Los Angeles DUI Lawyer Blog

The Los Angeles/LAX Daily Breeze reports that a previously convicted drunk driver is now being held on charges of allegedly causing a fatal DUI crash in Orange County. Yannis Ismael Galanis was arrested for felony gross vehicular manslaughter and gross negligence after allegedly speeding on the Santa Ana Freeway near Disneyland, swerving into another lane and crashing into another vehicle. Galanis' truck continued up a dirt embankment and crashed head-on into a concrete bridge, killing Galanis' passenger.

Fatal DUI accidents often lead to California's harshest penalties and toughest prosecution. Many factors go into determining the penalties into any drunk driving accident, including the severity of the accident and the background of the individual driver. Here, where the driver is an alleged repeat DUI offender and the accident resulted in a fatality, the potential for severe consequences is great. In some cases prosecutors have been charging repeat offenders who cause fatal drunk driving accidents with murder.

If you have been charged with any drunk driving offense, it is critical to contact a Los Angeles drunk driving defense lawyer immediately to begin preparing your defense and protect your driving privileges.

Continue reading "Convicted Drunk Driver Charged In New Fatal DUI Accident" »

The Los Angeles Times reports that a convicted drunk driver has been arrested and charged with murder after a drunk driving crash killed an Irvine teenager. At his arraignment this past week, the driver pleaded not guilty.

Increasingly, repeat DUI offenders are being charged with murder when involved in a fatal drunk driving accident, with prosecutors asserting that drivers with previous DUI convictions understand the specific dangers of drinking and driving from their own experience.

If you are charged with any drunk driving offense, including felony DUI, vehicular manslaughter or murder, it is crucial to contact an experienced and aggressive L.A. drunk driving defense lawyer at once to protect your driving privileges and your freedom.

Even in the most serious drunk driving cases, several defenses exist that can affect the potential long-term consequences and legal outcome for an individual accused. First, it is important to determine exactly what factors were involved in causing a drunk driving accident. Sometimes even where a driver has been drinking, it is an intervening cause such as roadway design or maintenance that leads to the accident, not the alcohol consumption. As in any serious accident, all the factors surrounding a collision must be investigated.

Additionally, a driver's history - both of drunk driving and other criminal activity - will be evaluated. While repeat DUIs are serious matters, placement in rehabilitation facilities or other alternative sentences may be more appropriate than jail time in certain circumstances.

Continue reading "Irvine Man Faces Murder Charges For DUI Fatality " »

Motley Crue singer Vince Neil begins serving his DUI sentence this week for charges arising out of a conviction for drunk driving.

This is not Neil's first DUI arrest. In 1986 he was arrested and convicted of California vehicular manslaughter when his car hit another one head on near Redondo Beach. The accident killed his passenger, Nicholas Dingley, the drummer for the band. The occupants of the other car were injured as well.

If you have been arrested on a suspicion of drunk driving charges, it's important to contact an experienced Los Angeles DUI defense lawyer as soon as possible to protect your driving privileges and begin preparing your defense. Remember even if you are arrested for an out-of-state DUI, such as in Las Vegas, California drunk driving laws and DMV penalties may still apply. Under the "Driver's License Compact" when a DUI violation occurs in one state, home state laws impact your penalties.

Neil spent 30 days in jail and received 5 years probation as a result of the California vehicular manslaughter charges.

The DUI penalties for the current charges include 15 days in jail, 15 days on house arrest, and fines. If convicted a third time, Neil could face serious charges for a repeat DUI offense.

Continue reading "Vince Neil Begins Serving DUI Sentence" »

According to the L.A. Times, the Huntington Beach City Council has rejected the proposal of "public shaming" repeat DUI offenders by placing the drivers' mug shots on facebook. The city had previously considered just listing names on the social network, but in recent days had discussed placing the photos as well.

If you have been detained on a suspicion of drunk driving in Huntington Beach or anywhere in the greater Los Angeles area, it's critical to contact an experienced Los Angeles DUI lawyer at once.

Although there was some support for the new measure, the city council ultimately voted against posting the pictures and names on facebook, believing that the penalty is too harsh. Rather than stopping repeat offenses - often the result of alcohol addiction - such a measure would only serve to embarrass the drivers, their parents and even their children.

Continue reading "Huntington Beach Rejects Proposed DUI Penalty " »

According to the LAist, more L.A. DUI checkpoints are on the way. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has recently been awarded a $1.1 million grant to address drunk driving deaths and injuries.

Included in these measures are increased DUI checkpoints aimed at removing L.A. drunk drivers from the streets of Southern California. The funds will also be used to conduct "warrant searches and stake-out for repeat DUI offenders, saturation patrols, and court stings targeting DUI offenders with suspended or revoked licenses who get behind the wheel after leaving court."

Whenever drivers are detained pursuant to a sobriety checkpoint, specific guidelines regarding who may be stopped and for how long, exist. If police officers fail to follow these rules, the stop may be considered illegal and any arrest on charges of a California DUI dismissed.

Continue reading "Grant Awarded For More L.A. DUI Checkpoints " »

On Monday, a new bill was signed into law that would take away repeat DUI offenders drivers licenses for a decade after 3 convictions in 10 years.

AB 1601 affects those drivers who get their licenses back after multiple arrests. Under current law, three convictions in 10 years leads to a three-year loss. Whether the 10-year suspension will be imposed is left to the judge's discretion.

Despite proponents touting this bill as "an important step toward making California's roads safer," as a California DUI defense attorney, I believe this bill may actually have the opposite effect. Rather than offering repeat offenders a key incentive to stay sober - the possibility of getting their license back - the bill gives repeat offenders little incentive to change.

With stricter penalties, more people will fight charges, increasing the burden on taxpayers, taking away crucial funds that could be used for education and rehabilitation.

Continue reading "California's Tough DUI Law To Take Effect In 2012" »

Recently, California's tough new ignition interlock law took effect, requiring drivers in Los Angeles, Alameda, Sacramento and Tulare counties convicted of any DUI-related offense - to take place in a mandatory ignition interlock pilot programs.

All DUI-offenses - not only repeat violations but also first-time offenders - are required to use the device. The device works by prevent the car from starting if alcohol is detected on the driver's breath.

The new law sets forth the following guidelines for use of the Ignition Interlock Device

• First offense - 5 months, or one year if DUI injured someone
• Second offense - 12 months
• Third offense - 24 months
• Fourth offense - 36 months.
• Any offense involving injury - Double monthly requirement

As California DUI attorneys, we will be closely following this new requirement and how it affects California drivers.

Continue reading "Ignition Interlock Law Goes Into Effect For Los Angels, Alameda, Sacramento and Tulare Counties" »

In California, tough new drunk driving penalties will soon become law. Assembly Bill 1601 unanimously passed out of the state Legislature at the end of August and is expected to be signed by Governor Schwarzenegger.

Assembly Bill 1601 targets repeat offenders and authorizes judges to revoke driver's licenses for 10 years for those people with three or more DUIs in a 10-year period. Under current law, license suspensions for those with three or more DUIs remain in effect for 3 years.

How much impact this new law will have on drunk driving remains to be seen. Although aimed at improving public safety, removing offenders' drivers' licenses for such a long period also removes a crucial incentive for drunk drivers to sober up.

Continue reading "California Bill Lengthens Driver's License Suspension For Repeat Offenders" »