March 2010 Archives

Los Angeles City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana is now dealing with a DUI arrest, which is surprising to many people in the L.A community. Some say that the man is the most powerful non-elected official in the city. He oversees the city's $7 billion budget and is paid approximately $220,000, according to L.A List.

A California Highway Patrol officer pulled over Mr. Santana last Thursday in Covina after he was seen traveling at high speeds. A CHP spokesman later said that the man failed a field sobriety test and that he had submitted himself to a blood-alcohol test, but that the test results are not being disclosed to the public.

All drunk drivers better watch out this weekend because the Los Angeles Police Department is planning another sobriety and driver's license checkpoint this Saturday.

LAPD announced that the checkpoint on March 27 will take place on Cahuenga Boulevard near Broadlawn Avenue in the San Fernando Valley. Police say that the checkpoint should last from 7:00 p.m until 2:00 a.m tomorrow. LAPD officers are hoping that this checkpoint will be a successful effort in reducing the incident of injuries, death, and property damage associated with the intoxicated drivers in this area.

MTV reality star Jason Wahler was arrested last week on suspicion of driving under the influence in Newport Beach, according to the Daily Pilot. The man is well-known in Los Angeles and Orange County for his reality show appearances on the MTV shows The Hills and Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County.

Coincidentally, Mr. Wahler is not the only actor on The Hills to be arrested for driving under the influence. Actress Stephanie Pratt was also arrested for suspicion of DUI last October, but with a skilled Los Angeles DUI attorney she was able to establish a plea deal and get her DUI charge dropped in exchange for a no contest plea to one count of misdemeanor exhibition of speed, as stated in an earlier blog post. Now we'll see if Jason Wahler's attorney will do the same.

Ex-Riverside Police Chief Russell Scott Leach was charged with misdemeanor driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol yesterday. The man faces up to six months in jail if convicted.

Associated Press reports that California Highway Patrol investigators determined Mr. Leach had taken prescription drugs and had at least 11 drinks before the he crashed into a fire hydrant on Superbowl Sunday. Mr. Leach officially resigned from his position as Police Chief at the age of 62 on February 11; the same day the city of Riverside made public that he had been involved in a crash. He cited unspecified medical reasons for his resignation.

Los Angeles police are continuing DUI checkpoints this week even after St. Patrick's Day. So be prepared to stop and proceed slowly with caution, if you see a marked checkpoint.

The Los Angeles Police Department has specifically announced that there will be at least one sobriety and driver's license checkpoint on Saturday March 20 in Southeast Los Angeles. LAPD's Crime Task Force will be holding the checkpoint on Manchester Avenue between Hoover Street and Figueroa Street, from 6:00 p.m to 1:00 a.m.

The Fontana Police Department conducted a drunk driving and driver's license checkpoint last Saturday in order to crack down on people who were driving while intoxicated, but Fontana Herald News reports that Saturday's checkpoint yielded few DUI arrests and numerous citations.

Of the 1,501 vehicles that drove through the DUI checkpoint in Fontana, 153 of the vehicles were stopped and 123 citations were issued for various traffic violations. In addition, 91 vehicles were impounded for various reasons, including driving without a valid driver's license.

While over 100 citations were issued for various traffic violations at the checkpoint, the San Bernardino Sun reports that Fontana police officers were only able to arrest eight people at the checkpoint that was being held on Citrus Avenue, across from Fontana High School. Of the eight arrests, only two people were actually arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence.

As Saint Patrick's Day comes our way, Los Angeles police warn that drunk drivers could be on the prowl. So while it's okay to celebrate the Irish holiday by wearing green and sipping Guinness, driving while impaired would not be a good idea. Not only is it dangerous, but the LAPD has announced several sobriety checkpoints for the upcoming week in order to crack down on DUI enforcement. So far, Los Angeles residents can expect DUI checkpoints in the following locations.

• Friday March 12, in the West Valley Area.
• Saturday March 13, in in 77th Street Area.
• Wednesday March 17, in Wilshire Area.
• Friday March 19, in North Hollywood.

A man who is not even of the legal drinking age has been charged with one felony count of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence while intoxicated, the Orange County Register reports. The charge is in connection with a fatal drunk driving accident that left 24-year-old Jesus Avalos-Munguia dead at the scene on March 6, 2010. The incident occurred at approximately 2:45 a.m.

Rigoberto Mendozamora, 20, has been accused of driving under the influence and speeding on Pacific Coast Highway in Dana Point. Mr. Avalos-Munguia was a passenger in Mr. Mendozamora’s Honda sedan, which crashed into a tree near Green Lantern Street. Another passenger named Daniel Higuera was taken to the hospital after the collision to be treated for lacerations and abrasions to his face and body, neck pain, and other possible injuries.

Many jail inmates in Los Angeles are being released early, only it's not because of good behavior. The Los Angeles Times reports that many offenders incarcerated for non-violent crimes including check kiting, petty theft, and drunk driving will not serve their full sentence due to the county's budget problems.

Because the county cannot afford to expand its jail and because jail overcrowding is considered cruel and unusual punishment, officials are left with the decision to release inmates early as a tactic to balance the budget. However, the decision angers anti-drunk driving advocates in the community.

The Los Angeles Police Department has announced that there will be a sobriety and driver's license checkpoint in North Hollywood tonight. The checkpoint will be held at the intersection of Cahuenga Boulevard and West Broadlawn Avenue, from 8:00 P.M to 3:00 A.M. So if you're heading to the North Hollywood area tonight, make sure that you're sober or that you have a designated driver.

A bench warrant has been issued to the former Warrant singer Jani Lane, because he has failed to appear in court two times for a progress hearing, according to E! Online.

His scheduled court hearing, that stems from his 2009 DUI case, was supposed to take place on February 23. But neither the singer or his Los Angeles DUI defense lawyer showed up in court. Contact Music reported that the hearing was then rescheduled for February 24, but Mr. Lane still made no appearance.

Former Heroes star Adrian Pasdar was arrested in January for allegedly driving under the influence; but it appears that his case is far from over, as he has entered a not guilty plea.

The actor ironically played a lawyer-turned senator on the NBC television show, but needless to say he had to hire a lawyer for his own real-life case. His Los Angeles DUI defense lawyer pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of drunk driving on his behalf, according to E! Online. Mr. Pasdar didn't even show up to his own arraignment, which was held last week. Instead, the Los Angeles DUI defense laywer showed up in court to represent the actor.