Tag Archives: California DUI

There has been a lot of media attention lately to the development of breath-testing devices that claim to provide law enforcement with the ability to detect and measure the presence and amounts of marijuana in a driver suspected of so-called “stoned driving”.  The accuracy of these devices has yet to be widely-accepted in the scientific community.  See, for example, Is It Possible to Prove Driving Under the Influence of Drugs?   Will science and profit-hungry corporations ever be able to ... Read More »

Being arrested for DUI is never an easy experience. When an arrest comes after a previous DUI conviction, the stakes can be incredibly high. California takes a tough approach when it comes to multiple DUIs and imposes increasingly severe penalties upon convicted drivers. These penalties include elevated fees and expenses, mandatory terms of imprisonment, lengthier license suspension, required ignition interlock device installation, and more court-ordered alcohol classes, among others. Because a conviction for a second, third, or fourth DUI is ... Read More »

Although ignition interlock devices have been used increasingly by law enforcement as a requirement for convicted DUI offenders, not every California offender is required to have them installed in their vehicles. In most cases, IIDs are used for multiple offenders or as pilot programs in only four California counties. A new bill that passed the California Senate at the end of May could make IIDs a requirement for all DUI offenders across the state. The bill – SB 1046 – ... Read More »

Memorial Day Weekend is almost upon us – and many people across Orange County and the country are gearing up for one of the first three-day weekends of the spring/summer season. Naturally, Memorial Day Weekend has become a popular time to travel, celebrate, and enjoy a few drinks. Unfortunately, it also sees a significant spike in alcohol-related arrests, accidents, and injuries. In the U.S., holiday weekends are some of the most dangerous times of year when it comes to impaired ... Read More »

Increased education and awareness about drunk driving have sent a clear message to U.S. drivers – impaired driving claims lives. Among the thousands of alcohol-related deaths that occur throughout the country each year, a good percentage involve underage drivers and victims who are too young to legally drink, even though there are laws in place to prevent them from easily obtaining alcohol. According to a recent study that looked at the problem of underage drunk driving from a broader perspective, ... Read More »

One evening at a restaurant, Martha shares a bottle of wine with a friend.  She nurses one glass over a one-hour dinner.  Nearing the end, another glass is poured from the bottle and she finishes this.  The two friends then order an after-dinner drink.  Noting the time, Martha quickly finishes the drink and leaves.  She is stopped by the police one block from the restaurant.  After questioning and field sobriety tests, she is taken to a police station and tested on a breathalyzer.  The machine shows ... Read More »

DANA POINT, Calif. (AP) — An Orange County man recently released from rehab after three drunken driving convictions died when authorities say a 19-year-old man who had been drinking struck him, a newspaper reported. Haitham Gamal, 38, was bicycling in Dana Point when a 2001 Acura hit him on April 29, the Orange County Register reported Friday. Gamal was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash occurred a day after Gamal pleaded guilty to a January 2013 DUI in Orange County ... Read More »

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — Law enforcement officers in Marin County will be cracking down on drunken driving around the Cinco de Mayo holiday a week from Monday to stop impaired drivers, San Rafael police said Sunday. The county’s Avoid the 13 Task Force will be begin its DUI patrols in anticipation of the annual commemoration with a DUI and driver’s license checkpoint this Friday in San Rafael from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., police spokeswoman Margo Rohrbacher said. Read More »

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Police say the number of drunk-driving arrests has stayed about the same over the last few years, but local roads were just hit with three suspected DUI crashes in less than 12 hours. Read More »

PALMDALE, Calif. (KABC) —  A 16-year-old girl asleep in her bedroom was killed when a suspected drunk driver slammed his Nissan Pathfinder into her apartment complex in Palmdale early Sunday. Family members identified the girl as Giselle Mendoza, a sophomore at Palmdale High School. Investigators said the driver, 20-year-old Roberto Rodriguez, lost control when he turned the corner on the 1000 block of Avenue R around 3:50 a.m. Read More »