Prosecutors dropped DUI charges against Loney after a blood test came back negative, reports NBC Sports.
]]> Loney’s DUI arrest stemmed from an incident in November in which Loney allegedly sideswiped several cars on the 101 during rush hour with his Maserati before coming to a stop in the fast lane. When CHP officers responded, they claimed Loney exhibited tell-tale signs of intoxication, such as unsteadiness, eyelid tremors, and excessive sweating. Loney also reportedly refused to take a Breathalyzer test and instead bit off the mouthpiece and spat it at officers.Given the damning evidence against him, Loney seemed like he would need the services of a Los Angeles DUI attorney. However, with the prosecutors’ recent decision to drop charges “due to insufficient evidence to proceed,” Loney can now concentrate on spring training and his recently-signed, one-year, $6.4 million deal with the Dodgers.
If you are pulled over on suspicion of driving under the influence, you have the right to request a blood-alcohol content test if you believe you aren’t intoxicated. But not all DUI stories end as happily as it did for the Dodgers’ James Loney. You should consider consulting the services of an experienced DUI attorney if you are arrested on suspicion of DUI. He or she can inform you of your rights under the law and any possible defenses you may have.
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Right about now, you can just hear the signature grunt of disapproval from Tim Taylor, the main character from the show, can't you?
]]> Police reportedly found Smith behind the wheel of his silver 1998 Honda Accord, which was parked at an angle in front of a fire hydrant, according to TMZ. When officers moved in to investigate, they alleged detected a strong odor of weed and found hash - a type of marijuana - in his car.The 27-year-old was arrested and booked on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs and felony drug possession
Although driving under the influence is typically associated with alcohol intoxication, drivers can also be charged with the offense while under the influence of other drugs. However, it is harder to test for drug impairment, and authorities are still trying to figure out standardized measurements of testing and the appropriate dosage limits that determine elevated crash risks.
If you have been arrested for drugged driving, you should consider speaking with an experienced Los Angeles DUI attorney who can inform you of your rights and potential defenses to drugged driving charges.
Since Taran Noah Smith's last day as Mark Taylor, the youngest son of Tim on "Home Improvement," in 1999, he has reportedly started a vegan food company and became an installation artist, according to the HuffPo. Fans of the show are probably hoping he didn't also pick up a drug habit along the way.
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Drivers at a DUI checkpoint early Saturday morning saw more action than usual, however. A Santa Maria police officer near the end of his shift at a DUI checkpoint was shot and killed after his colleagues tried to arrest him for allegedly having sex with a minor, reports the Los Angeles Times.
]]> Santa Maria Police Chief Danny R. Macagni said a police officer working with him at the DUI checkpoint was forced to shoot the four-year police veteran after he resisted arrest and fired his weapon.“The information that we had in hand demanded that we not let him leave the scene, get in a car, drive somewhere,” said Macagni. “It would put the public at risk if he did.”
However, officers reportedly did not know that they would be putting the public at risk by trying to arrest him at the DUI checkpoint location at the end of his shift, according to Macagni. Usually, police at DUI checkpoints are trying to prevent risks to the public by intoxicated drivers, not the other way around.
The officer was later identified as 29-year-old Albert Covarrubias, Jr. by family members, according to the Times. Covarrubias was allegedly suspected of being inappropriately involved with a 17-year-old girl.
“The community demands that we hold our people to a very high standard, and this type of conduct by a sworn police officer…cannot be tolerated,” Macagni added, “and agencies will take the necessary enforcement action to take these people off the streets.”
Unless you’re suspected of committing a crime as serious as Albert Covarrubias, Jr., you don’t have to worry that the police’s “necessary enforcement action” to take drunk drivers off the streets will be so violent. Law enforcement agencies typically have certain constraints against them when setting up a checkpoint.
In either case, it’s best to keep calm and go along with any police orders.
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Driving a Ford SUV, the allegedly intoxicated driver was heading westbound on Victoria Street at Pacific Avenue when he lost control and took out the pole, according to Sgt. Ron Chamberlin of the Costa Mesa Police Department.
]]> Most of the front-half of the SUV was crumpled, and Costa Mesa firefighters had to free him from the vehicle. He was later transferred to Western Medical Trauma Center in Santa Ana for broken bones. After receiving treatment, he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.Typically, the “per se” limit for drunk driving is 0.08 percent, which means that you are considered intoxicated if your blood-alcohol content is at this level, regardless of whether or not there is additional proof of impairment. Since the driver crashed into a pole, however, police could arrest him even if his blood-alcohol content was under the per se limit.
Fortunately, no one else was injured in the accident besides the allegedly intoxicated driver. Approximately 291 Southern California Edison customers from Costa Mesa to Huntington Beach were still without power by 5:45 in the morning, however, according to The Register. Power was expected to be fully restored by 7:30 this morning.
If you have been arrested on suspicion of DUI, you should consider consulting an experienced Los Angeles DUI attorney. If there has been a minor amount of damage during the DUI crash and no one has been injured, a DUI attorney may be able to argue for a lesser DUI sentence, such as probation or community service.
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Regardless of the lack of chemistry between the two, Starbucks has decided that alcohol and coffee are a perfect combination and will be offering beer and wine in select Southern California shops, reports the Los Angeles Times.
The news prompts images of venti beers and grande wines, or, as others have quipped: artisan nachos; fistfights between caffeinated, drunk hippies; and the world’s first $18 Bud Light.
]]> The idea started in Starbucks’ original hometown of Seattle in 2010 and expanded to Portland, Ore. Starbucks now plans to spread the alcohol love to Southern California, Chicago and Atlanta, prompting some disgruntlement from patrons.“If I wanted a beer, I’d go to a bar,” Valencia police officer Doug Tanaka told the Times. “I bring my grandkids in here. I don’t want to have to deal with a drunk if I’m having coffee.”
Although Starbucks says it’s trying to target those who are looking for a place to relax after work (alcohol will be served after 2 p.m. on weekdays and noon on weekends), Los Angeles drivers need to be cautious about potentially mixing alcohol and caffeine.
If you’re consuming alcoholic drinks with caffeine, you might be more likely to be arrested for a DUI thanks to a possibly higher likelihood of having a false sense of sobriety or increased risk of alcohol poisoning. You don’t want a coffee fix to lead to a DUI arrest.
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But not even the slammer could allegedly stop the former fire captain from getting to the sauce. Huntington Beach police say Hines was caught drunk in jail after drinking hand sanitizer, reports The Orange County Register.
]]> Hines allegedly filtered the hand sanitizer with salt and drank the ethanol to get his alcohol fix, according to Huntington Beach Capt. Russell Reinhart.Hines was originally sent to prison for four years and four months for his felony DUI conviction. He faced a maximum sentence of six years and eight months in state prison for pleading guilty to charges of driving under the influence of alcohol causing bodily injury, driving with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 or more causing injury, hit-and-run with injury, and causing great bodily injury.
However, a judge stayed the conviction in November and gave him one year in jail and five years of probation, according to The Register. Hines was living in the jail as part of its pay-to-stay program, in which inmates pay a fee and work as janitors in the jail.
With his most recent alcohol incident, Hines was charged with a probation violation. The consequences associated with probation violations vary depending on several factors, such as the nature and seriousness of the violation and if there have been prior violations. Hines faces having to serve his original sentence, but, given the circumstances of the offense, it sounds like he may need professional help.
Police are currently investigating when and how he made the sanitizer cocktail.
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The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has agreed to pay $5.6 million to 753 vessel operators for suspending their vehicle driver's licenses because they were convicted of boating under the influence (BUI), reports The Log.
]]> A Los Angeles court ruled in 2007 that the DMV did not have legal authority to suspend the licenses of those convicted of BUIs. The DMV stopped the practice in 2008, but not before a class action lawsuit was brought against the DMV "to vindicate the rights of California motorists," according to The Log.Although you won't lose your driver's license, a BUI can still have serious consequences. BUI convictions can be placed on your driving record, and used to enhance a DUI sentence if you are convicted of a motor vehicle DUI. You are also subject to the same penalties as a DUI, such as jail time and hefty fines and fees.
Further, the U.S. Coast Guard has claimed that alcohol can be more hazardous on water than on land, with boating fatalities increasing by 34 percent when alcohol is involved. With such harsh statistics, it may not be surprising to read that California law enforcement officers have set up BUI checkpoints on the water, especially during the holidays.
A Los Angeles DUI attorney can answer any questions or represent you in court for a BUI, just as they do for those convicted of road vehicle DUIs. For more information on boating under the influence, see our Related Resources section.
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Twenty-five-year-old Matthew Parker is accused of speeding while under the influence in his Toyota Highlander, running a red light and broadsiding the Toyota Corolla the girl was riding in on Friday afternoon in Whittier.
Lany suffered major head trauma and was airlifted to USC Medical Center, while her grandparents - driver Jorge Garcia and passenger Estella Garcia - were also taken to the hospital for minor injuries.
]]> Parker also allegedly tried to flee the scene on foot, leaving his passenger who also suffered minor injuries and was sent to the hospital. He was reportedly found hiding in an apartment complex in the neighborhood where the accident occurred.Parker was arrested on suspicion of felony drunk driving and felony hit-and-run, and his bail was set at $100,000. If convicted, Parker faces serious consequences, especially given the severity of the little girl's injuries. Under the California Vehicle Code, fleeing the scene of an accident is typically punished by less than a year of imprisonment, or a fine. However, if the accident results in permanent, serious injury of another, Jones could get a sentence of two-to-four years in prison if convicted.
For more information on the crime of leaving the scene of an accident, see our Related Resources section.
From the reports of his actions on Friday and the resulting tragic consequences, it sounds like Matthew Parker is going to need an experienced DUI attorney to represent him against all of the allegations.
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Los Angeles resident Keith Wardell Jones was reportedly driving 100 miles per hour on the 605 when he crashed into a Honda Pilot, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Instead of following the law, and stopping to trade information with the victims, Jones reportedly tried to flee the scene on foot, according to the Tribune.
]]> However, a few, responding Good Samaritans prevented him from escaping."One of the people actually handcuffed the guy with flexcuffs," said Officer Luis Mendoza. "They put the flexcuffs on him and they made him sit down."
Under the California Vehicle Code, fleeing the scene of an accident is typically punished by less than a year of imprisonment, or a fine. However, if the accident results in permanent, serious injury of another, Jones could get a sentence of two-to-four years in prison if convicted.
Although the driver of the Pilot suffered minor-to-moderate injuries, the passenger in the vehicle reportedly suffered more serious wounds, which included injuries to the head and spine, according to Officer Doris Peniche.
Jones was booked on suspicion of felony driving under the influence, but additional charges may be added later, according to authorities. It was reported that Jones tried to carjack another vehicle after the crash in his attempt to escape.
From the reports of his actions on Wednesday, it sounds like Jones will need an experienced DUI attorney to represent him against all of the potential charges.
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The Center for Disease Control recently released a report finding that more than 38 million adults binge drink alcohol about four times a month, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Although the stereotype that college kids like to binge drink may be true with more young people admitting to the activity, the report found that older people who binge drink do it more often.
]]> The report defines binge drinking as having at least four or five drinks (depending on your gender) at one time. The average highest number of drinks, on average, was eight.The report also states that frequency and intensity of the binge may be determined by income. Those who made more than $75,000 or more binge drank more often, while those who made less than $25,000 consumed the highest number of drinks on average.
The activity is not concentrated in one geographic location, either. The areas with the most binge drinking activity hit all corners of the country, from Hawaii to New England to Alaska.
Although the report noted that most binge drinkers are - surprisingly - not dependent on alcohol, the health risks of binge drinking are serious. These include an increased risk of suicide and car wrecks.
Perhaps it shouldn't be so surprising that binge drinking is such a problem in the U.S. With products like Pabst Brewing Company's Blast, which has been nicknamed "binge in a can," the culture of drinking excessively has become an accepted pastime.
Driving safety should be a top concern in areas where binge drinking is an issue. From the CDC's report, it looks like that may be everywhere.
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The new law prohibits police officers from impounding the cars of unlicensed drivers who are caught at DUI checkpoint locations.
Los Angeles may also extend the ban on impounds to all traffic stops, not just DUI checkpoint locations, according to NBC.
]]> Although it has nothing to do with whether the driver is drunk or not, the impounding practice is reportedly the most common activity at DUI checkpoints and has been very lucrative for police agencies.Immigration advocates, however, argue that the practice strategically targets undocumented citizens, who are not allowed to apply for driver's licenses in California.
Driving safety advocates, on the other hand, argue that the law allows unsafe drivers to get away with a crime.
"It's a license to kill," Don Rosenberg told NBC. "They've now given unlicensed drivers permission to keep driving, and they're going to kill people."
Unlicensed drivers are reportedly the cause of 20 percent of fatal car crashes, according to the L.A. Police Protective League.
In addition to the controversial impound ban, another new law allows unlicensed or suspected drunk drivers to find another driver to take their car home before the checkpoint ends. If they cannot find a replacement, police can seize the vehicle for 24 hours.
All of the new laws went into effect on Jan. 1. We shall see how the new DUI checkpoint laws will affect road safety in 2012.
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The 26-year-old was the only fatality in a two-collision crash caused by a suspected drunk 21-year-old, according to the LAPD. The drunk driver was reportedly involved in a hit-and-run with a taxi near Hollywood Boulevard and Argyle Avenue five minutes before smashing into a Jeep that Bowers was riding in.
]]> The second collision seriously injured both drivers and Bowers, who was a passenger in the struck car. All three were transported to a local hospital, and Bowers died from his injuries a few hours later. The driver of the Jeep, fellow comedian Josh Adam Meyers, is expected to survive.LAPD has stated that they will arrest the suspected driver on murder charges once his medical condition improves. In addition to murder, the driver could also face felony DUI and misdemeanor hit-and-run charges for his actions. If convicted of all charges, he could face a multi-year prison sentence. Recently, a Bellflower man received a seven-year sentence for killing his passenger during a drunk driving crash.
But the real tragedy is the loss of a popular comedian who survived cancer and was rapidly making a name for himself on the L.A. comedy scene.
In honor of Bowers, we leave you with one of his best one-liners (that we could put in print): “I’m in a long distance relationship. It’s not easy. I live in Los Angeles, and she lives in my imagination.”
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Unfortunately, nearly 250 drivers reportedly didn’t heed our warning and were arrested on suspicion of DUI, reports NBC Los Angeles.
The New Year’s weekend DUI crackdown was conducted by the California Highway Patrol, which reported arresting 248 motorists in Los Angeles County alone. The number represents a nine percent increase from 2010.
]]> The Golden State as a whole didn't fare any better. The CHP has reported 1,181 DUI arrests thus far, which is already an increase from the 961 DUI arrests reported last year, according to NBC Los Angeles.The CHP's "maximum enforcement" holiday crackdown ran in conjunction with Los Angeles County's "Avoid the 100" anti-DUI campaign, which ran until Sunday, Jan. 1. The campaign reportedly included 31 DUI checkpoints and 202 DUI saturation patrols all geared towards preventing drunk driving.
"Our goal is to get the DUI driver off the road before they kill or injure innocent victims, other motorists or quite possibly themselves as well," Sgt. Denise Joslin, a CHP spokeswoman, told NBC Los Angeles.
In L.A. County, two people died on L.A. County freeways in traffic-related deaths, while 18 people died statewide, according to the CHP.
We hope you rang in the New Year safely and - if you were the designated driver - soberly. However, if you were one of the couple of hundred people arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence this New Year's weekend, you should consider speaking with an experienced Los Angeles DUI attorney.
It's probably not a good sign to start off the year with a criminal record.
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Nielsen was reportedly riding in a 2006 Porsche Cayenne on the night of Dec. 21 when a woman allegedly rear-ended her with a Toyota Matrix. The Porsche Nielsen was in then hit another car.
Nielsen was taken to a nearby hospital and received treatment for injuries to her neck and back.
]]> The driver of the Matrix was taken into custody on suspicion of driving under the influence. News reports stated that she may have had a blood-alcohol level greatly exceeding the legal limit of 0.08, according to Yahoo!The driver could face serious penalties since a DUI causing injury can be charged as a felony offense that can result in imprisonment in state prison. The type of offense charged depends on multiple factors, such as the circumstances of the offense and the driver’s prior criminal history. Given the publicity surrounding the incident since a well-known actress was involved, the driver may want to consider seeking the services of an experienced DUI attorney to represent her in court.
The driver could also face lawsuits from Brigitte Nielsen and other passengers who were potentially injured in the DUI wreck for causing their injuries. However, Nielsen may be lenient given her own problems with alcohol abuse. The striking actress has appeared on reality TV show Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew to address her alcohol issues, according to Yahoo!
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The California Highway Patrol reportedly made 138 DUI arrests in Los Angeles County during a 36-hour period from Friday to Christmas morning, according to CBS Los Angeles.
The number of Los Angeles DUI arrests this year represents an increase of 55 arrests from last year. Statewide, 710 people were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, compared to 507 last year, according to the CHP.
]]> The report only covers freeways and unincorporated areas covered by the CHP, however. Los Angeles police and the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department have not yet released any DUI arrest figures, which means the total number of DUI arrests this Christmas weekend will likely rise.The CHP's increased DUI enforcement ran in conjunction with L.A. County's "Avoid the 100" anti-DUI campaign, which runs until January 1. The campaign reportedly includes 32 DUI checkpoints and 202 DUI saturation patrols; Angelenos are strongly advised to find alternative means of transportation for their end-of-the-year festivities.
However, knowing the locations of New Years' Eve DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols will help you get to your festivities quicker. Luckily, authorities have provided lists of DUI checkpoint and saturation patrol locations for the upcoming week.
Even if you don't believe the New Year's Day superstition that what happens on January 1 influences the rest of the year, starting 2012 in a drunk tank is probably one of the worst ways to ring in the New Year.
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