Results tagged “driving while impaired” from DUI Lawyers & Attorneys News

Recently, police arrested former NBA player, Jason Williams for driving while impaired (DWI) in New York.  This is not the first time Williams has had a run-in with law enforcement.

According to reports, police were called to the scene of a single-vehicle collision during early morning hours.  When they arrived at the scene of the accident, they saw that Williams was injured and behind the wheel of a Black Mercedes SUV.

At this time, police are saying that alcohol consumption played a role in the DWI accident.  They say that Williams was so impaired by alcohol that he drove his SUV into a tree at an incredibly high speed, which led to him sustaining injuries.

Witnesses who watched the accident say that Williams jumped into the passenger seat of his vehicle before police arrived.  Once officers arrived, they arrested Williams for DWI and transported him to a nearby hospital to receive treatment for his injuries.

Charged with DWI?  Click here to find a skilled DWI defense attorney!

 

DWI (driving while impaired) is a criminal offense that is committed when people choose to drive after drinking alcohol or taking drugs that impair their coordination.  DWI is also a criminal offense that is typically committed anytime a person drives with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher.  The legal blood alcohol concentration varies state-to-state.  However, in the majority of states, the legal limit is 0.08%.

People usually get caught driving while impaired by law enforcement after they have engaged in erratic or unsafe driving behaviors like:  speeding, ignoring traffic signals, weaving in between traffic lanes, making random stops, stopping and then speeding up or running or making wrong turns.  Once police notice these types of driving behaviors, they will have sufficient probable cause to make a DUI traffic stop.

When people have been pulled over by law enforcement for suspected DWI, they will then be asked to submit to a breath test which will determine their BAC.  In some states, breath tests are mandatory and in others people have the right to refuse.  People may also be asked to perform a series of field sobriety tests.  If people fail the breath test or field sobriety tests, they will be arrested for DWI. 

From that point on, it is imperative that they are aware of their rights and legal options as they may be facing criminal charges.  The best way for people to remain informed and protected is by hiring a skilled DWI lawyer who practices in their state of residence.

Click here to learn more about DWI!

Lawmakers in North Carolina are proposing a change to DWI laws that could put people convicted of multiple DWIs back behind on the wheel.

Under current law, once an individual has been convicted of DWI four times, he or she will lose his or her driver's license for life.  The proposed changes to the law would increase that to five DWI convictions.

DWI offenders would be given another chance to keep their licenses if they stay out of trouble for ten years after a fourth conviction.  If an offender drives while impaired again, they would permanently lose their license for a fifth conviction.

Lawmakers who support the bill say that people who've gone through counseling and rehabilitation for ten years deserve to be given another chance.

Despite approval from lawmakers, law enforcement officers aren't as supportive of the bill. Assistant District Attorney Dough Carriker said the bill is unnecessary, and that it doesn't give offenders a second chance--it gives them a fifth chance.  

"From the point of view of a prosecutor, you want to reduce the number of drunk drivers on the road," said Carriker. "These are people with four convictions on the road. It's not true to call this bill to give offenders a second chance. It's going to give them a fifth chance."

The bill was passed by the Senate and now heads to the House for a vote.  If the House approves the bill and the Governor doesn't veto it, the law would go into effect on December 1 of this year.

To learn more, click here to find a DWI attorney near you. 

A Minnesota woman is facing 2nd degree DWI charges for driving with two young children, ages 6 and 7, in her vehicle.

Lisa Joan Harris was charged with refusing a DWI test, 2nd degree DWI, and driving over the center line.  The 2nd degree DWI charges stem from two factors that enhance the charges from simple DWI to aggravated DWI: driving with children in the vehicle, and having a prior conviction of DWI-child endangerment with a BAC of .20 or more. Harris' previous conviction occurred in November of 2000.

Harris' recent arrest took place on May 7, when Harris was reported stumbling out of a SuperTarget towards her car with her children. When the police arrived, an employee at the store pointed out Harris as she was driving away.  The police followed her, and saw the vehicle swerve several times before pulling her over. According to the police, Harris also made a wide turn into oncoming traffic.

If convicted of the charges, Harris could face imprisonment, fines, license suspension, mandatory DUI classes, and more.

To learn more about DWI, click here to find a DUI attorney near you. 

The mother of a man accused of murder was charged with DWI after trying to bail her son out of jail.

Shortly after discovering she didn't have enough money to post her son's bail, Marty Fortson backed her car into the car of a county employee, according to the authorities in Columbus County, North Carolina.

When the Highway Patrol came to investigate the crash, the troopers interviewed Fortson and determined she had been drinking.  The troopers then gave her a field sobriety test that confirmed she was above the legal limit.

Fortson's son, John Kelly, was arrested and charged with three counts of second degree murder in connection with a DWI crash that killed a groom and two members of his wedding party just hours before the ceremony. It was later discovered that Kelly's BAC was .12, which is well above the .08 legal limit.

For more information, please contact a DWI attorney near you!

The DWI Grant Council has awarded more than $17 million to local governments throughout New Mexico.

The grant money is to be used by counties, cities, and pueblos for programs designed to reduce the DWI rate. The programs include DWI prevention, enforcement, alcohol-related domestic prevention, outpatient treatment, and alternative sentencing.

Local programs throughout the state have also pledged an additional $6.6 million in matched funds, which, combined with the $17 million from the DWI grant council, totals $24 million for local DWI programs for the next year.

The DWI grant program is administered by the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration.

For more information, please contact a DWI lawyer near you!

Today, North Carolina law enforcement reported that they arrested a man who was driving while impaired (DWI) this past Monday.  According to Captain Tad Kepley of the Lexington Police Department, officers arrested the man, Carl Anthony Burrage (36), after he crashed into two vehicles on Fairview Drive.
  
After his arrest, Burrage was charged with two felony counts of hit and run resulting in injury, hit and run failing to stop resulting in property damage, driving while impaired, reckless driving and driving with a revoked license.

Police say the accident occurred this past Monday at around 1:16 PM.  At that time, Burrage was driving his 2004 Ford Taurus when he hit a 1993 Plymouth.  After crashing into the Plymouth, Burrage tried to leave the scene of the accident, which is when he crashed in the second car - a 2007 Ford Sedan.  Witnesses called 911 after they saw the offender strike both vehicles and flee the scene.  Police arrived and were able to catch up with Burrage. 

The drivers of the Plymouth and the Sedan were transported to Lexington Memorial Hospital shortly after the incident.  They sustained injuries, but received prompt treated.
 
At this time, Burrage is being held in the Davidson County Detention Center under a $5,000 bond.  His court DWI date has been set for June 29, 2009.

Click here to find a skilled DWI defense lawyer!

If a Super Bowl party is in your plans this weekend, make sure you designate a driver to stay sober. Numerous police precincts across the country plan to increase the number of officers on patrol this weekend to target drunk drivers.

In Las Vegas, traffic officers from various precincts will be joining forces starting Friday to catch DUI offenders.  The Henderson Police Department will team up with officers from the Nevada Highway Patrol, Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Boulder City Police, and Mesquite Police to patrol the streets in pursuit of drunk drivers.

In Minnesota, state troopers form the Detroit Lakes and Theft River Falls districts have both said they will be out in force looking for people driving under the influence. 

According the Minnesota State Patrol, during the Super Bowl weekends in 2006-2008, 1,470 motorists were arrested for DWI, and alcohol-related crashes were accountable for five of the seven deaths that occurred.  

Police officers from both Nevada and Minnesota agree that although they want people to enjoy the Super Bowl and have fun, it's important to take the necessary measures to ensure everyone gets home safely.

For more information about DWI & DUI, click here to find a DUI/DWI attorney near you. 

Former NBA star Charles Barkley was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in Scottsdale, Arizona after an officer saw him run a stop sign.

According to Lt. Eric Shuhandler, an officer with a DUI task force saw Barkley run through a stop sign at about 1:30 a.m. on December 31 in Scottsdale's Old Town.

The officer administered field sobriety tests after smelling alcohol on Barkley's breath. When Barkley failed the field sobriety tests, the officer had probable cause to conduct an arrest.

Barkley refused to submit to a breath test, but was given a blood test at the police station. Shuhandler said it will be a few days until the crime lab is able to process the results of the blood test and determine his blood alcohol level.

Barkley was cited for driving while impaired (DWI) and released from police custody. Barkley's vehicle was impounded in compliance with mandatory vehicle impoundment laws.

Barkley issued a statement saying, "I'm disappointed that I put myself in that situation. The Scottsdale police were fantastic. I will not comment any further as it is a legal matter."

Shuhandler said that Barkley was cooperative and "very respectful and cordial with our officers" during the whole ordeal.

For more information about DUI and DWI, click here to find a DUI lawyer near you!

In Minnesota, law enforcement recently arrested a 20 year old woman named Jill Marie Woodside for fourth degree DWI (driving while intoxicated), third-degree test refusal, minor consumption and underage drinking and driving.  According to police, the young woman was caught after they received a call that a white Ford Taurus had hit a tree and also had took out a pole on Clark Street.  The young woman reportedly kept driving the car westward after the accident and sped into an alley on Third Avenue.

A second DWI arrest was made in Minnesota after 46 year old Daniel Mercado Talamantes was pulled over by police.  Talamantes was charged with third degree DWI and test refusal.  Before his arrest, he hit another car while in a McDonald's drive-through.  After hitting the car, he took off until police were able to find him in his home.

If you have been charged with DWI in Minnesota, click here to find an experienced DWI defense attorney by you!