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Here’s a service that saves lives. If you have had too much to drink and don’t want to drive, call them. http://www.thelevfoundation.org/rides/
But here’s the kicker: The organization offers ideas for parents to communicate with their kids about alcohol and drugs. They also offer peer-to-peer mentoring and creates a healthy and Youth to Parent classes, offering “an open environment where parents and children feel comfortable asking and answering questions. Through the “Communicating in a New Millennium” series, LEV has created a unique forum where parents and children engage in dialogue over issues ranging from relationships, to academics and substance abuse”.

This is truly a public service. If you or someone you know fails to take advantage of a service like this and is ultimately arrested, feel free to call my office to discuss your legal problem, no matter where it occurs in Orange County.

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According to nationally compiled statistics, In the United States, 12.8% of all fatal traffic crashes were alcohol-related, and 40% of that number involved teens driving while drinking alcohol.

This is a staggering number, and a preventable situation. Alcohol awareness is a catch-phrase. Teens need to understand first-hand what happens to their bodies and their emotional states when they drink alcohol.

Teen DUI drivers face the loss of their driving privilege for one year, heavy fines and DUI education classes. Their parents face a massive increase in insurance premiums, embarrassment and the knowledge that they cannot monitor their children all the time.

But what if someone is killed by a teen DUI driver? In certain circumstances the parents may be held liable for negligently entrusting their children with a car, knowing the child may drink, drive and possibly crash into someone, causing death.

Southern California and Orange County are heavily populated areas in the United States. More important, people living in all parts of Orange County, whether Irvine, Newport Beach or Santa Ana, are totally dependent on cars for a variety of reasons.

If a teen drinks alcohol and needs to drive home, call a cab. As a parent, tell your kids they get to take a cab once without penalty. Do not drive. If a child kills someone they may face prison. Whether you live in Irvine, Lake Forest or Anaheim Hills, if you are charged with a DUI, call an experienced DUI defense attorney to assist you.

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What’s next, DUI in a swimming pool? According to police, 62-year-old Dennis LeRoy Anderson pleaded guilty to driving his LA-Z Boy recliner drunk, on the street! Apparently, law enforcement was alerted to Anderson when he popped a wheelie while nine beers into a solid buzz.

Doubtless, this will set off a wave of DUI allegations against motorized grannies whoopin’ it up on their three wheelers. Gangs of blue-hairs weaving down the road cannot be too far off.

Ok, DUI is a serious charge, but on this blog post, I’m not going to get up in arms over this one. No one was hurt, and likely no one could have been hurt.

If you are convicted of driving intoxicated in your wheelchair or barcalounger or la-z boy you will have to attend DUI school, have to pay restitution and be put on probation. Whether you live in Santa Ana, Ladera Ranch or Garden Grove, if you are charged with DUI, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you.

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Last week, Nora Reyes of Santa Barbara was driving northbound on southbound Highway 101 in Santa Barbara. Passing motorists called the police to report her. When officers arrived, they saw her driving about 70 miles per hour and going the wrong way. They tried to stop her but she kept driving. Officers stopped the other drivers tho were traveling southbound so no collision could take place. The car eventually drove off of the freeway and into a ditch. The driver was taken into custody after officers noticed obvious signs of intoxication. She will likely be charged with driving under the influence and evading arrest.

Luckily, Reyes did not kill anyone while driving drunk the wrong way on the freeway. A similar incident occurred on the same highway weeks before and two people were killed. A possible defense to this DUI is that the freeways may be confusing and lead people to get on the wrong on-ramp. If you drink too much and want to get home, call a cab. Do not drive. If this woman would have killed someone she could have faced life in prison. Whether you live in Irvine, Lake Forest or Anaheim Hills, if you are charged with a DUI, call an experienced DUI defense attorney to assist you.

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In October, John Hansen was driving erratically and gesturing to other drivers on Highway 395 in California. After officers told him to pull over, he stopped in an alley and would not get out of the car or cooperate with officers. Officers had to close off the highway and then force Hansen out of the vehicle. Officers realized that Hansen was intoxicated so they arrested him for driving under the influence and resisting arrest.

Just as bad as fleeing the scene of a crime is resisting arrest. Both are added charges and add more time to your jail sentence. Hansen will likely have to spend time in jail, take alcohol education classes, have his license revoked and be put on probation. When someone does not come out of the car when officers tell them to, officers think that the suspect may have a weapon and try to kill themselves or others. This is a very dangerous situation and it deserves extra penalties. He likely thought that if he waited in his car long enough, officers would not be able to detect that he had been drinking. Whether you live in Santa Ana, Laguna Woods or Laguna Beach, if you are charged with a DUI, call an experienced DUI defense attorney right away to assist you.

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Cydil Deann Kohlmeyer was walking in San Diego on Monday when she was hit by a Dodge Pickup driven by Deborah Felix. Felix was suspected of being under the influence at the time. After the accident, Felix tried to run away, but witnesses caught her and detained her until officers arrived. Kohlmeyer was rushed to the hospital, where she later died. Felix was also taken to the hospital and then arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. She will likely be charged with vehicular manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol and faces serious prison time.

Trying to run away from the scene of the crime is a crime that comes with more prison time. If you have been drinking and need to get home, ask a sober friend to drive you home or call a taxi cab. For this one mistake, Felix faces: prison time, a revoked license, alcohol education classes, monetary fines and probation. IF she hires a good attorney, a possible defense may be dangerous road conditions that lead to the accident. Whether you live in Fullerton, Irvine or Mission Viejo, if you are charged with DUI manslaughter, call an experienced DUI defense attorney to assist you.

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The Salinas Police Department thought of a creative way to get people to go through their DUI checkpoint instead of avoiding it. Officers will be offering free turkeys to some of the drivers who successfully pass through the checkpoint. This is the seventh year the police department has been doing this and it has attracted many people to pass through. While at the DUI checkpoint, besides the chance of winning a turkey, drivers also get DUI information and may be given field sobriety tests.

I think giving away a free turkey is a great way to attract people to a DUI checkpoint. The only problem I have with it is that most people who go to the checkpoint to get a free turkey, will not pass through drunk and the purpose behind the checkpoint is defeated. This may just be a waste of resources that instead could have been used during a night when most people do not know a checkpoint will be set up. Nevertheless, even if officers catch a few drunk drivers, the streets are safer and they have done their job. Whether you live in Tustin, San Clemente or Brea, if you are charged with a DUI, call an experienced DUI defense attorney right away to assist you.

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This weekend, Robert James Feenan was arrested for the 13th time for driving under the influence since 1983. On Friday, Feenan got into a non-injury crash in Santa Rosa and when police arrived, they determined that Feenan was under the influence. He was arrested and booked in jail on suspicion of driving under the influence with a felony DUI conviction, driving with a suspended license and violation of probation.

Habitual DUI offenders have alcohol problems and court ordered alcohol education classes and rehab are not enough. Even if the government makes a person take alcohol education classes, suspends their license, puts them on probation, and gives them jail, once that driver gets out, they may still drive drunk. The next step would be to install an ignition interlock device that would not allow a driver to start the car until they breathe into a machine installed in their car. This may be the only way to prevent habitual DUI offenders and alcoholics from driving under the influence and is now being used in some counties.

Whether you live in Orange, Fullerton or Stanton, if you are charged with a DUI, call an experienced DUI defense attorney to assist you.

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In 2006, Janene Johns fatally struck Candace Tift, a local teacher, with her car in Newport Beach while under the influence of Xanax, Ambien and cough suppressants. She was arrested and charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. Prosecutors argued that she fell asleep at the wheel and hit Tift from behind with the car. She had been on medication due to an illness and to help deal with grief after her husband’s death. She was convicted last year and was sentenced to six years in prison. She appealed the decision in August, but the conviction was upheld this week.

Often times, people do not know that their prescription drugs can make them drowsy. If you drive while under the influence of any drug that impairs your driving, you can be charged with a DUI. Unfortunately, Johns may not have known about the effects of the drugs that made her fall asleep at the wheel and now faces prison time because of her actions. If you are on medications, make sure to read all of the directions and side effects before driving a car. Whether you live in Orange, Santa Ana or Huntington Beach, if you are charged with DUI manslaughter, call an experienced DUI defense attorney right away to assist you.

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Donald Clark, a former Pittsburgh news anchor who worked under the name Don Cannon, was arrested this week for failing to report for sentence for two prior DUI convictions from 2007. Clark had pleaded guilty to both DUI charges and was supposed to report to jail in October to serve his time. He failed to appear though, and two bench warrants were issued. Police found his address through another officer who had talked to him earlier that day in court regarding another DUI. Police went to his house and arrested him.

Failure to appear in court or report for a sentence can be charged as a misdemeanor or felony. Besides the time Clark will have to serve for the two prior DUI convictions, he will have to serve more time for failing to appear. If you are sentenced to jail time for a DUI, you MUST serve. A lawyer may be able to reduce your sentence, prevent you from going to jail, or recall your warrant though. Whether you live in Laguna Niguel, Villa Park or Westminster, if you are charged with a DUI or have a warrant out for your arrest, call an experienced DUI defense attorney right away to assist you.

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