DUI Lookout for Memorial Day Weekend

Thursday, May 21st, 2009

Throughout Yolo County, law enforcement sends out a strong message to holiday travelers for Memorial Day Weekend that drinking and driving won’t be tolerated. California Highway Patrol (CHP) and Davis Police Department will be combining resources to form “Avoid the 8 DUI” task force on the road after the local festivities.

According to Davis Police Department’s Sgt. Ton Phan, “We’ll be looking for you if you’ll drink and drive. And if you’re over the .08 limit, you’ll be arrested.” The DUI task force will have a checkpoint this weekend. In addition, DUI Saturation Patrols will be roaming around. They advised the public to “immediately designate a sober driver even before the celebrations begin.”

This enforcement campaign will begin Friday night and will continue throughout the weekend. Meanwhile, CHP will be deploying 80% of available officers onto county roads and freeways within their jurisdiction. CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow said, “Memorial Day Weekend celebration can be safe for everyone. It’s all about planning ahead and making sound decisions before you head out on the road. For example, wearing seat belts and designating drivers who will not drink are good habits to have in order to avoid DUI. ”

Tags: CHP, Davis Police Department, drinking and driving, dui, DUI Saturation Patrols, Joe Farrow, law, Memorial Day Weekend, Sgt. Ton Phan, Yolo County
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DUI Sentence for a Man is 20 Years

Wednesday, May 13th, 2009

Gregory Kelly was drinking and partying. He ignored other people’s warning not to drive.

So when he did, he struck a Toyota Highlander carrying Allison Nieto and her mother Susan Price. What’s worse is that Nieto is almost eight months pregnant. The crash killed her baby and severely wounded her and her mother.

Therefore Kelly was sentenced to one count of manslaughter and two counts of aggravated assault. He pleaded guilty to the charge and he will spend 20 years in prison.

According to testimony, the blood alcohol level of Kelly was .20, which is more than double the .08 limit. As a result of the wreck, Nieto’s unborn child was beheaded. Also, she can no longer bear children because of her injuries. So in addition to the physical scars, their whole family is suffering emotional scars as well.

On the other hand, Clarence Guthrie, Kelly’s attorney, said “My client is a quiet and unassuming man. He has pleaded guilty and therefore, accepted full responsibility for this action.” Kelly’s family is in court during the sentencing and his wife told the judge (through sobs) that “Kelly is not a criminal. He is a loving and good man. However, she admitted that he has a drinking problem.”

Tags: Allison Nieto, attorney, blood alcohol level, Clarence Guthrie, drinking and driving, dui, Gregory Kelly
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New York DUI Arrest is Unique

Friday, April 24th, 2009

If you’re arrested for DUI in New York, it can trigger two separate cases. First is DWI (Driving While Intoxicated), which is a criminal case in court. The second is DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) case, where your driving privileges may be suspended by New York DMV if you’re accused.

Moreover, DWI cases in New York can fall under two theories. Your violation can either be just breaking the law “per se” based on alcohol level, but without driving impairment. The other one is breaking the traditional common law where you lack the necessary mental and physical skills to operate a vehicle as a prudent and reasonable driver.

Bear in mind that if there’s a traffic accident, you refuse to take the chemical test, you attempt to evade the police, or your BAC level is more than .15, then your DWI (also known as DUI) case might have harsher penalties or punishment.

Drinking and driving laws in New York are unique. One of them is giving motorists the right to consult with their lawyers before deciding to take the chemical test. Lawyers in New York are already aware that late-night calls are a part of their job description. Therefore, when in New York, make sure you consult first with a qualified lawyer upon DUI arrest.

Tags: DMV, drinking and driving, dui, dwi, lawyers, New York
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Prevent DUI Fatalities as Early as Possible

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009

Fatalities in drunk driving could be prevented. The easiest way would be to avoid getting behind the wheel when you’ve been drinking. So before involving yourself with activities that include alcohol, assign the driving to someone who will drink only non-alcoholic beverages. This would ensure that you’ll be safely home.

According to statistics, about 33% of Americans will be involved in at least one alcohol-related crash. In fact, 2006 statistics say that 1.46 million DUI arrests have already been made. During the same year, 41% of traffic fatalities came from people who are drinking and driving.

This is why many groups work toward passing stricter laws in order to punish offenders. Currently, groups such as MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) combine drunk driving prevention with new technologies. Some of these are:

· Advanced breath testing.

· Touch-based systems that will measure BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) through the skin.

· Visible light measures BAC through spectroscopy.

· Eye-movement measurement technology can also be used to detect elevated BAC levels through involuntary eye closures or other movements that represent drowsiness.

· Ignition lock can be connected to a vehicle’s ignition. The driver needs to blow in the machine to check his or her BAC. If alcohol has been detected, the vehicle will not start up. This is perfect for repeat offenders.

In addition, law enforcement officers or agencies should remain vigilant to prevent accidents. They can set up sobriety checkpoints or saturation patrols spread over a large area.

Tags: drinking and driving, drunk driving, dui, MADD
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DUI Penalties in Kansas

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

Like any other state, Kansas has its own DUI (Driving Under the Influence) laws and penalties. Generally, drivers suspected of drinking and driving need to cooperate with urine, breath, or blood testing to determine alcohol content. This is called “implied consent laws.” If a suspect rejects this, the license can be suspended.

Here are other considerations:

· Blood-Alcohol Concentration (BAC) – any driver with BAC above .08% is already considered “intoxicated” under the law. When this has been proven and substantiated, a driver can be convicted of DUI or DWI (Driving While Intoxicated).

· Enhanced Penalty BAC – some states have more stern punishment for BAC of .15%-.20% above legal limit. These enhanced penalty laws are not available in Kansas.

· Zero Tolerance BAC – all states have “zero tolerance laws” focused on drivers who have not yet reached the legal drinking age. For Kansas, however, people under 21 years old who have BAC of .02% or more are the ones subject to DUI penalties.

· Mandatory Alcohol Education – treatment for alcohol abuse and alcohol prevention programs may be required for Kansas offenders. These steps can take the place of paying fines or serving an imprisonment sentence.

· Administrative License Suspension or Revocation Penalties – For drivers declining to submit to urine, breath, or blood testing, penalties vary from temporary or permanent removal of the license. First offense in Kansas is for 90 days, second offense is for one year, and third offense is for three years.

Tags: BAC, drinking and driving, dui, Kansas
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Various Tests in Field Sobriety

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

Sometimes, do you wonder how police officers know if drivers are drinking and driving? It’s simple. An officer usually asks suspects of intoxication to perform voluntary tests. These are called “field sobriety tests.”

These tests have exercises that will determine if a person still has lucidity, motor skills, and balance. Some of them are as follows:

· Finger to nose – this will require the individual to stand straight, feet together, close their eyes, and touch their nose with an index finger. Officers usually look for muscle tension, eyelid tremors, or body sway.

· Walk and turn – individuals will take “heel-to-toe” steps in one line and then turn to take the same number of steps back. Officers are checking whether the drivers can still follow instructions, balance, and be coordinated.

· Rhomberg Balance Test – drivers will be asked to tilt their head back, close their eyes, and then count silently for 30 seconds. Officers observe if they can stand steady and find out if their internal clock is sped up with stimulant use or slowed down with alcohol intoxication.

· Follow the pen – officers place an object 12 inches from the person’s face and then move it from side to side. They are watching for trembling or involuntary jerking of the eyeball.

In addition to these roadside exercises, some officers also have a “Breathalyzer test” that can check the BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) of a person through their breath. It is a chemical test that will estimate their intoxication level.

Tags: BAC, breathalyzer test, drinking and driving, field sobriety tests
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Charles Barkley DUI charges backfire with TNT

Friday, January 9th, 2009

David Levy the president of the TNT Sports division has indicated today that Charles Barkley will not be on TNT Sports for at least a few weeks at bare minimum and with no final return date being set in place. These events transpired shortly after Charles Barkley was arrested on DUI ( drinking and driving ) in Arizona, he had almost twice the legal limit of alcohol allowed in the state of Arizona when he was pulled over.

The new statement released from the David Levy about Charles Barkley says the following. “When I spoke with Charles, he was apologetic for the events that transpired and it was obvious he understands the significance of the situation. This is an important time for Charles as he deals with the legal and personal issues that confront him. Charles is a valued part of the Turner Sports organization and we are concerned for his well-being”.

To add another twist to the story, in the original police report Charles Barkley indicated to the police officer that the reason he crossed the stop sign is because he was in a hurry to pick up a women he saw. He then told the police officer that this women was giving him sexual favour before and that it was very good, so that is why he picked her up again. However there was no explanation as to why he was driving while being under heavy influence of alcohol.

Tags: barkley dui, barkley tnt, barkley tnt dui, charles barkley dui, charles barkley tnt dui, charles dui, drinking and driving, dui, dui arizona, dwi
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Sam Shepard Caught In The DUI In The State Of Illinois

Monday, January 5th, 2009

Famous 65 year old actor Sam Shepard got caught up in the DUI ( drinking and driving under influence ) incident in Illinois. Shepard was given some testing by the police officer who used the breathalyzer device and they found he had twice the legal limit of alcohol in his blood at the time he was pulled over. At the time he was pulled over police also discovered that he was driving approximately at 46 miles per hour in a zone where only 30 miles per hour was allowed. Shepard told the police on the scene of the drinking and driving incident that he was at a local bar and that he was on his way to a hotel as he was traveling from Minnesota to his home base in Kentucky.

Sam Shepard is best known for his performance in the drama called “Buried Child”, also he was an Oscar nominee in the 1983 for the movie called “The Right Stuff”. This is another case of celebrity based DUI or drinking under influence of alcohol.  Shepard was lucky enough that no accidents happened and that he was pulled over in time before something more dangerous happened to him while being intoxicated and under influence of alcohol.

Tags: alcohol, celebrity dui, celebrity dwi, drinking and driving, dui, dwi, intoxicated
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DUI Incident in Vancouver, B.C

Monday, December 29th, 2008

A man involved in snow related DUI incident in Vancouver, B.C has been charged and sentenced to 2 years in prison. The man has been drinking heavily prior to stepping into his car and has been seen by several witnesses at the local pub, bringing liquor he purchased into his vehicle before heading home. The case is still pending ongoing investigation, related to the pub who sold the liquor to the driver.

Once the man was heading home in his vehicle, completely intoxicated he hit a propane truck who then hit another vehicle which had two more people who are currently in the hospital and recieveing intensive care. When suspect was finally arrested, after trying to escape on foot he was upset and mad about the police bringing him into the custody, he also had a handgun on him and was prepared to fire at the police officers and anything else in his path, although his plan was foiled by quick reaction from the local police department who got tips from several witnesses on the street about the drunken man and handgun he was carrying. This DUI incident will not go without punishment, one of the witnesses said on the scene.

Tags: drinking and driving, dui, dui in vancouver, dui incident, dui laws, intoxicated
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The Mascot arrested in DUI case

Monday, December 1st, 2008

A senior who actually plays the mascot was finally arrested after reckless DUI incident that occured on tuesday night and his status in school is currently under serious review and question.

James S. who was recently pulled over from a specific campus was caught by the office while on regular patrol. The officer who caught him said the vehicle that was being driven was loaded with people piled both onto the trunk and engine area blocking the view of the main driver. After the officer has determined there was heavy drinking involved, the officer finally administered the dui tests and took the person into a hospital where they conducted further investigation and testing on the blood alcohol levels.

James S. was a school mascot for a while, and no one expected this kind of behaviour from him. We found out that student who is a mascot recieves a fairly substantial scholarship, but no word on what the exact amount is. However all this could change since of the incident involving DUI and driving under influence of alcohol. The university sanctions can be fairly extensive in this case and may range from requiring students to either take the mandatory classes in order to get better or they may recieve full expulsion.

Tags: drinking and driving, drinking mascot, driving under influence, dui, mascot DUI
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DUI with a child, drunk driver found in van with minor, family drunk

Thursday, November 13th, 2008

It seems that according to some very credible sources a Kelli T. was finally arrested and brought to justice for the crazy driving and drinking incident involving the minor. When she was pulled over the police officer found her own one year old only son in her own minivan and immidately tried to reach for the actual relatives to help and come take the child away.

But to surprise of the police officer, when actually the three relatives came onto the scene to try and pick up the child, the officer in charge and on duty at the time found that they too have all been exposed to alcohol and had pretty much been drinking for a while it seems.  The actual child father, was among the first ones to arrive onto the incident scene. Once officer actually found out that even he had been drinking, they charged him and he was immidately taken to the local jail as his wife which is also being charged with DUI or driving under influence of alcohol. The grandparents finnally arrived on the scene as well, but they were intoxicated as well, but luckily the grandmother was not of the legal limit. The officers could not believe so many people including most of family members would be drinking and driving.

Tags: drinking and driving, drunk, dui, family drunk, family intoxicated, intoxicated, over limit
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Finding the right lawyer in a California DUI case

Wednesday, September 10th, 2008

DUI law cases in california can take be enduring and hard fought.  It is important to always look for a good lawyer when it comes to a california dui.  A good lawyer will know how to protect you in court and try to find justice.  Many people choose to use public attorneys, but sometimes it is a better decision to look for someone more suitable.   A case in court can take on average anywhere 10 days and this does not include the criminal proceedings and bookings.   It is important to note that the arresting office always has stronger power in court and his opinion is much more relevant unless strong evidence is presented.  Evidence in the case must be also supported and substainiated in law offices of california.  Dui offenders must take events into context before choosing the right person to defend them in court.

Tags: California, california dui, drinking and driving, dui
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