Category: DUI Defense
The California Highway Patrol had extra incentive to celebrate this past New Year’s Eve, particularly since no one was killed on Los Angeles County Roads during the holiday. According to an article, the number of deaths taking place during the holiday period was down more than 33% this year compared to 2008 figures. However, while the number of deaths may have decreased, the number of DUI arrests made by the CHP rose by more than 20% from 88 arrests in 2008 to 108 arrests in 2009. In Los Angeles County as a whole, the number of DUI arrest rose from… Read More
Law enforcement officials impounded 176 vehicles but arrested only 6 impaired drivers at DUI checkpoints in five Los Angeles area cities on the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day. The overwhelming majority of vehicles recently seized at the DUI checkpoints in Whittier, El Monte, Covina, Baldwin Park and Industry were operated by people who were without a valid driver’s license but were not otherwise impaired by alcohol or narcotics. Given the disparity between vehicle impounds and DUI arrests, DUI checkpoints have recently come under significant scrutiny from concerned citizens and legal commentators alike. Of primary concern is the fact that such… Read More
A recent article posted on The San Diego Tribune’s website signonsandiego.com talks about driving while under the influence and the consequences associated with in-car-breath-alcohol analyzers. According to the report, a recently proposed bill would require all convicted DUI offenders nationwide to have ignition interlock devices installed in their automobiles as part of a court-ordered mandate. While installation of this device would certainly not be permanent, it would be required to be present in vehicles of convicted DUI offenders for a period of at least six months. In California, similar legislation was created this past fall that will result in a… Read More
Along with family gatherings and gift exchanges, the holidays bring an increased police presence on city streets and highways. This heightened presence also takes the form of multiple DUI checkpoints which Los Angeles motorists have to deal with. According to a Los Angeles Times blog, the week leading up to, and including Christmas weekend, saw hundreds of individuals arrested for operating motor vehicles while under the influence. Reportedly, more than 1,400 people (a slight increase from 2008 figures) were arrested in Los Angeles for DUI during the weeklong crackdown. DUI checkpoints are meant to help curb the number of impaired… Read More
A three-car traffic accident in Bellflower has left a 6-year-old girl and 9-year-old boy in critical condition. The children’s grandparents, who were also in the vehicle with the children, only sustained minor injuries. According to the Los Angeles Times, the traffic collision occurred on Artesia Boulevard. The vehicle that caused the crash was reportedly fleeing from police after the driver of the vehicle failed to stop at a DUI checkpoint. The three men in the fleeing vehicle, which was also reportedly stolen, left the accident scene on foot, but were later apprehended by law enforcement. The occupants of the third… Read More
CNN.com story recently chronicled the ongoing legal troubles of actress Lindsay Lohan. According the article, a Beverly Hills judge just extended Lohan’s probation in order to give her more time to complete her court-ordered alcohol counseling treatment. To date, Lohan has reportedly not completed the program and her attendance has been less than satisfactory. While her defense attorney explained that Lohan’s career hindered Lohan from completing the program, the presiding judge warned that if she hears of Lohan missing any more meetings, she will sentence Lohan to jail time. Successful completion of the program was mandated based on a 2007… Read More
According to a recent Los Angeles Times article, October playoff baseball may bring out the worst in some fans. That is, Orange County officials are on high alert for individuals that choose to drink during baseball games, and then proceed to operate motor vehicles soon thereafter. The high alert comes on the heels of the death of Nick Adenhart, a promising young pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In April 2009, the 22-year-old Adenhart and two of his friends were killed by an alleged drunk driver less than ten miles from Angel Stadium of Anaheim, where Adenhart had… Read More
According to Los Angeles’s KTLA-TV channel 5, the trial of a man responsible for a drunk-driving crash that took the lives of three people will be postponed for at least six months. Such a decision was determined after the private attorney defending the 22-year-old removed himself from the case, citing inability to adequately defend his client as the basis of his necessary leave. This particular case gained notoriety in that one of the crash victims was 22-year-old Nick Adenhart, a professional baseball player of the Angels. The motorist responsible for the accident now faces 54 years to life in prison… Read More
According to a story from the Los Angeles Times, California drunk drivers that have been convicted of DUI may have to take a Breathalyzer test every time they want to drive their cars. That is, a bill proposes a new program that would place ignition-locking breath analysis systems into the automobiles of those individuals that have been convicted of driving while under the influence. Such a device would force motorists to have to pass a blood alcohol concentration test before their cars are permitted to start. The bill is currently awaiting approval from Governor Schwarzenegger, and is set to run… Read More
According to an article from examiner.com, a Los Angeles county man was recently taken into custody on suspicion of driving under the influence and causing an accident. The 23-year-old man is said by police to have been the cause of the accident that involved a reported four other vehicles. Though the man was not said to have been injured in the crash, a 9-year-old girl that was a passenger in the man’s car was seriously injured and died shortly after arriving at a nearby hospital for treatment. The man now faces charges including vehicular manslaughter, DUI, and child endangerment and… Read More
