Celebrity DUI Arrests

August 9, 2011

Beverly Hills DUI Arrest Bombshell? Lindsey Lohan’s Ex-girlfriend Stopped for Racing in Bakersfield

Every Beverly Hills DUI blog lights up every time a new twist emerges in the sordid, epic tale of actress Lindsey Lohan’s legal drama. Last week, some news broke that’s only tangentially related to Ms. Lohan… but it still caused ripples in the blogosphere and may hold indirect lessons for people out there who’ve recently been stopped at a Beverly Hills DUI checkpoint.

Lohan’s ex-girlfriend, DJ Samantha Ronson, got pulled over outside of Bakersfield last Monday for speeding. Ronson allegedly raced 90 miles over the speed limit in her Porsche Targa.

Ronson admitted that she had consumed alcohol hours before hopping into the Porsche. Ronson was put through a balance test. As regular readers of this blog appreciate, Beverly Hills DUI field sobriety tests can be quite involved and can involve tests like the Rhomberg test, the finger to the nose test, horizontal gaze nystagmus test (often the first one given), counting backwards, walk the line test, etc, etc. FSTs can be quite the ordeal.

July 29, 2011

Burbank DUI Brouhaha: Hines Ward’s Arrest Sparks Critical Tweet from Ray Rice: Steelers and Ravens at it Again, Months Before Pre-Season…

by Michael Kraut

Burbank DUI sports news often follows a relatively simple, predictable script.

An athlete – such as four time pro-bowler and “Dancing with the Stars” champion like the Steelers’ Hines Ward – gets pulled over for a crime like driving under the influence in Burbank, DUI in Pasadena, Glendale DUI, Los Angeles DUI, or DUI whatever – and then the athlete and his/her team launches into a double-pronged defense:

1. Deal with the legal and logistical fallout of the arrest.
2. “Spin” the publicity to minimize damage to the athlete and/or his/her team or league.

As this blog (we believe, astutely) pointed out last week – back when everyone was huffing and puffing about the Carmageddon disaster that wasn’t – the Steelers’ wide receiver’s July 9 arrest outside Atlanta, Georgia sparked far more publicity than Ward, the Steelers, or probably the NFL as a whole would prefer.

But the drama isn’t over.

The latest salvo was fired in cyberspace… by none other than Baltimore Ravens’ runningback, Ray Rice, who tweeted, chidingly, that Ward’s alleged actions were “not a good look.”

Side note: You may or may not know this, but the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are huge rivals. So when a Ravens star publicly scolds a Steelers star, you can expect sparks to fly.

If you are concerned mostly with Burbank DUI news, you might not be aware of just how viscerally Ward’s arrest (and Rice’s retort) impacted citizens on those two east coast cities. But the broader lesson here is the sheer unpredictability of the story.

While the press obsessed about Carmageddon (and barely even touched on the Hines Ward story), guess which story had more “legs”? Surprise – the Ward story did.

This kind of unpredictability holds true not just for sports DUI arrests – but also for “every day” simple misdemeanor arrests for things like violating California Vehicle Code Section 23152(a) or 23152(b) in Burbank. Obviously, most people who get arrested take their situations seriously. But what they may not realize – or at least not fully grasp to the extent they should – is that the law of unintended consequences is almost certain to “visit” your case and create challenges that you did not anticipate.

So what do you do?

As author Nassim Taleb illustrated so nicely in his book, The Black Swan, you cannot predict, with 100% accuracy, these disruptive “bolt out of the blue” events. But you can prepare against them! For instance, by retaining an experienced, creditable Los Angeles criminal defense attorney to build your Burbank DUI case, you can increase your odds – not just of general success – but also of being able to manage “bolt out of the blue” type surprises without getting stressed out and without compromising the quality of your defense.

Attorney Michael Kraut (of Burbank’s Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers –  2600 West Olive Avenue, 5th Floor, Burbank, California 91505 Phone: (818) 563-9810) can help you understand your options and build a strategic defense. Mr. Kraut is a former Harvard Law School educated former LA city prosecutor, and he provides free, confidential consultations.

July 25, 2011

Glendale DUI and 2012 Presidential Election: Could Crenshaw County Arrest Derail “Dark Horse” Presidential Candidacy?

by Michael Kraut

A Glendale DUI arrest might have radically altered your life and, potentially, your family’s future. But an even more profound (at least from the perspective of national politics) arrest took place last Sunday in Crenshaw County, Alabama, when Caleb Moore, the 20-year old son of possible presidential contender Roy Moore, got pulled over on suspicion of speeding. Police arrested Moore on charges of possessing drug paraphernalia and controlled substances and driving under the influence. Now how, you might ask, does Mr. Moore’s arrest tie back to both the 2012 presidential campaign and to issues germane to those who’ve recently been stopped and charged with Glendale DUI, Pasadena DUI, Burbank DUI, Los Angeles DUI, etcetera?

Let’s go slowly, and we’ll tie it all together.

First, understand that Moore’s arrest creates a certain degree of trouble for his father’s presidential aspirations. Roy Moore, if you might recall, is an extremely conservative former Alabama Supreme Court Justice who famously was removed from office for refusing to remove a monument of the 10 Commandments from the court’s lobby. This defiant act made him a hero to many social conservatives. Given that Moore tried to cultivate a persona as a morally upstanding figure, his son’s arrest might damage his image.

According to the Washington Post, Roy Moore is refusing to talk about the details of the arrest “because his son has applied to be treated as a youthful offender.”

But rather than get side-tracked on a tired discussion about political morality and hipocracy, let’s think about this situation from a more compassionate point of view. Many people – including friends, family members and co-workers – are quick to “judge” anyone arrested for driving under the influence in Glendale. Even if you clear your name by, for instance, showing that you passed all of your Glendale field sobriety tests or that the police made a mistake, you may find yourself subjected to a lot of subtle moral judgments.

How do you deal with all of that?

The answer is trickier than you might think. If you really do have a problem with alcohol — or even with impulsive decision-making in general — you want people to tell you the truth. You want to address the root causes of that behavior. On the other hand, you want to be able to separate yourself from your DUI arrest – to avoid having the arrest become a kind of albatross hanging around your neck, dragging down your self esteem, your work prospects, and infecting your relationships with colleagues, friends, and family members.

Cultivating the most appropriate response begins with getting good help. Glendale’s Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers (121 W Lexington Dr, Glendale, CA 91203 Phone: (818) 507-9123) can provide a free consultation to help you sort out your strategic options. Mr. Michael Kraut, an experienced and highly regarded Los Angeles criminal defense attorney, will work with you to help you come up with a plan that meets your needs, goals, and principles.

July 17, 2011

Los Angeles DUI Shocker: Rodney King Busted in Riverside County on Suspicion of DUI

by Michael Kraut

Last Tuesday, a Los Angeles DUI story managed to (briefly) distract Angelinos from the imminent closure of the 405 (a.k.a. “Carmageddon”). Rodney King — the famous LAPD beating victim whose video beating, as you might remember, ignite race rights in the city and ultimately branded L.A. as a cauldron of intolerance for over a decade — got stopped by police who witnessed him committing multiple traffic violations.

King was apparently pulled over and booked without incident. (not unlike most arrests for Los Angeles DUI, Burbank DUI, Glendale DUI, or Pasadena DUI). The 46-year old minor celebrity (he appeared on a recent season of Dr. Drew’s “Celebrity Rehab”) is no stranger to charges of driving under the influence in Los Angeles. In 2003, he collected a DUI. And just this March, police pulled him over one day short of the 20th anniversary of his famous taped beating for driving with an expired license.

It’s unclear yet whether King was indeed violating California Vehicle Code Sections 23152(a) or 23152(b). Either way, given King’s history with city law enforcement – and their history with him – even if the charges turn to be relatively mundane and King cooperates (i.e. there is no drama), you can be sure that you will be reading a lot about the aftermath of this arrest in the blogosphere. Perez Hilton, for one, published a snappy and snarky blog post about King’s arrest just hours after the news broke.

Can a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney help you identify a practical and strategic way to respond to charges like DUI? Or will you be doomed to lose your license and suffer penalties like extended jail time, harsh probation terms, and massive fines and court costs, no matter what actions you take?

Truth be told, your choice of legal representation can matter tremendously. Attorney Michael Kraut (of Los Angeles’s Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers – 6255 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 1520, Los Angeles, California 90028) provides free consultations for defendants charged with DUI in L.A. Attorney Kraut is a former prosecutor for the city – for well over a decade, he worked every day to put criminal defendants behind bars – so he understands how the prosecutors working against you think and act, and he can use his knowledge and relationships to build you a more effective defense.

July 15, 2011

Beverly Hills DUI Celebrity Update: Rick Springfield Pleads Not Guilty to Malibu Charges

by Michael Kraut

When a celebrity like famous 80’s rocker Rick Springfield faces a charge like driving under the influence in Beverly Hills or Malibu, you can be sure that tabloids and websites like TMZ.com will be all over the story: speculating, criticizing, and occasionally sympathizing with the famous person at the center of the storm.

If you or someone you care about has recently been hit with a similar charge, such as Glendale DUI, DUI in Pasadena, DUI in Los Angeles, or driving under the influence in Burbank, you might follow these celeb arrests particularly closely – not only to see whether they might have indirect bearing on your case but also to learn more about how defendants deal with them, functionally and dysfunctionally.

Before we get into too much speculation, let’s take a closer look at what happened to Springfield. On May 1, as this blog reported, the “Jessie’s Girl” singer got stopped on Pacific Coast Highway in his 1963 Corvette – allegedly he had been speeding. The 61-year-old Springfield took a blood alcohol test and scored 0.10% BAC – as regular readers of this Los Angeles criminal defense attorney blog know, a BAC level of over 0.08% constitutes a DUI level of intoxication, according to California Vehicle Code 23512(b).

As this blog also tries to hammer home, just because you fail a Beverly Hills breathalyzer test, field sobriety test, or even blood test does not mean that you will be convicted of charges. Springfield, for instance, pled not guilty through his lawyer last Tuesday in Malibu. His case is relatively straightforward (or at least it appears to be, from news stories). His misdemeanor DUI charge is not associated with injuries, hit and run, or other criminal or logistical complications.

Not every defendant faces such simple charges. You might face extra legal trouble and hurdles if you have previously been convicted for a DUI or other criminal charge, if you hurt someone during your DUI, if you engaged in a “hit and run” accident or acted belligerently or inappropriate to police at the scene, etc.

One of the keys to success is acknowledging your specific reality – your concerns, values, fears, and potential punishments. The details of your DUI case matter profoundly – as does your choice of legal representative. Beverly Hills’ Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers (9107 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 450, Beverly Hills, California 90210 Phone: (310) 550-6935) can not only advise you about your rights but also help you uncover unique and extremely helpful strategies to battle charges, potentially get them dismissed, and get your life back on track. Attorney Kraut is a well respected former prosecutor (14+ years as a Senior Deputy DA). His combined experience from both sides give him an advantage that few other defense attorneys have.

June 29, 2011

Long Beach DUI Disaster for R&B Fans – Singer Nivea (Baby Mama Number 4 for Lil Wayne) Smashes Into a Tree While Allegedly DUI

by Michael Kraut

Last Sunday was not a good day for R&B singer Nivea. Her story of DUI in Atlanta was largely drowned out in the Long Beach DUI blogosphere by Ryan Dunn’s (of “Jackass” fame) explosive 130 mile per hour fatal wipe out in Pennsylvania. But pundits and celebrity watchers who listen closely to news about Glendale DUI, Pasadena DUI, Los Angeles DUI, and Burbank DUI story lines couldn’t help but notice some similarities between Nivea’s crash and the fatal crash that took the life of Dunn and another passenger on Monday.

• First of all, Nivea wrapped her Mercedes around a tree that had fallen down (she apparently missed the police lights and yellow tape around it); whereas Dunn crashed his Porsche into a tree on the side of the road.

• Nivea had a passenger in her car with her (a tiny baby – Lil Wayne’s); whereas Dunn also had a passenger with him;
• Significant circumstantial evidence suggests at least some wrongdoing. The police allegedly reported that Nivea “had bloodshot, glassy eyes and smelled like alcohol,” swore at an officer on the scene, and admitted to having had 3 drinks before getting behind the wheel; Dunn, for his part, had a history of reckless and careless driving charges (including a DUI) and he photographed himself earlier in the evening at a bar.

• Both had been driving expensive, fast cars (for whatever that’s worth): Nivea was driving a ’06 Mercedes’ whereas Dunn had been driving a Porsche 911 GT3.

What happens when someone gets charged and convicted of driving under the influence in Long Beach with injury to someone else? The answer is stark and scary: You can be charged pursuant to California Vehicle Code Sections 23153 (a) or 23153 (b) – basically what these CVC codes do is escalate what might ordinarily be a misdemeanor charge (still pretty serious) to a felony count (extremely serious). The result? More jail time, stricter penalties, bigger fines, and a harder road back to normalcy.

Can a Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Help You with Your Long Beach DUI Case?

The answer depends on whom you select, how you work with that lawyer, and the nature of your DUI arrest and behavior afterwards. The Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers (located in Long Beach at: 444 West Ocean, Suite 800 Long Beach, California 90802 Phone: (562) 531-7454) can provide a free and confidential consultation regarding your arrest and suggest best practices to prevent you from doing more damage and to put you on a path towards maximizing your defense. Attorney Kraut is not only an experienced defense attorney who has garnered great reviews from clients, legal peers, and the media (e.g. CNN, New York Times, KTLA News), but he is also a former prosecutor who uses his knowledge and connections as an ex-deputy DA to help his clients.

June 27, 2011

Beverly Hills DUI Mystery: Was Jackass Star, Ryan Dunn, DUI When His Porsche Drove Off the Road at 130 Miles Per Hour?

by Michael Kraut

The blogosphere was ablaze (no pun intended) last week with horrific Beverly Hills DUI news – 34-year-old Ryan Dunn, co-star of the popular TV series and movie franchise “Jackass,” died last week in a catastrophic fireball. The disaster led some pundits to declare that Dunn “died as he lived” and inspired a callous tweet from the movie reviewer, Robert Ebert. Clearly, Dunn’s epic tragedy dwarfed any other Los Angeles DUI, Burbank DUI, Pasadena DUI, and Glendale DUI news last week, so let’s explore a little bit about what happened and discuss some implications.

News Summary

Dunn had been cited 13 times for driving problems over the past 23 years – including 10 speeding tickets and one DUI from 2005 (charges for this DUI were dropped after Dunn went through a probationary program). Last Monday morning, Dunn had been driving his Porsche 911 GT3 130 miles per hour in Pennsylvania’s West Goshen Township on Route 322, when the car lurched off the road, zoomed over a guardrail, tore through trees, and burst into flames. The carnage was total: a coroner’s report has still not determined whether Dunn and his co-passenger died from fire injuries or blunt force trauma. And a toxicology report will not be available for at least a month or six weeks, so pundits will have to wait for more evidence about whether Dunn was in fact DUI or not.

Whether or not the Jackass star had indeed been driving DUI has been the subject of much internet speculation – Dunn himself uploaded a picture of him and a buddy drinking that night – just hours before the crash took place. (Witnesses did say that Dunn was not intoxicated.)

One of the big lessons is that repeatedly driving under the influence in Beverly Hills is a recipe for disaster, sooner or later. As this blog has detailed multiple times, the punishment for recidivist DUI behavior gets increasingly more stringent. A first time offender, for instance, might wind up with several weeks in alcohol school, a one-year license suspension, and a mandatory installation of an interlock ignition device in his or her vehicle – along with a day or two behind bars.

But a three or four time Beverly Hills DUI offender may not only get punished with a multiyear driver license suspension, enormous court costs and fines, and other court customized punishments, but he or she may also see an ordinary misdemeanor DUI charge elevated to a felony – a far more serious charge.

Fortunately, the Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Michael Kraut may be able to construct a strategic and logically sound defense for you. Beverly Hills’ Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers (9107 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 450, Beverly Hills, California 90210 Phone: (310) 550-6935) has earned a reputation for excellent client service. Attorney Kraut draws upon a wealth of experience (including 14 plus years as a Senior Deputy DA for LA – a DUI prosecutor). He has earned the respect not only of past and present clients but also of other lawyers, judges, and juries.

June 23, 2011

Beverly Hills DUI Destruction – Rapper Flo Rida Popped for DUI in South Beach with BAC of 0.185

by Michael Kraut

Many arrests for driving under the influence in Beverly Hills involve celebrities driving multimillion dollar cars. Perhaps the only other place on earth that involves as many Maserati, Ferrari, and Bugatti DUI stops is South Beach, Florida. Indeed, South Miami was the scene of a major celebrity DUI bust last week, when Miami Beach police pulled over Rapper Flo Rida for driving with a suspended license and driving with a BAC level of 0.185% (which, as regular readers of this blog know, is more than twice the legal limit for Los Angeles DUI, Glendale DUI, Burbank DUI, and Pasadena DUI.)

Flo Rida – a rapper known for breakout hits like “Right Round” and “Low” — was tooling around in a $1.7 million Bugatti when the Miami Beach PD stopped him. Here is a quote on the arrest from the Boston Herald: “After he was pulled over, the arresting officer noticed Rida’s heavily bloodshot eyes and slurred speech.” When asked to walk on a straight line, Flo finally gave up. “I can’t do this,” he told the officer. “I don’t think I can walk a straight line. I had a few drinks. Let’s do another test. I live on the other side of the bridge. I can make it home.”

Rida exhibited many symptoms similar to the symptoms of Beverly Hills DUI, such as bloodshot eyes, odor of alcohol, incoherent stories to the police, inability to pass field sobriety tests, such as the walk the line test, failure of the breathalyzer test, and probably many more not mentioned in the article write-up.

Just because you exhibited some or many of the signs of DUI, however, doesn’t necessarily mean that you are DUI – even if you blew a positive on a breathalyzer. For instance, say you spent a long time hanging out at a party, smoking cigarettes until 4 in the morning. By the time you got into your car, you likely felt fatigued, raspy, and your eyes might have been quite bloodshot. If you had one or two drinks early in the evening (which you’ve since metabolized), you may still smell a little bit like alcohol, even if you are sober.

Even if you were not out partying or studying, you may still exhibit certain symptoms that could be classified as DUI (which shouldn’t). For instance, if you are on a ketogenic diet or even a semi-starvation diet, you may produce ketone bodies to burn as fuel, and these can screw up your breathalyzer test results.

To make sense of your charges, connect with an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney. Beverly Hills’ Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers (9107 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 450, Beverly Hills, California 90210 Phone: (310) 550-6935) provides free and confidential consultations to DUI offenders. Attorney Michael Kraut is a former Deputy District Attorney for the City of Los Angeles – he actually spent 14 years in this capacity, as a prosecutor – and he has a terrific track record at jury trials and excellent reviews not only from past clients but also from legal peers.

June 17, 2011

Glendale DUI News Goes from Bad to Worse for MLB, as Video Emerges of Braves’ Derek Lowe Yelling at Police

by Michael Kraut

Sports fans – particularly baseball fans – have not had a good 2011, at least judging from the news stories picked up on by Glendale DUI blogs (and other blogs that follow sports and celebrity criminal behavior). 37-year-old Atlanta Braves pitcher Derek Lowe was arrested on April 28 in a suburban Atlanta neighborhood. (Lowe signed a four-year contract worth $60 million prior to the 2009 season.)

A new videotape has emerged – obtained by the AP from the Georgia Department of Public Safety – that shows the star pitcher arguing with police officers “repeatedly saying he was not drinking or racing.” According to the tape, Lowe insists that he had not been racing at 90 miles per hour: “Who am I trying to race? Why would I want to race anybody? I live two blocks from here.” The officer who pulled him over retorted furiously “quit trying to lie to me…do you want to start telling the truth now or do you want to keep lying to me?”

Celebrities who face charges of DUI in Burbank, Glendale DUI, Pasadena DUI, and driving under the influence in Los Angeles or elsewhere in Southern California often contend with this extra problem – how will officers react once their true professions are known?

According to a USA Today article on the Derek Lowe video, the pitcher “seemed reluctant” to bring up the fact that he played for the Braves. After being pressed, he responded “I play baseball and once you say you play baseball, you are already guilty. I play for the Braves, so there you go.”

Although Lowe’s charges were dropped several weeks after his arrest, the pitcher made a public apology and generated some clearly unwanted attention for his team and his sport. Lowe’s experience illustrates that there are many ways during the Glendale DUI arrest process to compound a bad situation and make it even worse. If you get into an argument with a police officer, resist arrest, leave the scene of an accident, lie or conduct yourself in an appropriate manner, your Los Angeles criminal defense attorney may have a more challenging time getting your charges dismissed or getting them pled down to lesser offenses.

Many clients have had wonderful experiences working with Glendale’s Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers (121 W Lexington Dr, Glendale, CA 91203 Phone: (818) 507-9123). Lead Counsel Michael Kraut spent many years as a Los Angeles city prosecutor – striving to convict DUI offenders. Now, as a criminal defense lawyer, he brings his impressive credentials and knowledge of prosecutorial tactics and mindset to help his clients.

June 13, 2011

Burbank DUI Bonanza: Multiple Lawmakers in Trouble for Driving Under the Influence

by Michael Kraut

The Burbank DUI news blotter was hopping last week with stories about East Coast politicians in trouble for driving under the influence. So in this post, we will extend beyond our typical coverage of Los Angeles DUI, Glendale DUI, Burbank DUI and DUI in Pasadena news to discuss the twin cases of Rhode Island representative Robert Watson and Pennsylvania lawmaker John Galloway.

Watson’s story.

According to www.boston.com, representative Watson, a 50-year-old lawmaker from Rhode Island, got pulled over in East Haven, CT on April 22nd. He allegedly had both marijuana and cocaine in his system. “Police say Watson failed a sobriety test, smelled of alcohol and marijuana and slurred his words at the checkpoint. Officers say they found a small bag of marijuana and a pipe in his pocket. Laboratory tests showed Watson’s blood alcohol level was 0.07, below the state’s 0.08 limit (and the Southern California DUI limit of 0.08% BAC).”

Representative Watson vigorously denied using cocaine. Addressing reporters outside New Haven Superior Court, he lobbed a vociferous defense: “I intend to address [the charges] vigorously. I intend to continue to deny the allegations lodged against me, and I hope and expect that I am found not guilty.” Watson has alleged that he had marijuana on his person to treat pancreatitis related pain. He accused officers of going after him because he is an elected official.

Galloway’s story.

Meanwhile, also last Tuesday, police in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania pulled over state Rep John Galloway on 2nd street. According to NBC Philadelphia, “the officer put Galloway through several field sobriety tests, which he allegedly failed. The officer then asked Galloway to take a breath test and he refused to do so.” The officer then arrested Galloway for driving DUI and committing other traffic violations.

Stories in Context

Fortunately for these two lawmakers, last week’s political oxygen was spent mostly on reveling in the unbelievable behavior of former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin (who made up bizarre statements about Paul Revere’s ride) and New York representative Anthony Weiner (who engaged in bizarre and lurid internet activity).

When lawmakers misbehave and get accused of crimes like driving under the influence in Burbank (and elsewhere), trust in the system degrades. That’s why it’s so important to handle such cases delicately, fairly and objectively.

If you or someone you care about (a relative, friend, co-worker, etc) needs services from a reputable Los Angeles criminal defense attorney to deal with a DUI issue, the experienced leaders at Burbank’s Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers (2600 West Olive Avenue, 5th Floor, Burbank, California 91505 Phone: (818) 563-9810) can help you simplify and strategize. Attorney Michael Kraut is a former L.A. prosecutor (14 years as a Senior Deputy DA) who has built his reputation on developing and delivering solutions for clients facing complex charges.