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Earlier this week, police arrested Brawley King Nolte for suspicion of driving under the influence and possession of a controlled substance. Nolte was driving through Santa Monica, when he struck another vehicle as he was trying to change lanes. When officers arrived, they noticed Nolte exhibiting signs of impairment so they issued field sobriety tests. Nolte was arrested, taken to jail and then released on $5,000 bail.

Brawley Nolte’s father, Nick Nolte, is a famous actor who has battled alcohol and drug problems. In 2002, he received a DUI and then checked himself into a hospital for alcohol counseling. Hopefully, Brawley learns from his mistake and is not arrested again for a DUI. A first time DUI comes with fines and a license suspension. A second DUI comes with stiffer penalties. Whether you live in Fullerton, Huntington Beach or Laguna Woods, if you are charged with a DUI, call an experienced DUI defense attorney to assist you.

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In February of this year, Alan Lester Mabrey had consumed about 11 beers before getting into his car to drive home. Pedestrian Emily Cathleen Dowdy was walking across Mission Boulevard in San Diego when she was struck. Mabrey kept on driving, went to Burger King to eat and then drove back to the accident scene. He was arrested and his blood alcohol level was at a .22% (almost three times the legal limit). He faces charges of second-degree murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, hit-and-run, and driving under the influence.

This was not the first time Mabrey was charged with a DUI. He has several DUI convictions from Colorado and Texas and has already been to rehab and detox centers. Clearly, Mabrey has an alcohol problem and will likely be sentenced to prison time and alcohol education classes as his punishment. If you are charged with DUI manslaughter in Orange County, call an experienced DUI defense attorney to assist you.

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A Marin County couple wanted to avoid getting another DUI over the weekend, so they gave their keys to a 13-year-old boy and asked him to drive them home since they were drunk. After driving for a little while, the boy got scared and stopped the car on the side of the road. Police saw the stalled car and went over to find out what was going on. The woman was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor count of child endangerment and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

If you are drunk and you need to get home, get a designated driver to take you home. Even when severely intoxicated, most people should know that people under 16 are not legally allowed to drive. Call a taxi cab or a designated driving service if no one in your party is sober enough (or old enough) to drive you home. Instead of this woman getting a DUI, she now faces child endangerment charges which are much worse.

Whether you live in Villa Park, Lake Forest or Irvine, if you are charged with a DUI, call an experienced DUI defense attorney to assist you.

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Last month, Mel Gibson’s attorney filed a motion to dismiss Gibson’s no contest plea to his 2006 DUI charge. Gibson’s 2006 DUI arrest was memorable because of the anti-Semitic comments made to the police officers that arrested him. Gibson’s sentence for the DUI was three years of probation, fines of over $1,300, 11 months of Alcoholics Anonymous and three months of an alcohol abuse program.

A dismissal motion may be filed by the defendant if all probation conditions are met (California Penal Code section 1203.4). After filing the motion, there will be a hearing where Gibson will plead not guilty. After the plea, the judge can then decide if the charges will be dismissed or not. The judge looks at the fulfillment of probation conditions, the defendant’s progress and his criminal history, among other things, in determining whether to dismiss the charges or not. The hearing will occur sometime this week.

Whether you live in Orange, Newport Beach or Fullerton, if you are charged with a DUI, call an experienced DUI defense attorney to assist you.

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This weekend in Danville, a 23-year-old man was driving drunk on Interstate 680 around 1 a.m. A tow truck operator was working on a car on the side of the highway, when Kevin Dubrall crashed into the back of the tow truck. Dubrall suffered cuts to his head and arm and the tow truck driver received back injuries, although he was not hit by the car or truck. After being released from the hospital, Dubrall was arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence.

A normal DUI without any damages will be a misdemeanor. A felony DUI is received if there were damages or injuries or if the suspect had prior driving under the influence charges. Sentences can vary from no jail time to a couple of years in prison. Regardless if it is a misdemeanor or felony, a DUI comes with fines, license revocations and alcohol classes.

Whether you live in Irvine, Santa Ana or Brea, if you are charged with a DUI, call an experienced DUI defense attorney to assist you.

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Last weekend, Michael Neal was speeding on the I-80 highway in Citrus Heights. Neal lost control of the car and it clipped another car before skidding off the road and slamming into a tree. Two passengers in the car were killed instantly. A third passenger was taken to the hospital but died from her injuries. Neal was also taken to the hospital for his broken ribs and pelvic injuries. Police think he may have been intoxicated while driving so upon release from the hospital, he is expected to be arrested and taken to jail.

Neal has two past DUI incidents on his record. Both of the charges were never prosecuted though, because he failed to show up in court. Instead, his license was suspended. If he is convicted of three counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol, Neal is looking to face life in prison. Whether you live in Los Angeles County, Riverside County or Orange County, if you are charged with DUI manslaughter, call an experienced DUI defense attorney to assist you.

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In July of this year, comedian Artie Lange was pulled over while driving in New Jersey. Officers thought he looked intoxicated and tests revealed that he was under the influence of sleeping pills. He was arrested and charged with driving under the influence. He plead guilty to driving under the influence of a habit producing drug and was fined $664, had his license revoked for a year and has to take an intoxicated driver’s program. Lange’s attorney claims he plead guilty to avoid the media interfering.

A person can be charged with driving under the influence if they are under the influence of a prescription drug. It is irresponsible to be driving under the influence of a drug that is known to cause drowsiness or loss of coordination. If you are charged with a DUI, call an experienced DUI defense attorney to assist you.

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In June of last year, a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy was driving his county issued Chevrolet SUV in the middle of the night, while under the influence of alcohol. Deputy Robert Andrew Moran crashed his car into another car at the intersection of Beach Boulevard and Garden Grove, injuring the driver and passenger of that car. He was charged with driving under the influence causing injury and driving under the influence with a blood alcohol level of about a .08%. He plead no contest to these misdemeanor charges and, this week, was sentenced to home confinement for six months. Additionally, he was put on probation for 3 years and required to enroll in a three-month DUI first offender program. He was placed on unpaid leave from the Sheriff’s department after the incident, but will seek reinstatement after confinement is over.

Normally, the punishment for a first time DUI includes: fees, probation and alcohol education classes. It seems that Moran was punished quite severely for a first time DUI offense in that he also was given home confinement. It is likely that the District Attorney wanted to prove that everyone gets punished for violating laws, including officers. Whether you live in Santa Ana, Aliso Viejo or Laguna Beach, if you are charged with a DUI, you will need an experienced DUI defense attorney to assist you.

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Joel Torrejon Miranda, a suspected drunk driver with three prior convictions was indicted on gross vehicular manslaughter charges this week. Allegedly, in February, Miranda was driving his Chevrolet pickup truck with a blood alcohol level of .23%. He made an unsafe turn at an intersection which caused a car crash with Nguyen Tran. Miranda’s truck then went up a curb and hit pedestrian Francisco Aquino. Aquino was pinned against a wall and had serious injuries. He died two days later in the hospital. After the accident, Miranda fled the scene and was arrested a short time later.

Miranda already had 3 prior DUI convictions and had been sentenced to 96 hours in jail and three years of probation for his last DUI. For this DUI manslaughter change, Miranda may face 20 years to life in prison, if convicted. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for October 23. Whether you live in Tustin, Santa Ana or Laguna Woods, if you are charged with DUI manslaughter, call an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

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Roger Avery, a screenwriter, director and producer, was sentenced to 1 year in jail and 5 years probation for DUI manslaughter. Avery, his wife, and his friend Andreas Zini went to dinner in January of 2008. They left the restaurant and Avery was intoxicated, but still decided to drive them home. Around 12:30am, Avery was going around 100 m.p.h. when he slammed into a pole. Zini was killed instantly and Avery and his wife received injuries. Police arrested Avery who had a blood alcohol level of .11%.

Prosecutors said Avery could have received 12 years for the crime, but he knew Avery was remorseful and this was his first crime, so they reduced the sentence. The court said that even though Avery would have to be in jail for one year, he may be able to work from jail through a work furlough program. While in jail he will also have to take alcohol classes.

Whether you live in Orange, Laguna Niguel or La Palma, if you are charged with DUI manslaughter, you will need an experienced DUI defense attorney right away. A good defense attorney MAY be able to have your charges dropped or reduce your sentence, depending on the facts.

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