Weekend DUI Enforcements Start

As people head outside to celebrate the unofficial start of summer, the Department of Transportation and statewide law enforcement agencies will increase patrols and utilize DUI checkpoints this weekend for the Memorial Day DUI enforcement period. Starting tomorrow, May 25, and running through Tuesday, May 29, almost 100 agencies will participate in The Heat Is On enforcement.

Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead for a sober ride to and from their holiday festivities.

Preliminary data indicates that of the 193 statewide roadway fatalities so far in 2018, 36 percent (69) involved impaired drivers.

During last year’s Memorial Day weekend enforcement period, 98 law enforcement agencies cited 332 motorists for DUI. The increased patrols aim to crack down on impaired drivers over the holiday weekend, when activities such as concerts, barbeques and graduation parties commonly involve alcohol consumption.

The Heat Is On isn’t the only special enforcement effort underway. The annaul statewide Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement campaign is in effect through June 3. In a coordinated effort between CDOT, CSP and 80 statewide law enforcement agencies, the high-visibility seat belt enforcement began May 21. Learn more about CDOT’s seat belt campaign at codot.gov/safety/seatbelts-carseats.

“Last May, 25 people were killed on Colorado roads in impairment-related crashes. That accounted for nearly 50 percent of all road fatalities that month and the third highest total of any month in 2017,” said Darrell Lingk, Director of CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety. “With warmer summer months ahead, CDOT hopes drivers make plans for a sober ride home before heading out to parties and events where they will consume alcohol.”

The Heat Is On campaign recently completed a five-week spring DUI enforcement period, which totaled 1,850 DUI arrests from 95 law enforcement agencies. This was a decrease from the 1,958 arrests during the same enforcement period last year. The Colorado Springs Police Department (199), Denver Police Department (175) and Aurora Police Department (128) recorded the highest arrest totals.

“Driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana or other drugs significantly impairs a person’s ability to drive,” said Col. Matthew Packard, Chief of the CSP. “Consuming any amount of alcohol or other drugs can cause impairment. If you are ever unsure if you are safe to drive, always opt for a sober ride home — you could save lives.”

The CDOT Highway Safety Office provides funding to Colorado law enforcement for impaired-driving enforcement, education and awareness campaigns. The Heat Is On campaign runs throughout the year, with 14 specific high-visibility impaired-driving enforcement periods centered on national holidays and large public events. Enforcement periods can include sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols and additional law enforcement on duty dedicated to impaired-driving enforcement.

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For more local DUI news and information please visit https://www.toronto-dui-lawyer.ca/

Qualifications to look for in a DUI Lawyer

If you’ve been accused of a DUI, your future might be in jeopardy. You won’t just be looking at losing your license – you could be looking at heavy fines, jail time, and even the loss of your ability to work in some professions. If you’ve been accused, your first step should always be to find a lawyer. With so many lawyers out there, though, it’s hard to know when you’ve found the right lawyer. That’s why you should always look for the following qualities in a DUI lawyer before you commit to working with him or her.
 
Experience
 
The law is too vast for any one lawyer to memorize. As such, lawyers tend to specialize in certain areas as their careers go along. If you have been accused of a DUI (Driving Under the Influence), you need to make sure you work with someone who specializes in DUI defense. These lawyers not only know the relevant statutes and case law, but they are aware of the disposition of the court in your area. If you can find an lawyer who has dealt with DUIs significantly in the past, you can be sure that he or she will put that experience to use helping you.
 
Record
 
You also need your lawyer to have a good record with cases like yours. This doesn’t just mean winning – it means a willingness to take a case to trial if necessary. Find out how often your potential lawyer’s clients go to jail, how often they take plea deals, and how often they are found innocent. You should also look at factors like how often the lawyer goes to court and how many of his or her clients manage to get into diversion programs instead of going to jail.
 
Recommendations
 
Beyond raw numbers, it’s important to get feedback about how an lawyer works from others. While going online will likely give you biased feedback one way or the other, it’s still a very good place to start. In addition to online resources, you can check with lawyers to see if they have any testimonials from satisfied clients. If others have worked with the lawyer successfully in the past, there’s a good chance that you can work with him or her as well. If you can’t find anyone to speak on behalf of an lawyer, you should be wary.
 
Personality
 
While perhaps not the most objective quality, it is important that you find a DUI lawyer who has a personality that will mesh with your own. You will need to feel comfortable with this person, as he or she will be representing you in what might become one of the most important legal matters in your life. If you don’t feel like you can get along with an lawyer, your relationship will cause you problems while you’re already trying to deal with something more important. Even a great lawyer can’t give you the best possible representation if your personalities don’t mesh.
 
Your DUI lawyer needs to be experienced, have a strong record at trial, have good recommendations, and should be a person with whom you feel like you can work. If the lawyer has all of those qualities, you’ll have the ingredients you need for a proper defense. While you should never drink and drive, you still deserve your day in court. If you’ve been accused of a DUI, you don’t have to go through this process alone – you can call William Hanlon Criminal Lawyer in Tampa for the help you need. At that point, you’ll get the fighting chance that your case deserves.
 
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For more local DUI news and information please visit https://www.toronto-dui-lawyer.ca/

Lawyer blew over the limit, but he beat a drunk driving charge because police arrested him in his doorway

TORONTO — A prominent Ontario criminal lawyer who was driving a pickup truck that a 911 caller reported was swerving all over a major highway has been cleared of drunk driving charges because police violated his Charter rights by arresting him a few minutes later inside the doorway of his house.

All this happened within a few minutes of a 911 call to report that Irving’s black Ford pickup was driving erratically on a nearby highway.

Peel Regional police officers responded promptly, but botched the arrest, according to Justice George S. Gage. With one officer demanding he come to the door, and holding a foot in the threshold to prevent it closing, and as many as five other officers on the front step, Judge Gage found Irving was illegally “coerced by the state from the safety and privacy of his library into the scrutiny of the officers on the front porch.”

This was a violation of his Section 8 Charter right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure, and it means the blood alcohol readings that later showed him too drunk to drive were excluded from evidence, and so the charge failed.

Nevertheless, the judge decided that it was in fact him who was driving the truck just a few minutes earlier. His lawyer acknowledged this is true, but said Irving had not drunk any alcohol at the time.

“He’s a lawyer himself and he knows better what would be the consequences of driving impaired on the 401 (which leads from Toronto to Brampton via the 410) in the middle of the day, or broad daylight. It’s blatant,” Shahid Malik said in an interview. He called it a “very fair decision,” reflecting that Irving’s constitutional rights were violated in his own home.

Read the original article here.

For more local DUI news and information please visit https://www.toronto-dui-lawyer.ca/

Families of victims killed in DUI crashes rally in support of bill calling for increased penalties

Fifteen Pennsylvania familes held photos of family members killed in DUI-related crashes in the state capitol Tuesday in support of Senate Bill 961, which seeks to increase penalties for repeat DUI offenders.

The families shared their stories of how their loved ones’ lives were cut short due to the poor choices made by drivers who were under the influence, many of which who were repeat offenders.

One of the family members referred to vehicles operated by drunk drivers as “4,000-pound weapons.”

Another woman, Kelly, talked about her nephew Zachary Gonzalez. He was 15 years old when he was killed by a driver under the influence of drugs. Gonzalez was riding his bike at the time.

“We had custody of Zachary because his father was killed when he (Zachary) was 3 years old by a drunk driver crossing the street,” Kelly said. “A small family of four, two lost, by others’ choices to drive impaired.”

Senate Bill 961 would make the following changes to existing laws:

A felony penalty for a third DUI within 10 years if the third offense involves a blood-alcohol content of .16 or higher, and in all other cases after the fourth offense
Increased penalites for homicide by vehicle while DUI, which is currently a 3-year minimum.
If convicted of a prior DUI, the minimum setnence for causing death would be 5 years.
If convicted of two or more prior DUIs, the minimum sentence for causing a death would be 7 years.
Increased penalties for driving while under a DUI-related license suspension.
According to PA Parents Against Impaired Driving, repeat DUI offenders are responsible for approximately 40 percent of all DUI-related fatalities, and there are over 50,0000 new DUI cases in the state annually.

“The purpose of this law is so that no other families will have to stand here holding a picture .. with their loved one’s photo,” said Sen. John Rafferty. “We have drawn the line and said ‘no more is this going to continue in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.'”

Read the full article here.

For more local DUI news and information please visit https://www.toronto-dui-lawyer.ca/

Las Vegas lawyer who defends DUI cases facing own DUI charge

A Las Vegas attorney who often defends drunken driving suspects is facing a bench trial after being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
 
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports 56-year-old John Leo Duffy was arrested March 3 and a bench trial for him is scheduled for July 9.
 
According to a criminal complaint, Duffy was booked into the Clark County Detention Center and later charged with DUI and failure to maintain a lane.
 
Duffy was released on his own recognizance.
 
Because Duffy works closely with the vehicular crimes unit of the county district attorney’s office, the Nevada Attorney General’s Office has been asked to handle the prosecution of the case.
 
A county commission is scheduled to vote Tuesday on handing the case to the state AG’s Office.

Read the full article here: https://www.570news.com/2018/05/13/las-vegas-lawyer-who-defends-dui-cases-facing-own-dui-charge/

For more local DUI news and information please visit https://www.toronto-dui-lawyer.ca/

Blue Jays great Kelly Gruber arrested for drunk driving

Former Blue Jays great Kelly Gruber struck out with cops in Austin when they pulled him over on suspicion of drunk driving.

The legendary third baseman — who won a Golden Glove award in 1990 — was pinched for allegedly driving while intoxicated early Saturday, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

Cops say that the 56-year-old two-time All-Star was pulled over at 2:20 a.m. by Austin police after officers noticed that Gruber’s signal indicator had been on for a while.

The Texas native later was spotted driving 132 km/h — nearly 30 km/h over the speed limit.

Gruber admitted he had been drinking before getting behind the wheel, according to an affidavit.

A member of the 1992 World Series champion Jays, Gruber refused a breathalyzer test, field sobriety test and having his blood drawn.

He was booked into the Travis County Jail and released on $3,000 bail.

Gruber toiled for the Jays from 1984 to 1992 and was the first member of the expansion team to hit for the cycle.

After being traded to the California Angels two months after the World Series win, Gruber was plagued by a slew of injuries. He finally hung up his spikes in 1997 after an ill-fated comeback with the Baltimore Orioles.

In retirement, Gruber has worked as a motivational speaker and holds baseball seminars in Canada and the U.S.

Read the full article here: https://torontosun.com/sports/baseball/toronto-blue-jays/blue-jays-great-kelly-gruber-arrested-for-drunk-driving

For more local DUI news and information please visit https://www.toronto-dui-lawyer.ca/

Driver charged with DUI after falling asleep at gas station

The Rapid City Police Department charged a Rapid City women with DUI on Monday afternoon after she was found sleeping in her running car at a gas station.

Katherine Thompson, 33, was found unconscious in the idling car around 3:30 p.m. near the Mobile gas station pumps at 3851 Eglin St. in Rapid City. Witnesses say Thompson had been there for more than an hour, according to a press release from the police department.

Police found the doors to the vehicle locked and attempted to knock on the windows to wake the driver. The driver eventually woke up and opened the door. Police noted the strong smell of an alcoholic beverage and the driver could not stand without assistance.

Upon further investigation, police located an open alcohol container in the vehicle, and Thompson was place under arrest for DUI and open container in a motor vehicle.

Read the full article here.

For more local DUI news and information please visit https://www.toronto-dui-lawyer.ca/

Toronto man charged with DUI homicide in Bensalem

A husband and wife from Northampton planned to have a few drinks while out at Parx Casino in Bensalem last month, according to Bucks County prosecutors.

So rather than drive themselves, they arranged to take a Lyft ride.

They never made it to their destination.

Shortly before 7 p.m. April 28, Bensalem police say a Ford F-150 pickup slammed head-on into the Chevrolet Malibu that had picked them up.

Neil Weiner, his wife Audrey Shapiro, and Lyft driver Daniel Weingart were rushed to Jefferson-Torresdale Hospital in Philadelphia where Weiner, 57, died May 1.

Now authorities have charged the driver of the pickup truck, Shane Learn, 48, of Toronto, Canada, with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence and related offenses, court records show.

In an affidavit of probable cause, police said Learn’s truck struck the guardrail in the 4000 block of Richlieu Road and then crossed the double-yellow line into the opposite lane of travel where it collided with the Malibu heading south.

Read the full article here: https://www.toronto-dui-lawyer.ca/

Canadian ski cross racer David Duncan apologizes after drunken joyride at Olympics

Canadian ski cross racer Dave Duncan is apologizing for “behaviour that demonstrated poor judgement” after being released from jail following an alleged drunken joyride at the Pyeongchang Games.

The Canadian Olympic Committee confirmed in a statement Sunday that Duncan, his wife Maja and Canadian technical coach William Raine had been detained by police in South Korea and were now released. The statement came after an investigator with the Gangwon Provincial Police Department told The Canadian Press the two Canadians and an American woman were arrested for drunk driving and stealing a car.

A joint statement from the Duncans offering an apology did not offer specifics, saying only their behaviour “was not up to the standards expected of us as members of the Canadian Olympic Team or as Canadians.” But Raine singled out “the owner of the vehicle that was involved” in his statement.

“I would like to apologize profusely for my inexcusable actions,” Raine said. “Words are not enough to express how sorry I am. I have let my teammates, friends and my family down.”

Raine is the son of Canadian skiing legend Nancy Greene.

Read the full article here: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/olympics/canadian-athlete-wife-manager-allegedly-steal-car-and-drive-drunk-in-winter-olympics/article38104346/

For more local DUI news and information please visit https://www.toronto-dui-lawyer.ca/

Police plan DUI enforcements on St. Paddy’s weekend

St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Saturday this year, which means many people will celebrate all weekend long.

Police will keep their Irish eyes peeled for impaired drivers.

If you drink green beer, be prepared to see red and blue lights in the review mirror. All weekend long, police will be cracking down on partygoers who choose to drive impaired.

According to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, binge drinking is a big issue for Americans — and not just on holidays.

In 2015, Americans drank more than 17 billion drinks annually; that’s 470 drinks per binge drinker. Half of the bingers are over the age of 35 and 80 percent are men.

State police want to remind people who plan to have one or two drinks that the consequences of buzzed driving are the same as drunk driving.

“With DUI enforcement, the purpose is to save lives,” Trooper Brent Miller said. “We have to take those drivers who are drinking or using illegal drugs [off the road] when they choose to get behind the wheel.”

There are many ways people can avoid needing to fight impaired driving charges. Police encourage anyone drinking to download the Safer Ride app, which can call a taxi or predetermined friend as well as share your location.

Police also encourage you to use transportation services such taxis, Uber and Lyft to party responsibly.

Read the full article here: https://abc27.com/2018/03/16/police-plan-dui-enforcements-on-st-paddys-weekend/

For more local DUI news and information please visit https://www.toronto-dui-lawyer.ca/