legal limit. In California, individuals with a BAC of .08 percent or higher can face serious penalties.

Drivers convicted of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol face mandatory jail time of at least 48 hours, three to five years of court probation, fines and court fees between $1,400 and $1,800, a six-month driver’s license suspension, and enrollment in DUI school. These charges may increase if the driver is a repeat offender or if someone was injured in the DUI collision.

Los Angeles County law enforcement agencies arrested 2,098 people for driving under the influence (DUI) through sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols, and regular routine patrols as part of the Avoid the 100’s anti-DUI campaign. According to The Glendora Patch, the arrests occurred over an 18-day period leading into the long Labor Day weekend. Officials made 2,795 arrests during the same period in 2011. The DUI campaigns are likely to get even more intensive during Halloween and later during the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year holidays. The campaigns are made possible by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

When cities conduct sobriety checkpoints or saturation patrols, we often observe that police officers are eager to catch as many drivers as they can. A number of organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) even have awards ceremonies to commend police officers who make the maximum number of DUI arrests each year.

Two days after being arrested in Los Angeles on March 26, 2012, Bobby Brown faces two DUI-related counts and another charge that he was driving on a suspended license. Allegedly, the R&B singer had a blood alcohol level of more than .08, which is the level at which is presumed to be driving under the influence. The singer was pulled over by the California Highway Patrol for driving unsafely and talking on a cell phone without a hands-free unit. The officer suspected the singer was impaired and later on Brown failed the field sobriety test. If convicted, he will face jail time for up to six months for DUI.

Because Los Angeles is such a driving town, it is unfortunately extremely susceptible to a high amount of DUI (driving under the influence) offenses and related accidents, injuries and at times deaths. In 2009, routine stops around LA produced 2,623 DUI arrests in a random (non-holiday) two week period, according to the California Office of Traffic and Safety. The best way to prevent such tragedies is to designate a driver, take a taxi or not drink at all.

If you are facing charges of DUI or if perhaps you know someone who is definitely, the most important thing for you to do at this time is hire encountered and competent contact the Los Angeles DUI Attorney at the Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf to be of assistance or your loved one. For over 40 years, Lawrence Wolf has helped people charged with DUI. In many cases, a jail term is not the appropriate sentence for someone who has been charged with driving under the influence. There are certain alternative options available that can benefit all parties involved far more than incarceration. Our Los Angeles drunk driving attorneywork diligently to ensure our clients receive the best possible outcome for their case, and often recommend alternative forms of punishment rather than spending time in jail. To learn more about how we can help you, call [number type=”1″] today.

Almost 11,000 people are killed in alcohol-related each year and Labor Day weekend has historically had a high number of DUI accidents, which is why many states and local law enforcement agencies will be doing their part for the end of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign for the holiday weekend.

California will be increasing DUI enforcement during the last weekend of this national campaign, which ends on September 5. During the almost month-long campaign, 41 Avoid DUI task forces and more than 100 individual local jurisdictions conducted extra sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols across the state. The campaign also included media and press events. For the final weekend of the “Drive Sober or Pull Over” campaign, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will be conducting a “Maximum Enforcement” campaign, which will increase the number of officers on state roads.

Driving under the influence of alcohol is dangerous and illegal; there is no question as to its legality or devastating consequences. But with increased enforcement campaigns comes an increased focus on drunk drivers. Officers may be so intent on taking dangerous drivers of the road that they see impairment in sober drivers. If you have been arrested for a DUI in Southern California, the skilled Los Angeles drunk driving defense attorneys at The Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf can protect your legal rights. To learn more about getting your charges reduced or entirely dropped, contact us today at [number type=”1″].

KTLA reports that Rodney King was arrested on Tuesday afternoon, July 12, for allegedly driving under the influence in Moreno Valley in Riverside County. King was driving a 1994 Mitsubishi when he was observed by police officers committing “multiple infractions.” He was taken into custody by authorities after they determined he appeared to be under the influence. King was arrested and then booked for driving under the influence. He was later released on a $2,500 bail. Police have not yet released information regarding what substance he was allegedly under.

In 1991, King was famously beaten by four Los Angeles Police Department officers after a police chase. The beating was videotaped and sparked the Los Angeles riots of 1992 after the four officers were tried and acquitted. Later, two officers were charged with violating King’s federal civil rights, and both served prison time.

Since the famous incident, King has had a lengthy record of legal troubles, including severalarrests for driving under the influence in California in 1992 and 1993. In both incidents, charges were not filed. He was also arrested for driving under the influence in Pennsylvania in 1995, for which he was tried and acquitted. He also served jail time in 1995 after he was convicted of a hit-and-run after allegedly hitting his wife with his car. In 2001, King was arrested and charged with being under the influence of the psychedelic drug PCP. After allegedly threatening his ex-girlfriend and daughter, he was also arrested in 2005.

For over 30 years, the drunk driving lawyers in Riverside County at The Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf have helped people charged with DUI. In many cases, a jail term is not the appropriate sentence for someone who has been charged with driving under the influence. There are certain alternative options available that can benefit all parties involved far more than incarceration. Our attorneys work diligently to ensure our clients receive the best possible outcome for their case, and often recommend alternative forms of punishment rather than spending time in jail. To learn more about how we can help you, call 866-390-7373 today.

When stopping a driver on suspicion of drunk driving, a police officer may require the driver to take a chemical test to determine the driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC). Although a chemical test for BAC can be done on a driver’s breath, blood, or urine, most officers begin with an alcohol breath test administered by using a breathalyzer or similar machine.

Like all machines, however, a breath test machine is only as reliable as the person running it. Mistakes in using the breath test machine can cause the reading to be higher than the driver’s BAC actually is, resulting in an arrest or even criminal charges; even though the driver was not in fact violating California’s drunk driving laws.

For instance, a breath test machine will pick up any residual alcohol in the person’s mouth and add it to the reading. A driver who has recently used certain kinds of cold medicine, mouthwash, or other alcohol-containing products may therefore test positive for blood alcohol, even if they are sober. In addition to alcohol left in the mouth, certain other substances can cause some breath test machines to “detect” alcohol whether or not it’s actually present. For instance, some breath test machines are sensitive to cigarette residue, ether, chloroform, or acetone.

Experienced Los Angeles DUI lawyer Lawrence Wolf understands that errors in breath testing can result in improper arrests or charges, and he fights for the best possible outcome in each client’s case. For a free and confidential consultation, call The Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf today at [number type=”1″].