Should Orange County Drunk Drivers Pay for Emergency Response?

Last week, the Los Alamitos City Council discussed possibly charging drunk drivers who cause accidents, up to $1,000 more in fees. In addition to the court, attorney and DMV fees DUI offenders already pay (that sometimes exceed $10,000), the city wants to charge for the fire, ambulance and police assistance that may be required if the offender causes an accident. Already, a few Orange County cities including Anaheim, Huntington Beach and Costa Mesa have a similar program. The city of Westminster has had a similar program for about 10 years and says it recovers about 60% of the costs of a DUI accident.

Some people argue that DUI fees reach between $10,000 and $15,000 already and most DUI offenders cannot afford anymore. Others argue that DUI offenders should pay for the costs that they incurred, instead of the city having to pay for it. Either way you come out on the issue, DUI accidents affect everyone involved, so if you get a DUI, please call an attorney right away to help you through the legal system.

If you have any questions about DUI charges, please call Orange County defense attorney William Weinberg, at 949.474.8009 (Irvine office) or 714.834.1400 (Orange office).