The Pennsylvania State Police will be holding several sobriety checkpoints and DUI patrols throughout the state beginning this weekend. Expect to see patrols on main highways as well as unincorporated roads.
There will be additional enforcement in Montgomery Township beginning Friday, June 29 and lasting throughout this weekend. Expect to see DUI checkpoints on State Routes 309, 202, 463, 63, 414, 114, 611, Upper State Road and County Line Road.
Have a happy and safe Fourth of July!
Weld County – There will be a DUI taskforce in Weld County, CO. Expect to see checkpoints and saturation patrols during the Fourth of July weekend.
Many people are extending their July 4 celebrations into next weekend. That is why the police will likely be out and about patrolling for Utah DUI offenders. If you are located in Deseret, Utah, be on the lookout for this DUI checkpoint!
Deseret – DUI checkpoint on Friday, July 6 from 9:30pm to 2 am at 4100 South and State Street
If you’re located in Kane County, Illinois, don’t ruin your July 4 celebration with a DUI arrest!
Kane County – DUI checkpoint to take place on Tuesday, July 3 beginning at 11pm until 4 am. Checkpoint to take place on an I-90 exit ramp to Route 31
Many people in Florida are beginning their Independence Day celebrations this weekend. Therefore, expect to see police on the road patrolling for drunk drivers!
Clearwater – DUI checkpoint to take place on Friday, June 29 from 10 pm to 3 am at Clearwater High School at 540 South Hercules Ave
Collier and Lee Counties – Roving patrols to take place in these areas on Friday, June 29 from 8 pm to 2 am in areas known for a high crash rates and drunk drivers.
Attention California Drivers!
The California Police are beginning their July 4 DUI crackdown this weekend! Here are the locations of where DUI checkpoints and roving patrols will be taking place.
Friday, June 29
Roving patrols and checkpoints in the following areas: Alhambra, Altadena, Azusa, Bell Gardens, Claremont, Covina, Gardena, Glendora, Irwindale, La Verne, Montebello, Monterey Park, Pico Rivera, Pomona
Saturday, June 30
Concord – DUI checkpoint to take place from 7:30 pm to 3:30 am on Clayton Road near Ayers.
Los Angeles – DUI checkpoint to take place from 5pm to 1 am at Jefferson Blvd and Western Ave
Los Angeles- DUI checkpoint to take place from 7pm to 3 am in the North Hollywood area at Cahuenga Blvd and Broadlawn Drive
Oxnard – DUI Checkpoint to take place from 7pm to 3am at an undisclosed location within city limits. Expect checkpoint to take place in location known for having sobriety checkpoints in the past.
Also except checkpoints and roving patrols in Arcadia, Baldwin Park, Burbank, El Monte, Glendale, Hawthorne, Monrovia, Pasadena, San Fernando, San Marino, Sierra Madre, West Covina.
Tuesday, July 3
Hanford – DUI checkpoint to take place within city limits from 9pm to 2am
Napa – Officers will set up checkpoints on freeways, highways and unincorporated roads from 6pm to midnight
Wednesday, July 4
Los Angeles- DUI saturation patrol in the Harbor area from noon to 8pm
Los Angeles- DUI saturation patrol in the Rampart area from noon to 8pm
Kings County – DUI saturation patrol throughout the county
Thursday, July 5
Los Angeles – DUI checkpoint from 7pm to 3 am at Vermont Ave and Sixth Street
Friday, July 6
Los Angeles – DUI checkpoint from 7pm to 3 am at Lincoln Blvd and Maxella Ave
Los Angeles – DUI checkpoint from 7pm to 3 am at Ronsecrans Ave and Menlo Ave
Also expect checkpoints and roving patrols in Alhambra, Arcadia, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Bell Gardens, Claremont, Covina, El Monte, Glendora, Irwindale, La Verne, Monrovia, Montebello, Monterey park, Pomona, San Gabriel, Sierra Madre, and West Covina
Saturday, July 7
Los Angeles – DUI checkpoint from 7 pm to 3 am at Laurel Canyon Blvd and Paxton Street
Los Angeles – DUI checkpoint from 7 pm to 3 am at Roscoe Blvd and Noble Ave
Also expect DUI checkpoints and roving patrols in Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, San Fernando, San Marino, and South Pasadena
Sunday, July 8
Expect roving patrols in the Rampart Area
Today’s guest post is written by Georgina Clatworthy. You can read more about Georgina below!
With a large number of traffic accidents taking place on the road in the US caused by alcohol, taking drunk drivers off the road is a priority for traffic police all over the country. With this in mind, gathering evidence against the suspected drunk driver is an important part of the police officer’s role. Accordingly, this can make attempting to disprove the evidence a particularly difficult task. However, bearing in mind that this will form the basis of a case against the driver, it is prudent to be aware of what evidence can be gathered and how it can be disputed.
How Evidence Can Be Gathered:
The laws relating to DUI charges and the evidence used to convict varies from state to state, so it is important for anyone facing such charges to seek legal advice immediately from a qualified lawyer. Evidence can be gathered in a number of different ways, and video footage of erratic driving caused by alcohol consumption demonstrates this point perfectly. Film of driving behavior can be captured from a diverse range of sources, from camera phones to speed trap cameras and this can make poor driving difficult to explain.
Similarly, there are also situations in which the circumstances create the ideal opportunity for other drivers to recognize erratic driving, such as on the highway. In addition to members of public being able to film the behavior of a driver suspected of being drunk, they will also be in a position to call the police. This can result in the dispatch operator being given a running commentary of the actions of the driver in question, which can be instantly relayed to the police in order to direct them to the relevant location.
Once the police are present, they will be able to commence the process of gathering their own evidence. The information they gather will begin in the form of the dashboard camera that is fitted into all police cruisers. Not only is the camera positioned to be able to record any bad driving, but it will also record the outcome of a field sobriety test, which is a test that consists of a few mental and physical tasks that would be simple for a sober person.
Field Sobriety Tests:
After stopping the driver and checking the driving license and vehicle documentation, the officer will request that the driver undertake a field sobriety test. If the driver is incapable of completing a few simple actions, this will be used as evidence against the driver.
The field sobriety test is merely a pre-cursor as it will be followed by the use of a breathalyzer that will analyze the driver’s breath for any trace of alcohol. Should any trace of alcohol be found, the device will also be able to confirm the quantity. This step of discovering how much alcohol has been consumed can be taken further on arrival at the police station, where a blood test can be administered. The result will display a blood alcohol level that will be presented to the court in the event that the case gets that far.
Often it is this evidence that most attorneys will seek to challenge in court. San Bernadino DUI Attorney, Stephen Levine says ‘on assessing the evidence used in a DUI case we will look to see if field sobriety tests were correctly carried out, if the breathalyzer or other testing equipment was correctly used or was working properly and if those administering the tests were following correct procedures or were properly qualified to do so.’
It should be noted though that not every lawyer is experienced neither with DUI cases nor with state laws and regulations as they apply. Hiring a lawyer who practices within your state or district, or the one in which you were charged is important. For instance, if you were stopped in the San Bernadino district in California, then you would want to seek the services of a San Bernadino DUI lawyer.
Evidence can also be gathered in the form of statements made by the suspected drunk driver, whether they are requested or not. No matter at what stage in the process statements are uttered, they can be used as evidence against the driver.
Furthermore, in order to deal with a DUI charge as efficiently as possible, it is a good idea to obtain the assistance of a DUI lawyer at your earliest convenience.
Bio:
Georgina Clatworthy has been writing legal articles since 2010 including topics such as DUI, traffic violations and personal injury. As a contributory writer for DUI attorneys, Milligan, Beswick, Levine and Knox she would like to stress the importance of seeking professional legal help when dealing with DUI charges.
In September of 2010, Raymond Nienburg was arrested for his eighth Idaho DUI. His is currently serving his fifteen year prison sentence.
However, in addition to prison, Nienburg also is financially responsible for the pants worn by the arresting officer. During the incident, Nienburg tried to flee the scene and a Boise police officer ripped his pants in pursuit of him.
This past Friday, the Idaho Court of Appeals ruled that Nienburg is responsible for the officer’s pants. The total cost for this would be $68.
Remember, this $68 is in addition to the thousands of dollars Nienburg is also responsible for after his multiple Idaho DUI arrests.
If you have been arrested for a DUI in Idaho, it is important to hire an experienced DUI attorney no matter how arbitrary some of the fines may seem. Find an Idaho DUI attorney today!
Here is a guest post today provided by Georgina Clatworthy. You can learn more about Georgina and her experience below!
DWI and DUI—What’s the Difference?
In most states, there is a major difference between a DWI and a DUI. Virginia is only one of two states where there is actually no difference between the two (the other state is New Jersey). All other states differentiate between a DWI and a DUI.
A DWI means driving while intoxicated (alcohol related). A DUI means driving under the influence (drink and/or drugs). In some states, the end result is the same no matter what it’s called, in others as mentioned above they are considered separately. Many attorneys who handle these cases will specialize in them and title themselves accordingly, for instance, they may be known as a Virginia DUI attorney, or Virginia DUI Firm. The most important thing is to get an attorney who is familiar with the most recent laws in your state and how they affect a DWI or DUI arrest.
The Potential Consequences:
Testing for either a DWI or DUI could involve an Alcotest, a blood or urine test, and a DRE, which is an acronym for Drug Recognition Evaluation. Whilst most state laws are strict for either charges, they are not usually considered a criminal conviction. Instead they constitute a traffic violation. This means that it isn’t a felony or misdemeanor, which can help you avoid the dreaded question during an employment background check about being convicted of a crime. It does mean, however, that if you apply for a driver’s license in another state, the charge will appear in the search of your driving record. It also means that because this is a traffic violation, it will be a black eye on your driving record forever.
Even though a charge of DWI or DUI is not a felony or misdemeanor, it can mean jail time, fines, license suspension, and time spent in an intoxicated driver resource center to learn about the consequences of drunk driving. If it’s your second conviction, the penalties increase substantially and can also include community service. With a second conviction, an ignition interlock system will be installed in your car, which is also an added expense. It may be installed in your car after your first conviction depending on blood alcohol content. You are literally going nowhere if you can’t breathe alcohol-free into the interlock system. If it’s your second conviction, the fines are steep and jail time increases.
If it’s your third conviction, the amount of jail time and fines are off the charts. In all cases, your insurance will increase and a surcharge will probably have to be paid to the state. Thus, we’re talking about jail, fines, surcharges, an increase in insurance fees, possible community service, possible classroom time, listing on your driving record, and even for the first conviction—which may require the installation of the interlock system (the second and third convictions will guarantee it)—the state is doing everything to ensure that you aren’t going to be driving for a long time and that you will learn the hard way. Even if an interlock system is not installed after your first conviction, many of the other penalties could apply to the first conviction—fines, jail, classes, listing on traffic record, additional fines and penalties, increased insurance fees and classroom time.
So Why Do You Need an Attorney?
An experienced DUI attorney can help you try to reduce the charges or even get them dismissed. Cases exist where the arresting officer performed inappropriate sobriety tests and these cases have been thrown out of court. Perhaps your case falls in this category. Or perhaps a faulty breathalyzer was used. If your case fits in one of these categories, you won’t know if you have a chance to win your case unless you find an experienced and competent attorney.
For example an experienced Virginia DUI lawyer who is skilled in reviewing evidence, will be able to see what does not fit within the parameters of the law, and take those factors into account while trying to get your case dismissed. While this is not always possible, unless you have a skilled attorney who specializes in DUI cases, you may miss the opportunity to have your case thoroughly examined.
There are ways to improve your situation through proper representation. Seek competent counsel for advice. Good DUI/DWI attorneys may help you get a better outcome in court. An experienced attorney can help protect your rights during this stressful time.
About Georgina Clatworthy:
Georgina Clatworthy is a freelance writer who has been writing on legal topics since 2010. She is a contributing writer for DUI Attorneys, The Wilson Law Firm and recommends seeking expert legal advice when dealing with a DUI or DWI charge.
In Yorkville, IL a man was arrested for a Kendall County DUI when his ATV collided into a runaway pony from a nearby farm.
Quintin P. Wissmiller was driving his all-terrain vehicle this weekend when he ran into a 13-year old pony. The pony had apparently gotten loose from a farm that was a couple of miles away. Unfortunately, the animal was so badly injured that she had to be put down.
The driver was not only charged with an Illinois DUI, he will also face charges for driving on a revoked license. No sources have indicated that Wissmiller will have to face any consequences for injuring an animal.
If you have been arrested for a DUI in Illinois, there is an experienced drunk driving defense attorney waiting for your call. Contact an attorney today!
