Posts Tagged ‘orange county dui attorneys’

Orange County DUI arrests up this New Year’s Eve

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

Our Newport Beach DUI Lawyers have learned that, with roving patrols and numerous checkpoints, Orange County law enforcement agencies arrested 786 people on suspicion of driving under the influence during the winter holiday anti-DUI campaign.

The multi-agency crackdown from Dec. 16 to Jan. 1, known as “Avoid the 38,” involved the California Highway Patrol, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and police departments. There were no reported DUI fatal collisions.

During the 17-day holiday enforcement period the previous year, 743 people were arrested for driving under the influence, according to the “Avoid” database.

Numerous patrols and checkpoints were scheduled countywide during the New Year weekend in Laguna Niguel, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, La Habra, Westminster, Anaheim, Buena Park and Placentia.

Image by John McNab via Flickr

Posts Tagged ‘orange county dui attorneys’

Orange County DUI arrests up this New Year’s Eve

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

In Addition to the Costa Mesa DUI Checkpoints I’ve posted below, twelve police agencies in the “Avoid” DUI task force will conduct roving patrols tonight in Stanton and Villa Park.

The DUI officers will target areas that have a high incidence of DUI-related arrests and collisions. If you have questions for our Orange County DUI Lawyers, call me anytime at (714) 568-1560.

Posts Tagged ‘orange county dui attorneys’

Orange County DUI arrests up this New Year’s Eve

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

Law enforcement officials earlier this year declared 2010 to be the “Year of the DUI Checkpoint.”

College students are of the many participants in growing DUI statistics in California.

Cal State Fullerton student Brandon Salgado, business major, is just one of many students to experience receiving a DUI.

On the night of his DUI, Brandon had met with one of his friends for dinner. He drank five margaritas and one shot of tequila before he left the restaurant.

“I realized that I was buzzed, but I had never really taken a breathalyzer and didn’t really understand what .08 felt like,” Salgado said.

He was pulled over by police when he was driving through Irvine on his way home to Ladera Ranch. When the police officer asked if Salgado had been drinking he said no. The officer pulled out a light and ran it back and forth across his eyes. Salgado was asked to get out of the car.

“He explained that my eyes ‘fluttered’ and that was a sign of being under the influence. When he brought out the breathalyzer, I blew into it, and soon after he put the cuffs on my hand,” Salgado said. “He was frustrated with me because I had not been honest, but was being a little more sympathetic once he had me in cuffs.”

Salgado was taken to Santa Ana jail, where he was given a blood test. But the amount of alcohol in his blood stream was too high, he was going to receive a DUI.

“Then I was placed in a holding cell with the rest of the people that had been admitted,” Salgado said. “The rest of the night was spent moving me into different cells, usually with people who also had been brought in for DUI.”

Consequences for DUI offenders persists even after jail time.

“I had to attend (Alcoholics Anonymous) classes once a week for about a month and a half and the classes lasted about seven hours,” Salgado said. “In the end, it ended up costing thousands, between actual DUI fines, classes and towing fees.”

The $10,000 ride home is usually a lesson learned for many people who have received a DUI.

“It’s a very sobering experience. You can’t drive for six months and it’s very job limiting because you can’t get a job outside of the neighborhood. It’s depressing,” said Damon Laguna, 32.

Tom Lavelle, 20, said he knows 30 people that will not drink and drive when they hear about his DUI experience.

“I feel like the whole thing was a learning experience,” Salgado said. “I have driven at times that I know I was more intoxicated than this unfortunate night. Also, I believe that after this experience, I have been more responsible about letting my friends drive. It was an expensive learning experience.”

Posts Tagged ‘orange county dui attorneys’

Orange County DUI arrests up this New Year’s Eve

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

Our Orange County DUI Lawyers have learned that the Costa Mesa Police Department Traffic Safety Bureau will be conducting two DUI/Drivers License checkpoints leading up to Thanksgiving and Black Friday.Police have said that they are checking for valid licenses and will be impounding vehicles if you don’t have a valid license also.

The first checkpoint is scheduled for Saturday, November 20, 2010, from 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. at Harbor Boulevard/Victoria Street.

The second checkpoint is scheduled for Monday, November 22, 2010, from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at Sunflower Avenue/Plaza Drive.

Although DUI checkpoints are not nearly as effective as the more efficient police saturation patrols, DUI checkpoints can result in major cash for police departments, due to impound fees, (a driver’s license impound for 30 days can mean thousands of dollars for the police and the impound yard), funding from MADD, and grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Posts Tagged ‘orange county dui attorneys’

Orange County DUI arrests up this New Year’s Eve

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

Police in one Orange County city may post the names of people arrested for drunken driving on Facebook.

Huntington Beach Councilman Devin Dwyer suggested the plan at Monday’s council meeting, the Los Angeles Times reported. He said the local newspaper no longer lists DUI arrests and Facebook would serve as a substitute.

Lt. Russell Reinhart said the police department is considering Dwyer’s suggestion.

“I didn’t think public shaming for driving under the influence was such a bad idea,” Dwyer said. “I would use any tool necessary to bring down the numbers of drunk drivers.”

A report released in July said there were 1,687 arrests for DUI in Huntington Beach in 2009 and 274 crashes where drunken driving was a contributing factor. Local officials say that is one of the worst records in the state for a city with a population of just over 200,000.

The city is planning a drunk-driving campaign, with more police officers assigned to make traffic stops. Other steps include posting the names of those arrested on the city Web site and sending letters to bars whose patrons have been arrested.

Posts Tagged ‘orange county dui attorneys’

Orange County DUI arrests up this New Year’s Eve

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

Last night I went to a demonstration and fundraiser for a new dog for the Fullerton Police Department.  Fullerton lost their K-9 unit When it comes to a sense of duty, pound for pound, they have no equal.

They never hesitate to chase down bad guys;  when they start barking orders, you can bet crooks listen;  and when their shift is over, all they ask is a little kibble and a game of catch.

“They” are the members of the Fullerton Police Department’s K-9 Corps and they are valuable tools in the department’s mission to protect and serve the citizens of Fullerton.

But today, the department’s two-dog K-9 team is down one:  “Officer” Jager, a German shepherd, has retired from an impressive tour of duty with his human counterparts, leaving only “Officer” Blitz available to help patrol the mean streets of Fullerton.

“The K-9s are valuable resources for the department, especially in the area of officer protection,” said Police Chief Michael Sellers.  “It definitely impacts our operations to be down one dog.”

Sellers said Jager’s absence will especially impact the department’s narcotics enforcement efforts as he was cross-trained to sniff out drugs.  The Chief noted that in Jager’s three years on the job, he helped with hundreds of drug searches and with the arrests of numerous suspects for drug violations.

Sellers said Jager was also instrumental in helping officers search and locate suspects in shootings and assaults, as well as with countless residential and business alarm calls.

With the current economic downtown impacting municipal budgets, the Police Department does not have the funds available to replace Jager.  Sellers said the department is hoping citizens will step forward, as they have in the past, and donate toward the purchase of a new dog for the department.

A fund has been set up and donations may be sent to the Fullerton Police Department at 237 W. Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton, CA 92832.  Checks should be made payable to the City of Fullerton, with the words “Police K-9 Program” in the check notation box.

Further information about the K-9 fund-raising effort may be obtained by calling Sgt. Andrew Goodrich of the Fullerton Police Department at (714) 738-6838, or by email at AGoodrich@fpd.org.

Posts Tagged ‘orange county dui attorneys’

Orange County DUI arrests up this New Year’s Eve

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

Our Newport Beach DUI Lawyers have been informed that the Newport Beach Police Department has announced a partnership project with the UC-Irvine Health Education Center, RADD-the Entertainment Industry’s Voice for Road Safety, and the Newport Beach Tavern Owners Association to bring the RADD Rewards Program, a public/private initiative to reduce drunk driving, to the Newport Beach community.

Through the RADD Designated Driver Rewards program, 13 prominent members of the Tavern Owners Association volunteered to provide special incentives and free non-alcohol beverages to honor non-drinking designated drivers who pledge to get their friends home safely.   Participating establishments include Baja Sharkeez, Balboa Saloon, Beach Ball, Blackies By the Sea, Brew Co., Cabo Cantina, Class of ’47, Mutt Lynch’s, The Blue Beet, The District, Woody’s Wharf, Malarky’s Irish Pub, and Rudy’s Pub & Grill.

The “RADD College DUI Awareness Program” identifies popular bars and restaurants that cater to campus populations and encourages participation in the RADD Rewards Program. The RADD Rewards Program identifies and rewards designated drivers at local establishments. Tavern owners donate the rewards and administer the program in their venues.  UCI’s peer educators and staff will provide participating Newport Beach bars with free Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) training and display materials that feature RADD’s “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk….Do You?” message and a designated driver pledge card.

Thanks to a generous grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Administration, the UCI Health Education Center joins seven other universities statewide receiving funding to provide training for student leaders in RBS and other environmental management practices related to alcohol.  The program also provides support for large-scale, campus-wide events promoting alcohol awareness through interactive, educational games and activities.

“UCI has enjoyed the partnership with RADD as its college program development partner since 2009. We’re pleased to be activating the retailer rewards component in our own community through the alliance with the Newport PD and the Tavern Owners Association,” said Ms. Ball, Acting Director of the UC-Irvine Health Education Center.

“We at RADD are very excited to welcome the Newport Beach Tavern Owners Association to the family of RADD Rewards partners, and look forward to supporting the UCI-Newport Beach PD initiative for road safety on-and-off campus in Orange County,” said Marian Novak, RADD California Coalition Manager.

About the RADD College Program

In 2009, RADD partnered with the UC-Irvine Health Education Center.  Through this partnership, support from a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) continues the development and expansion of university-based designated driver initiatives. RADD has partnered with eight California universities, and is a proud two-time recipient of the US Department of Transportation’s prestigious “Public Service Award.”

http://www.collegeisradd.org/

http://www.radd.org

For further information regarding the local program, please contact NBPD’s ABC Liaison, Detective Bryan Moore-(949) 644-3725. bmoore@nbpd.org, or, if you have questions for our Newport Beach DUI attorneys, feel free to call us at (949) 682-5316 anytime.

Posts Tagged ‘orange county dui attorneys’

Orange County DUI arrests up this New Year’s Eve

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

(AP) FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) – Former “Partridge Family” heartthrob David Cassidy has been charged with driving under the influence in Florida. The Florida Highway Patrol said his car was stopped around 6 p.m. Wednesday for weaving and nearly causing an accident.

Cassidy told a trooper that he had a glass of wine at lunch and a pain pill at 3:30 p.m. Troopers reported finding a half-empty bottle of bourbon in the back seat.

The FHP says Cassidy failed a field sobriety test and two breath tests. He was released from jail early Thursday.

His spokeswoman, Jo-Ann Geffen, told TMZ he took a pain pill and was tired from attending a funeral, but insists he was not drunk. She wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press that Cassidy thanked family, friends and fans for their love and support.

Posts Tagged ‘orange county dui attorneys’

Orange County DUI arrests up this New Year’s Eve

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

As one of a select few Orange County DUI Lawyers, I always want to see the booking photos from Halloween DUI checkpoints, as I imagine them full of vampire and bumblebee costumes, etc.  Costa Mesa police arrested nine suspected drunk drivers and ticketed 17 others during a Halloween night checkpoint and increased police patrols on Sunday evening.

Funded by a state grant, officers working overtime stopped 579 of 2,147 cars at Newport Boulevard and Flower Street on the night of Oct. 31. A saturation patrol had extra officers patrolling city streets and looking solely for drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol.  Overtime is the key word there, because the police department gets substantial funding from not only the Federal government or DUI checkpoints, but gets funding from the State specifically for officer overtime, and they take advantage of that cash.

The checkpoint netted five DUI arrests, and 17 tickets were handed out to motorists without a valid driver’s license. Eleven vehicles were impounded. The saturation patrol led to 58 traffic stops, with police arresting four drivers for possibly driving drunk. As you can see, even though 2,147 cars went into the checkpoint, Saturation patrols are much, much MUCH more effective at catching and arresting persons suspected of DUI, and less inconvenient for all, but DUI checkpoints persist, why?  Because of the money.  Just my opinion as a Newport Beach DUI Lawyer that has practiced in the area over 15 years.

Posts Tagged ‘orange county dui attorneys’

Orange County DUI arrests up this New Year’s Eve

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

CHULA VISTA, CA – Officers from the Chula Vista Police Department’s DUI Enforcement Team will be deploying officers on a saturation patrol this weekend to crack down on drunk driving in the city’s ongoing effort to improve traffic safety, save lives and prevent injuries.

Chula Vista PD will be conducting this “Zero Tolerance” DUI Saturation Patrol on Friday, November 5th, 2010, targeting those who still don’t heed the message to designate a sober driver. Funding for the patrol is through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Since 2005, the number of alcohol involved fatalities has been dropping in Chula Vista, thanks to efforts like this. But law enforcement and the public must continue to work toward zero deaths.

“Law enforcement officers are doing more to remove drunk drivers from California’s streets and highways thanks to our DUI traffic safety funding,” said Christopher J. Murphy, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety. “But everyone can help make their communities safer. If you see a Drunk Driver – Call 9-1-1.”

The DUI Saturation Patrol will deploy within the city limits of Chula Vista on Friday night starting at approximately 8:00 p.m.

Funding for this operation was provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and if you need the expertise of a DUI Specialist Orange County, call our firm at (714) 568-1560.