Victims Pay for DUI

Monday, June 8th, 2009

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in Bucks County all flocked to James Michener Art Museum to hold a vigil. Present were Michael Egan, Bristol Township police officer; David Zellis, First District Asst. Attorney; and Colleen Fuller, a DUI victim.

More than 60 people have gathered in the courtyard of the museum. Egan, 33, retold the incident on Aug. 27, 2005 when his life changed because of a drunk driver. “I remember that I was so thirsty. It turned out that the reason is because I lost a lot of blood.”

Egan lost his leg because a drunk driver struck him and Mark Buzby (his fellow officer) while they’re working on a Route 413 accident scene. He was hospitalized for 47 days and he won’t be able to carry his 2-year old daughter as a result.

Moreover, Zellis lamented that the perception of society to DUI has to change. “We have a community desensitized to drunk driving, and that has to change,” he said.

Many speakers went up to tell their tales of losing a loved one or becoming a victim. One of then is Fuller. She was just 26 years old when a running truck (60mph) struck her vehicle in the rear. Although her car is not moving, she was pushed in the back of a big tractor-trailer a few years ago. She suffered many fractures, numerous internal injuries, and a broken back but the drunken driver didn’t have a scratch.

Tags: attorney, Bucks County, Colleen Fuller, David Zellis, drunk driver, dui, James Michener Art Museum, MADD, Michael Egan
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The DUI Trial Process

Sunday, May 10th, 2009

Some DUI cases are resolved or thrown out before reaching trial. However, many will still reach this climactic point.

Jury selection is the first segment of any DUI trial. Juries are selected from potential jurors “pool.” They are usually questioned by prosecution or defense (like requesting certain potential jurors to be removed). For instance, if one of the potential jurors has strong ties with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), he or she may be taken out of the jury. This is done so that dispositions are not biased and a fair verdict will be achieved.

When trial begins, both prosecution and defense starts their opening statements. Evidence and witnesses will be presented and the opposing party may cross-examine them.

Lawyers from opposing camps will have the final chance to convince the jury during the closing arguments. Typically, the prosecution will prove guilt while the defense will argue innocence. Then, the judge will give instructions to the jury.

It’s now time for deliberation and conclusion. Some cases will take a few minutes while some take a few days. Upon reaching the verdict, the courtroom clerk will read it aloud.

With this process, it would be unwise to hire a lawyer who doesn’t specialize in DUI law. And don’t even try to defend yourself. A DUI charge is a serious matter and should be given to the hands of the expert.

Tags: defense, dui, jury, law, lawyer, lawyers, MADD, prosecution, trial
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DUI Arrests are Repeat Offenders

Friday, May 8th, 2009

A recent study published in Denver Post found that out of the drivers charged with DUI every year in Colorado, 10,000 have already been arrested for the same offense. In fact, from 2005-2007, the unique offenders are just above 31,000. This means that there is roughly one out of three drunk drivers repeating their offense and habitually breaking the law.

Out of the 10,000 drunk drivers, these are also true:

· 5,679 had three prior offenses

· 84 had 10 offenses

· 5 had over 20 offenses

The city of Colorado did some steps to combat this issue. One of them is dropping the DUI threshold from .08 to .10. However, there was little improvement that occurred since 2004.

Now, there are some discussions taking place in the state. Organizations such as MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) have been lobbying for a change in Colorado’s laws.

Therefore, lawmakers plan to make drunk driving as a felony offense after several occurrences. In other states, this is already being done – sending convicted drunk drivers to jail after a certain number of offenses. However, Colorado has no limit to the DUI charges that you can obtain in your lifetime. The state has attributed this issue to budget problems.

Tags: Colorado, Denver Post, drunk drivers, dui, law, MADD
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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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