Articles Posted in DUI

Photo credit: Las Vegas Police Department

Motley Crue vocalist Vince Neil has been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) near the Las Vegas Strip, according to a recent Associated Press article.

The 49-year-old celebrity was stopped by police on Sunday, June 27, around 11:15 p.m. after leaving the Las Vegas Hilton hotel. He was taken into custody and released on Monday. At the time of the article’s release, information was not provided regarding the details of Neil’s arrest. However, some reports have mentioned that Neil has claimed to be drug and alcohol free for 20 years.

A recent Press Enterprise story reported that a Riverside sobriety checkpoint yielded only one DUI arrest. Officials say 2,830 vehicles went through the checkpoint. Of those vehicles, 1,110 cars were stopped. 93 citations were written (traffic citations are usually written for traffic or minor offenses), 74 vehicles were impounded, 58 drivers had suspended or revoked licenses and one person was arrested for a DUI.

If you are arrested or cited at a California DUI checkpoint, you should know about the rules police officers must follow at a checkpoint. First, the location of all checkpoints must be made public in advance of the checkpoint. They must advertise the location through television or newspaper ads. Police officers are supposed to pull over vehicles by a mathematical formula. They are not supposed to profile drivers or stop drivers because of their appearance. If you are pulled over because an officer thinks you may be intoxicated, you may be asked to perform field sobriety tests, commonly referred to as FST’s.

A DUI charge must be taken seriously. Even a first-time conviction can lead to jail time, fines and mutliple points on your license. If you are a commercial driver, you may lose your commercial driver’s license and lose your job if you are convicted for DUI. If you travel for work, you may have to find other means of transportation to continue working; as license suspensions or license revocations can last for up to three years for a DUI charge. Repeat offenders face even more severe charges. If you have been accused of DUI, please contact a Southern California DUI attorney.

Summer is here. Law enforcement agencies across the nation have launched safety awareness campaigns especially relating to driving under the influence, which usually increases during the summer months. What many of us do not realize is that a number of arrests for being under the influence of alcohol also occur on the water. The dangers of drinking and driving are common knowledge, but the risks of drinking and driving a boat or “boating under the influence” are less known.

According to statistics and reports, boaters with a blood alcohol content level of over 0.10 percent are 10 times more likely to die in a boating accident then someone boating sober. Also, 34 percent of all fatal boating accidents every year happen as a result of someone drinking and operating a boat

The penalties for being convicted of boating while intoxicated in Southern California can be as severe as a DUI. Penalties include fines, jail time and probation. Obviously, boating under the influence is a serious crime that can have terrible consequences, but being wrongfully charged with a BUI is also a big deal. Don’t leave your future up to chance. If you have been charged with boating under the influence, call a California boating under the influence defense lawyer right away.

An ignition interlock device, or IID, tests a driver’s breath and prevents a vehicle’s engine from starting, when the individual is determined to be have too much alcohol on their breath or they a under the influence of alcohol. A driver must first blow into a small handheld alcohol sensor that is connected to the dashboard. This device has a preset acceptable blood alcohol level which is usually around .02 percent and .04 percent.

If the person’s breath shows a blood alcohol level higher than the pre-set level, the car will not start. Many of these devices also have a rolling retest that forces the driver to breathe into it again during the drive. This is to ensure that a friend didn’t take the test for the driver and then let the driver leave on his or her own.

A number of states including California are beginning to require IIDs for repeat DUI offenders or even first-time offenders. There is no question that having to install an IID adds to the cost of a DUI. The cost of installing and maintaining an IID is about $60 a month. California is one of several states that mandate ignition interlock devices for repeat DUI offenders. Counties such as Los Angeles and Orange can even require IIDs for first-time offenders.

California has a long history of initiating harsh penalties on drivers convicted of driving under the influence. Even a first offense for drunk driving can lead to serious consequences. If you are over 21-years-old and are convicted of driving under the influence in California, you are facing:

• Suspension or revocation of your driving license
• Significant fees and fines

A driver was arrested for drunk driving in Orange County after he allegedly struck two other vehicles on the 5 Freeway in Irvine. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the driver of a Dodge Dakota struck a Toyota Tundra and a big rig. The accident reportedly caused injuries. The driver of the Dodge was given a field sobriety test and was then arrested for driving under the influence.

There are many details that go into the defense of an Irvine drunk driving charge. Was a Breathalyzer test given? If it was, when was the last time the Breathalyzer was calibrated? Were the rights of the accused followed during the arrest?

It is important to consult a skilled DUI Irvine defense attorney if you face DUI charges. The stakes are too high not to. Multiple drunk driving convictions carry even greater penalties. A first-time DUI offense could result in a six-month jail sentence, six-month license suspension and monetary fines of up to $1,000. A second DUI offense could result in a one-year jail sentence, two-year driver’s license suspension and more severe fines.

California is considering a new bill to strengthen existing penalties against drunk drivers. Assemblyman Jerry Hill has created a bill to allow judges the right to remove someone’s driving privilege for the rest of their life. This new bill gives judges the power to determine the severity of your charges based on years between convictions, rehabilitation efforts and the severity of your past charges. If this bill passes, who represents you in court can make the difference between being able to drive to work and taking the bus for the rest of your life.

Based on a NBC Los Angeles news article, Assemblyman Hill recently stated that over 310,000 California drivers have more than three DUI convictions. AB 1601 is meant to crack down on repeat offenders. These kinds of sweeping changes can sometimes lead to taking away the rights of individuals who have been falsely convicted of a crime. If a strict judge chooses to abide by the potential new law, even the most minor DUI charges can become life-altering. It is important that you fully understand the law and your rights no matter what the charges are against you. An experienced California drunk driving attorney can walk you through the process and help minimize your charges or even get your case thrown out.

As the law stands, you can be arrested for drunk driving even if you didn’t take a Breathalyzer test. If an officer believes you have been drinking, he or she can arrest you on the spot. Drunk driving is a serious offense with grave consequences in California. A DUI conviction can lead to jail time, hefty fines and can potentially jeopardize your career and future. If you have been charged with a DUI in California, call the DUI defense lawyers at Sitkoff & Hanrahan at 866-430-8383 for a free consultation and evaluation of your case.

A high-ranking city official in Los Angeles was recently arrested for driving under the influence. The Los Angeles Times reports that the official was pulled over after driving too fast on a surface street in the San Gabriel Valley. The 40-year-old man was going home after attending a political event. The Los Angeles city Administrative Officer immediately released an apology and said he is seeking counseling.

The report mentions nothing about erratic or reckless driving. It only states that the man was driving “fast.” There is also no mention of a blood alcohol test. Did you know that police officers can arrest you for having any amount of alcohol in your blood even if it does not exceed the legal limit of 0.08 percent? If you do not know your legal rights, you may have your driver’s license suspended before you even realize that you did not break the law.

The consequences of a DUI conviction are severe. In California, a DUI conviction could remain on your record for seven years. If you have any additional offenses within that time, you may face serious jail time, loss of license, heavy fines and mandatory alcohol counseling programs. A DUI charge can tarnish your reputation and jeopardize your professional career, especially if you are a person of high standing in the community or a public official.