DUI Near USC or UCLA

August 6, 2012

Glendale DUI Celebrity News: Ted Nugent’s Drummer Hit With a Golf Cart DUI Charge

As regular readers of our Glendale DUI blog know, golf cart DUIs are surprisingly common, both here in the Southland and throughout America. The crime sounds a bit preposterous – like something out of a Caddyshack outtake, perhaps. But we keep seeing examples of it in the news. For instance, Sunday night before last, Mick Brown, the 55-year-old drummer for classic rock icon Ted Nugent, got hit with golf cart DUI up in Bangor, Maine. Brown’s story is more than a bit humorous – it reads like a stereotype of the “classic rocker bad boy breaking the law.”

According to police reports, Nugent stole a golf cart and drove it on a footpath recklessly, while DUI. Police officers tried to stop the runaway drummer, but he “sped past them” on his cart and even pushed a security officer aside. Eventually, two security officers grabbed Brown and pulled him off. He was riding with two females (of course).

Brown was arrested on a smorgasbord of charges including:

August 1, 2012

Beverly Hills DUI Epidemic – 3 NFLers Busted for DUI in a Single Week, Brings Total Since Super Bowl Up to 27 Separate Arrests!

by Michael Kraut

If you’ve recently gotten in trouble for a Beverly Hills DUI, you have company, in the form of 27 National Football League professional athletes. That’s right. Since the conclusion of the Super Bowl on February 5th, there have been 27 DUI arrests involving professional NFL athletes. Things really started to heat up in mid to late July, when three separate NFL DUI arrests hit in one week. The culprits: Kenny Britt of Titans, Robert Quinn of the St. Louis Rams, and Marshawn Lynch of the Sea Hawks.

In a series of posts, we’re going to address these arrests, both specifically and in a larger context. What might they mean for NFL? More importantly, what lessons can you learn from this trend to help you deal with your Beverly Hills DUI charges, put your life back together, and avoid trouble in the future.

In today’s post, we’ll take a closer look at Britt’s arrest.

According to news reports, the Titans receiver was tooling around Fort Campbell, Kentucky with teammate Tommie Campbell, when he was stopped at a security gate, tested and arrested for driving under the influence.

Britt was no stranger to brushes with law enforcement.

Last April, he got busted in New Jersey after speeding 20 miles over the speed limit and trying to elude an officer. His charges were ultimately reduced down to a fine and misdemeanor. But he got a stern warning from the League. Prior to that, he had been arrested on marijuana charges, resisting arrest, participating in a bar fight, failing to pay a promised bail, and a motley assortment of other unpleasantries. Sports watchers suspect that Britt’s punishment this time will be more severe – he will likely get a multiple game suspension on top of other punishments.

Fortunately, his DUI did not result in anyone getting seriously hurt or killed. If you do injure someone while DUI, you can face felony charges per California Vehicle Code Sections 23153(a) or 23153(b). If convicted, you could lose many rights, face over a year in jail, and be subject to other life altering (and not in a good way) restrictions and penalties.

Furthermore, if your Beverly Hills DUI was not your first brush with the law, prosecutors might go especially hard on you.

What can you do to manage your legal challenges?

Connect today with an experienced professional with the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers (8484 Wilshire Boulevard Suite 660B Beverly Hills, CA 90211-3220 Phone: (310) 550-6935). Attorney Michael Kraut is a Beverly Hills DUI criminal defense attorney who spent well over a decade on the prosecutorial side before switching over to represent defendants like you. He understands how prosecutors think and work, and he can help you devise and execute the most appropriate strategy for your defense.

July 25, 2012

The Same Old Pasadena DUI Story, Different Place: 3 Doors Down Bassist Busted in Mississippi

by Michael Kraut

A Pasadena DUI arrest can be a folly or a tragedy, depending on your perspective.

Often, there are aspects of both folly and tragedy in the story. Consider, for instance, the arrest of Todd Harrell, the 40-year-old bassist for the rock group 3 Doors Down. According to a Mississippi police chief, Harrell was stopped at D’Iberville, MS after he flew through an intersection and hit a pickup truck. Harrell was not wearing his seatbelt.

The bassist just recently left 3 Doors Down due to reported health problems. Harrell helped form the group back in 1996 along with singer Brad Arnold and guitarist Matt Roberts. Harrell’s blood tests and toxicology report are both pending, according to the local Mississippi authorities. He was released on a $1,000 bond.

Fortunately, no one was serious hit or killed in the collision, although Pasadena DUI situations can often unfortunately end in disasters – like serious injury or death. In that case, a charge that ordinarily only be considered a misdemeanor DUI (per CVC 23152(a) or 23152(b)) would be ratcheted up to a felony charge per the Pasadena injury DUI statutes, CVC 23153(a) and 23153(b).

Even if you arrest was relatively straightforward — for instance, say you were stopped at a checkpoint near the 210 and you just barely failed a field sobriety test — you can still face suspension of your California driver’s license for over a year, major fees, court costs, fines, points on your license, a huge spike in insurance rates, and, yes, even jail time. Even first offenders who don’t hurt other people can be compelled to spend serious time behind bars.

And if there was anything that complicated your DUI charge — e.g. you were extremely intoxicated, you hurt someone, you have a conviction for DUI on your record – then prosecutors can really go after you and make your life very challenging. While even the most effective Pasadena DUI criminal defense attorney cannot make miracles happen, your choice of lawyer can be pivotal.

Turn to Pasadena DUI criminal defense lawyer – and former L.A. city prosecutor – Michael Kraut for help. Mr. Kraut has the wherewithal, skills, and resources to put together a powerful defense for you. Connect with the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers team today for a free, confidential, and thorough consultation (790 East Colorado Boulevard, 9th floor, Pasadena, California 91101 Phone: (626) 345-1899).

July 23, 2012

Long Beach DUI News: Ugh, Yet Another Revered Sports Celebrity Busted for DUI – This Time It’s Jason Kidd of the New York Knicks!

by Michael Kraut

Everybody knows that you’re not supposed to drive under the influence in Long Beach or anywhere else in the country.

Yet it seems like sports celebrities, in particular, have been forgetting this fundamental rule.

In a recent post, we talked about the rash of recent NFL-related DUIs. Today, we’re going to go to a different sports league — the NBA — and take a look at the arrest of Jason Kidd, a celebrated guard for the New York Knicks. According to repots, Kidd piloted his Cadillac Escalade into a telephone pole in South Hampton, New York and then continued to blaze a trial into the woods. The 39-year-old Kidd was taken to a local hospital (South Hampton Hospital) for treatment for his minor injuries and also tagged with a misdemeanor DWI charge. Kidd recently signed a three year contract with New York – worth $9.5 million. He is a 10 time NBA All Star.

Not exactly role model behavior.

Kidd apologized to his fans via his Twitter account: “I regret any disruption my accident last weekend may have caused members of the community and want to thank the local authorities… I’d also like to thank my family and friends for their support.”

Why are so many NFL players, NBA players, and other sports figures getting arrested for crimes like driving under the influence in Long Beach and elsewhere in the Southland?

The answer could be diverse. It could have to do with high adrenaline living that characterizes many sports celebrities. It could have to do with a lack of proper education about the dangers of DUI or how to prevent it. Unfortunately, there is lot of misinformation – and a lot of condescension – with respect to DUI out there.

If you or someone you care about was recently arrested and charged with DUI in Long Beach, you will likely encounter some serious friction – not only from the authorities but also from friends and family members who should support you better.

Defining and building an effective DUI defense means getting the right people “on your team.” Long Beach DUI defense lawyer Michael Kraut of the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers in Los Angeles (444 West Ocean, Suite 800 Long Beach, California 90802 Phone: (562) 531-7454 ) is an esteemed, experienced attorney who can talk to you about your case and help you develop a sound defense to get your life back together.

Connect with Attorney Kraut – a Harvard Law School educated former city prosecutor – today to being your path to a more sober and safe future.

July 12, 2012

Just How Dangerous is it to Drive DUI in Los Angeles on the 4th of July?

by Michael Kraut

Independence Day has come and gone – and whether you or someone you love got arrested for DUI in Los Angeles over the holiday or after all the celebrations died down – you may find it useful to understand your situation in a broader context, so you can put forward the most effective and appropriate defense.

To that end, did you know that 4th of July is single most deadly holiday of the year with respect to driving under the influence? July 4th “beats out” New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Labor Day, President’s Day, you name it, according to 25 years of statistics parsed by the wonks at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). More than half of fatal July 4th crashes, on average, are related to alcohol.

The latest NHTSA statistics, which date back to 2010, found that during the three-day 4th of July weekend that year, 491 people died in auto accidents – 42% of fatalities were suspected DUI related. Meanwhile, during a four-day New Year’s period that same year, only 423 people died – a similar percentage, 41%, were suspected DUI related.

NHTSA statistics show that nights and weekends are the most dangerous times to drive. Researchers suspect that the reason why more 4th of July fatalities happen is that people know that New Year’s is a dangerous time to drive, so they know to stay off the roads; whereas the 4th of July is kind of a hidden danger – not many people realize that it’s a bad time to be on the roads.

All these statistics aside, you and your family need accurate and strategic guidance designing your Los Angeles DUI defense (Local: (323) 464-6453 Toll Free: (888) 334-6344). Connect immediately with the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers for a confidential and thorough case evaluation. Attorney Kraut is very well-known and highly respected Los Angeles criminal defense attorney who spends a lot of time on DUI cases, and he can help you make better decisions and maximize your chances for getting good results.

July 4, 2012

Glendale DUI News Update: Could Porn Icon Jenna Jameson Face Year Behind Bars?

by Michael Kraut

If you’ve been charged with driving under the influence in Glendale or elsewhere, understand that you are not the only one to go through this experience. Porn icon Jenna Jameson was stopped and arrested in Orange County for DUI on May 25th – she was officially charged last week; if convicted, Jameson could face up to a YEAR behind bars.

According to reports, Jameson hit a light pole with her car. No one was injured in the crash. She subsequently failed a field sobriety test (FST) and got arrested on suspicion of DUI. Later, Jameson tested to have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.13%. The legal limit for Glendale DUI, as stipulated by California Vehicle Code Section 23152(b), is 0.08%. Police also identified two drugs in her system: suboxone and ambien. She faces one count of driving without a valid California license and two DUI charges.

What might Jameson’s arrest imply for your Glendale DUI defense?

1. First and foremost, the story highlights that how anyone – irrespective of class, status, income, etc – can find themselves instantly in hot water.

In the blink of an eye, you can find yourself facing penalties like jail time, license suspension, mandatory alcohol school, forced installation of an IID device in your car, harsh probation terms, points on your license, spiked insurance rates, and beyond. Whether you are Jenna Jameson or the President of the United States, California law does not discriminate.

2. The second point – and this is more subtle, but it’s also crucial – is that your past history can inform your defensive strategy.

Jameson is a celebrity who won acclaim in the pornography industry – as such, her persona and her past actions will almost certainly influence how her Glendale DUI defense attorney deals with her case.

Likewise, your past history, actions, and behaviors will shape the way that you should structure your defense. If you’ve committed multiple priors – or if you have a history of “causing trouble” – you’ll want to develop a different strategy than you will if you are facing your first defense.

3. There are a dizzyingly diverse numbers of elements that will influence your battle plan.

That’s why it’s almost always a good idea to work with a respectable Glendale DUI defense lawyer, like Michael Kraut of the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers (121 W Lexington Dr, Glendale, CA 91203 Phone: (818) 507-9123).

Attorney Kraut is a great resource; connect with his team for a free and confidential consultation regarding your best next steps.

July 2, 2012

General Anxiety and Depression After Pasadena DUI: What’s Going On?

by Michael Kraut

After recently being arrested for driving under the influence in Pasadena – or perhaps getting tagged for DUI near USC or UCLA – you’re having difficulty sleeping and stressing about your future. You may even be having feelings of depression that are seemingly unrelated to your recent DUI arrest.

Why? What’s going on?

For instance, maybe you’ve been wistfully recalling a break up with an ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend. Or maybe you’ve been just feeling homesick or whatever. Where does this generalized anxiety and depression come from? Is it related to your Pasadena DUI? What can you do to gain control of your legal situation and protect your driving privileges? And how can you feel back in control after the events of the past few days or weeks?

Feeling “out of control” is often a symptom of deeper needs not being met
In this article, you will be introduced to a very cool tool to “help you drill down” to get to the root source of your post Pasadena DUI dissatisfaction. You will also get to meet a premier Pasadena DUI criminal defense attorney – more on that later.

First, crystallize in words one problem related to your “post DUI” malaise. Just take out a piece of paper right now – or a word document – and write down what’s on your mind that’s causing you anxiety. For instance:

1. “If I lose my license, I have no idea how I’ll get to school.”
2. “I’m terrified about going to jail – even for a few days.”
3. “I don’t know how I’m going to tell my parents about my DUI.”

On your own, go through the following exercise with all the statements you come up with. We’re only going to do one “drill down” in this blog post for brevity’s sake.

So pick one statement – we’ll go with the third statement here – and start to drill down by asking yourself questions about it. Specifically, ask yourself WHY the issue concerns you. This is an iterative process. So once you get to a reason, you want to get to the root of that reason and so forth and so on.

#1: I’m terrified to tell my parents about my Pasadena DUI.

Why?

#2: Because my parents won’t understand; they’re going to yell at me and cut off my tuition.

Why are your parents not going to understand and cut off your tuition?

#3: Because my dad already thinks that I’m slacking off at school.

Why does your dad think that?

#4: Because he’s always told me that I’ve been squandering myself out here in Los Angeles, and that I should have taken a job as an engineer back home.

And why is that a problem for you?

#5: Because I want to be able to be left alone and do my own thing and not be constantly judged!

Do you see how this exercise drills down to deeper emotional truths?

In our fictional example, the DUI defendant reaches an epiphany about his relationship with his dad – and even gets to a deeper need about wanting to be independent.

Having this kind of self realization is critical. Once you surface that need and meet it somehow, perhaps you’ll be less likely to become a recidivist Pasadena DUI offender.

If you’re just looking for brass tacks – help to get out of your legal jam – consider connecting immediately with the professionals at the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers. Attorney Kraut is a former city prosecutor for Los Angeles – a senior Deputy District Attorney, in fact – and he has helped many people in very similar situation to yours get clarity and get results.

June 25, 2012

Pasadena DUI News: Extreme BAC Level Shocks Arizona Cops

by Michael Kraut

Were you recently stopped and arrested for driving under the influence in Pasadena? Did you have to submit to a breath or blood alcohol test? If so, odds are that your BAC was substantially lower than 0.328% – the reported BAC level of a 52-year-old Arizona man caught speeding on County Route 1 in Mohave County, AZ.

According to reports, police pulled Scott Jarc over at around 4 AM and noticed an extreme smell of alcohol coming from his vehicle. “Odor of alcohol” is one of the classic symptoms of Pasadena DUI, by the way.

Jarc admitted to having consumed alcohol earlier in the evening, and field sobriety tests confirmed the suspicions. Jarc’s BAC reading of 0.328% was four times the legal limit for DUI in Pasadena, as defined by California Vehicle Code Section 23152(b), of 0.08% BAC. As a result of this extreme BAC, he got hit with four different charges, including standard DUI of 0.08%, DUI over 0.15%, and DUI over 0.20%. Authorities said that Jarc was lucky to have survived that amount of alcohol in his system – guidebooks suggest that 0.35% BAC is the equivalent of a surgical anesthetic, and that level can lead to coma or death. At 0.40% BAC, you can suffer respiratory arrest and other serious medical problems, including death.

Jarc’s extreme BAC is actually not the most extreme BAC ever recorded on a DUI driver or other person. In fact, in one of our blog posts about a year ago, we reviewed even more extreme BAC cases – people who allegedly had BAC levels of over 0.80% or even above 1%! Seems impossible, but apparently people have sustained that level of intoxication and survived.

Bouncing back after a Pasadena DUI charge is not easy to do, particularly if your charge is complex or confusing. The positive news, if that’s even an appropriate word to use, is that the professionals at the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers in Pasadena (790 East Colorado Boulevard, 9th floor, Pasadena, California 91101 Phone: (626) 345-1899) can help you manage your next steps effectively. Michael Kraut is an ex-prosecutor for Los Angeles – he actually served as a Senior Deputy District DA. Connect with Attorney Kraut today for an immediate, complete, and stress-reducing complimentary consultation about what to do next.

June 15, 2012

The Fallout of Justin Blackmon’s DUI: Urgent Lessons, If You’ve Been Booked for Burbank DUI

by Michael Kraut

Getting arrested for DUI in Burbank (or anywhere else in California) can feel terrible.

But the legal and logistical “hangover” from the arrest can often feel worse. The sense of uncertainty — the diverse and severe threats hanging over your head — can make you wish that Marty McFly’s “flux capacitor” existed in real life, so you could go back in time and prevent your DUI from ever happening.

It’s possible that ex-Oklahoma State football player, Justin Blackmon, feels this way, too.

Last weekend, Blackmon — who had just been drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars — got busted for driving under the influence in Stillwater, Oklahoma, after police saw him driving nearly twice the speed limit and swerving into oncoming cars. The officer who pulled Blackmon over reported noticing an odor of alcohol. He said that Blackmon had watery, red eyes, and that he admitted to consuming alcohol prior to driving. If you were recently put through the paces of a Burbank DUI field sobriety test, you probably could relate to the helplessness he likely felt.

After getting arrested, Blackmon blew a staggering 0.24% BAC on a breathalyzer test – that’s thrice the limit for Southern California DUI, as defined by California Vehicle Code Section 23152(b). What’s worse, Blackmon reportedly argued with the police. Aside from his legal trouble, he now faces potential career trouble. Sports reports suggested that the Jaguars may now present with him with a lowball offer during his contract negotiations. An official with the Jaguars told a sports network that “[Blackmon is] going to have to fess up, take ownership of the situation, and lay out a course for dealing with this thing “head on” or potentially risk serious trouble with the Jags.”

In the wake of his misdemeanor DUI arrest, he was also asked to meet with the GM and head coach of the team.

The potential punishments for your Burbank DUI conviction – even if you did not aggravate the DUI by harassing an officer, hitting someone, hurting someone, or doing something else flagrant and, in retrospect, dumb – can be terrifying and scary. It’s not just that you can face jail time, even if this is your first DUI, and you did nothing else wrong.

It’s that the long-term consequences for your license, your freedom, your insurance rates, your reputation, and your career prospects can dog you for years.

While a Burbank criminal defense DUI attorney at the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers (2600 West Olive Avenue, 5th Floor, Burbank, California 91505 Phone: (818) 563-9810) obviously cannot promise solutions, Attorney Kraut has a reputation for being able to deliver fantastic, aggressive, and empathetic service. As a former Deputy District Attorney (city prosecutor) and regular contributor to well-known media, like the Los Angeles Times, Fox News, KTLA News – Attorney Kraut has the knowledge and understanding to help you put up the stiffest possible defense.

June 13, 2012

Got Multiple Pasadena DUI Charges? Lessons from NFL Debacles!

by Michael Kraut

If you or someone you love was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in Pasadena recently – and it was not your first arrest on such charges! – you are not alone. The National Football League had a “multiple DUI” week last week: the Detroit Lions’ Nick Fairley, the Jaguars’ Justin Blackmon, and the Vikings’ Jerome Felton all got tagged for driving under the influence within 48 hours of one another.

• Felton was stopped on June 1 and arrested under suspicion of DWI in Minnesota, after he refused to submit to a BAC test.
• Blackmon was hit on the morning of June 3rd – his second DUI in two years (we covered his arrest in detail in a separate blog post).
• Fairley, a defensive tackle for the Lions, was also hit for DUI on June 3rd – in Alabama.

According to reports, Fairley was arrested for DUI one month ago, too. His second arrest was fairly dramatic (no pun intended). Apparently, he had been piloting his Cadillac Escalade SUV at over 100 miles per hour while DUI and under the influence of marijuana. When a state trooper tried to pull him over, he refused to capitulate… and thus ultimately earned himself a charge of eluding the police. Finally, he also lacked insurance for his SUV, so he got stuck with “no proof of insurance charges” as a kind of proverbial cherry on top!

You can look at these three arrests and conclude that “something must be wrong” with the NFL. There very well might be. But understand that just looking at single weekend’s worth of arrests (or non arrests) can easily mislead. This is a myopic perspective – a narrow-minded one. We would need to look at the DUIs in context to understand their deeper meaning for the NFL.

Similarly, it would be narrow-minded to say anything definitive about your life or your personality or your potential for recovery just by looking at how you behaved during and immediately after your Pasadena DUI arrest.

That being said, if you don’t handle your DUI effectively and resourcefully, you could face profound punishments. These could go well beyond jail time and license suspension. (Those two punishments are the most prominent in many defendants’ minds.)

Think about what might happen to your insurance rates over the next several years as a result of a DUI conviction, for instance. And have you contemplated what will happen to your professional reputation and credentials if your Pasadena DUI charge sticks?

To resolve the stress, uncertainty, and fear, you need good allies and powerful resources. An experienced, savvy attorney with the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers (790 East Colorado Boulevard, 9th floor, Pasadena, California 91101 Phone: (626) 345-1899) can help you understand exactly what to do next to maximize your chances of a positive result – perhaps even a dismissal of the charges entirely.