Long Beach DUI Charges against Man Who Crashed into Building

A 27-year-old man was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol after he reportedly lost control of his pickup truck and crashed into a building in Long Beach. According to this news article, the man was not seriously injured and no one else was hurt in the drunk driving crash. The man was reportedly driving toward the 710 Freeway when he lost control of his Toyota Tacoma pickup truck and hit the east wall of a recreation center. The building sustained moderate damage. The driver was booked for DUI and driving on a suspended license.

It is illegal under the California Vehicle Code to operate a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs:

23152 (a) It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle.

(b) It is unlawful for any person who has 0.08 percent or more, by weight, of alcohol in his or her blood to drive a vehicle.

There are severe penalties and hefty costs associated with a DUI charge. You could face fines, costs associated with alcohol rehabilitation, and attorney’s fees. In addition, you could also face an insurance rate increase, jail time, probation, and community service if convicted of a drunk driving charge. A DUI may be charged as a felony or misdemeanor depending on prior criminal record, the nature and seriousness of the accident, and the person’s level of intoxication.

Please remember that if you have been charged with a DUI, you do not have to automatically plead guilty to it. There are several defenses that can be made, which could result in your drunk driving charges being dismissed or reduced. If you have been accused of drunk driving in Los Angeles, please contact the experienced and skilled Los Angeles drunk driving criminal defense team at Sitkoff & Hanrahan for a free, comprehensive and completely confidential consultation. We have been able to obtain acquittals or alternative sentencing such as community service or alcohol rehabilitation instead of jail time for many of our clients charged with DUI. Call us today at 866-430-8383.

Source article: http://www.presstelegram.com/crime/ci_13017887