San Fernando DUI Defense Attorney

March 28, 2011

Burbank DUI Disaster for NFL Hopeful – Will Michael Floyd Ever Again Play for Notre Dame?

The annals of Burbank DUI arrests are filled with sad stories of honest people making honest mistakes and careless people making dumb mistakes. Sometimes a situation like a Burbank DUI, Pasadena DUI, Glendale DUI, or Los Angeles DUI will end in tragedy – for instance, someone gets severely hurt or killed. Other times, it merely ends with embarrassment and a loss of professional and personal reputation. In still other cases, the DUI stimulates a positive change for the defendant and helps him or her come to terms with a budding alcohol problem or a deeper psychological problem.

Unfortunately, many young sports stars – who are trained to believe they are invulnerable – often fall victim to their own carelessness and hubris, and they do things like stupidly drive DUI. Doing so can destroy their careers and lead to heartbreak for friends, family members, and fans.

A week ago Sunday, Michael Floyd, a star receiver for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, got arrested for DUI in South Bend, Indiana after blowing a 0.19% on his breathalyzer test and failing field sobriety tests three different times.

The 21-year-old Floyd decided to pass over the 2011 NFL Draft to play for his senior season. Last year 2010, he had 12 touchdowns, 79 catches, and 1,025 yards. Following his DUI arrest, a short period of incarceration at the South Bend, Indiana jail, and a payment of a $500 bond, Notre Dame Coach Brian Kelly informed the hopeful that he had been “suspended indefinitely from football team related activities.” Floyd released a statement last Monday apologizing to his friends, coaches, teammates, and fans for “my behavior this weekend” – but will the contrition be enough to save his career?

The answer is obviously up for debate, but the story illustrates how seriously DUI can undermine your life, even if you don’t ultimately get convicted.

Burbank DUI field sobriety tests are probably similar to the ones that Michael Floyd took (and allegedly failed) a week ago. But what exactly happens when you take these tests? Generally, the first test that you get is a vision test called the horizontal gaze nystagmus test. An officer shines a flashlight in your eyes to see how your pupils react to the stimulus. You will also be asked to do a bunch of balancing and coordination tests – touch your nose with your fingers, stand on one leg, walk back and forth across a line, etc. Your mental acuity may also be tested. For instance, you may be asked to recite the alphabet backwards or to count backwards. Officers will also take into account other potential “symptoms” of DUI, such as alcohol on your breath, slurring words, bloodshot eyes, admission to having drunk, disheveled appearance, and inconsistent storytelling.

A Los Angeles criminal defense attorney, like Burbank’s Michael Kraut, can help you piece together a strong and evidence-based defense and help you figure out how to respond to charges against you. Michael Kraut served for many years as a Deputy District Attorney for LA, and he is widely respected as a pundit who speaks on national television about Burbank DUI matters. The Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers is located at 2600 West Olive Avenue, 5th Floor, Burbank, California 91505 Phone: (818) 563-9810.

March 21, 2011

Glendale DUI Setups: Divorced Dads Targeted in Nefarious “Dirty DUI” Scam

by Michael Kraut

Here is how the scam typically happened. A divorced dad in the midst of a bitter custody battle finds himself approached by two gorgeous women at a local watering hole, gets seduced into driving to a “hot tub party” and then suddenly, out of nowhere, finds himself pulled over and arrested for driving under the influence in Glendale.

Turns out, the dad was set up. His wife had hired Christopher Butler, an ex-cop, to arrange the “dirty DUI” operation by hiring the women to seduce him and then alerting law enforcement agents as the man took the road. The result? A DUI in Los Angeles, DUI in Pasadena, DUI in Burbank, DUI in Glendale, or DUI anywhere else in Southern California.

Sounds like fiction? Think again.

The San Francisco Chronicle and Daily Mail Reporter detailed this “dirty DUI” scam in a recent story. Among the divorcees caught up in the trouble:

* 46-year-old David Dutcher — he was stopped in 2008 for DUI after a woman he met on match.com invited him back to hot tub with one of her friends. The police pulled him over and found him to have a BAC of 0.12% (Southern California DUI limit is 0.08%).

* 46-year-old Declan Woods — This contractor was busted in July 2007, after a younger woman got him drunk at Ed’s Mudville Grill and the Clayton Club Saloon. Woods hopped in a car to follow the woman to more partying at Walnut Creek, when he got pulled over by the police – a 0.21% BAC breathalyzer reading and a devastating arrest quickly followed.

Although these divorced dads got “seduced” into breaking the law (by driving under the influence), they clearly should have known better.

On the other hand, their wives and Mr. Butler (the ex-police officer who set things up) should also be ashamed. Inspiring people to drive under the influence in Southern California is reprehensible, whatever the reason.

But if you’ve been caught for driving under the influence in Glendale or elsewhere, you may not need to prove that you were “set up” in order to build a good defense. Indeed, simply questioning the methodology and accuracy of the breath test can be enough to break down the prosecution’s case against you. You might think that a Glendale DUI blood test or breathalyzer test that shows a positive for DUI would be essentially incontrovertible evidence that you did something wrong and broke the law. But, surprisingly, such tests can often be compromised and misleading.

An experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney can take a look at the test results and help you develop a smart way to minimize your penalties and maximize your chances of the best possible outcomes. Connect with Michael Kraut’s Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers (offices in Glendale at : 121 W Lexington Dr, Glendale, CA 91203 Phone: (818) 507-9123) to get your critical questions about your Glendale DUI answered right now.

March 14, 2011

Burbank DUI Celebrity Arrest Alert: ESPN Commentator Harry Teinowitz Slapped with DUI in Illinois

by Michael Kraut

When sports stars and celebrities get pulled over for driving under the influence in Burbank, Southern California, or elsewhere in the nation, the national news media and the blogosphere react with shock, awe, and dismay. In many situations, defendants are deemed “guilty” in the eyes of the public, even before counter evidence or counter arguments can be heard.

If someone you love – or yourself – recently got arrested for violating the law against driving DUI in Glendale, DUI in Los Angeles, DUI in Burbank, or DUI in Pasadena, chances are you’ve already experienced some of this unfair “prejudgment” — even among friends and associates.

Consider the case of Harry Teinowitz, a famous radio talk show host for ESPN’s WMVP-AM radio. The 50-year old announcer got stopped for DUI in Illinois the Friday before last and tested to have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.131% (nearly twice the legal limit for Los Angeles DUI – 0.08% BAC). After getting released from jail through via a $1,000 bail bond, Teinowitz returned to his radio show last Monday (“The Afternoon Saloon”) and addressed his listeners about what happened.

Teinowitz said: “some of you may have heard about the incident that occurred last Friday night. I made a horrible mistake in judgment… and I take full responsibility for my actions. I let my family down. I let you guys, the listeners who I love, down and I let the company I work for down. And I’m deeply sorry… this doesn’t define me: what happens from now defines me.”

Note Teinowitz’ extremely defensive tone. Like many people arrested for driving under the influence in Burbank (a misdemeanor as defined by California Vehicle Code Sections 23152(a) or 23152(b)), Teinowitz understands the instant stigma that attaches to defendants in DUI cases. It’s easy to find yourself attached to the label of “DUI defendant” and to feel judged – not only by friends, peers, and outsiders but also by yourself.

The key to remember is that labels and moralistic judgments don’t necessarily define the essence of who you are. In many ways, it’s the lessons we learn, the actions we take, and the motion we take towards helping others and helping ourselves that defines our humanity. As important as it is to respond alertly and fairly to your DUI charges – and that doesn’t necessarily mean avoiding all punishments, by the way — it’s equally important to give yourself a certain degree of forgiveness and to move away from labeling yourself as “good, bad, unfairly targeted, et cetera.” Instead, focus on identifying the most resourceful path to getting what you want and to ensuring the safety and well being of others in your family and other drivers in the road.

Obviously, you have some practical issues that you are facing right now, if you are a Burbank DUI defendant. 23152(a) and (b) convictions can lead to plenty of uncomfortable penalties, ranging from community service to jail time to probation to the mandatory putting in of a device called an interlock ignition device, which makes it impossible for you to drive unless you blow a sober breath into a machine.

A quality Los Angeles criminal defense attorney, such as Michael Kraut of the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers (located in Burbank at: 2600 West Olive Avenue, 5th Floor, Burbank, California 91505 Phone: (818) 563-9810) can deliver the much needed strategic guidance and compassionate support you need during this tumultuous time. Trust a Harvard Law School educated former prosecutor to build your defense today.

March 2, 2011

Glendale DUI News Alert: Bad News Comes in Fours

by Michael Kraut

Getting arrested for driving under the influence in Glendale or elsewhere in Southern California is no picnic. But often, offenders compound their legal woes both during and after arrest. We’re going to take a look at two unfortunate stories from the past week – both involving the number four. One involves a North Dakota man who got arrested twice in four hours for DUI; the other involves a Pennsylvanian man who racked up his fourth DUI in a McDonald’s parking lot.

If someone you care about has gotten arrested for Glendale DUI, Burbank DUI, DUI in Los Angeles, or DUI in Pasadena, these two cautionary tales may be quite useful to you.

Turmoil in West Fargo
The AP reports that, last Thursday, a 40-year-old man got pulled over at 2:20 A.M for suspicion of DUI in West Fargo, ND. The man made his bail and then immediately got behind the wheel again. Some passerby saw him “slumped over the wheel of a running vehicle with its lights on” at 5:40 A.M. Surprise, surprise, the police promptly busted the man again for DUI – not even four hours had elapsed between arrests.

Big Woes in Ridley Township
Meanwhile, more than 1,000 miles away in Ridley Township, Pennsylvania, Christian M Sweeney smashed his red Oldsmobile into a woman waiting in a McDonald’s drive-through. Just two months ago, Sweeney had passed out in front of a Wawa. Police tested him for DUI, and he blew an astounding 0.62% BAC on a breathalyzer. For some perspective on this number, consider that the legal limit for a Glendale DUI (as defined by California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (b)) is just 0.08%. This means that Sweeney blew a BAC of nearly eight times the California legal limit! If you consult alcohol experts, many will tell you that 0.50% BAC is often fatal. If Sweeney’s December BAC reading was correct, it’s actually a miracle he survived.

In any event, officers reportedly found not only a bottle of vodka in Sweeney’s pants but also an empty hydrocodone bottle in his car. On top of that, Sweeney exhibited signs associated with Glendale DUI, such as “odor of alcohol coming from his breath and person,” red and glassy eyes, and slurred speech.

Does DUI bad news always come in fours?

Not necessarily. Each DUI defense offers unique nuances and defensive resources. If you or someone you care about was pulled over in the Valley or elsewhere in the Southland for the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs – or some variation of that crime – trust your defense to a competent Los Angeles criminal defense attorney.

Mr. Michael Kraut of Glendale’s Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers (located at: 121 W Lexington Dr, Glendale, CA 91203 Phone: (818) 507-9123) can provide a stiff, strategic, and sophisticated defense for you. As a regular commentator for the BBC, Fox News, the Los Angeles Times, and other widely respected publications – and as a Harvard Law School educated former prosecutor – Mr. Kraut can provide peerless legal assistance.

February 16, 2011

Glendale DUI Ridiculousness – Woman Gets DUI after Pulling Herself over for No Reason

by Michael Kraut

Most major news stories concerning driving under the influence in Glendale have a sober and even tragic tone about them. This blog has certainly covered tales of celebrities ruining their careers while driving DUI in Burbank, DUI in Pasadena, DUI in Glendale, or DUI in Los Angeles. It’s also discussed the implications of vehicular manslaughter and even DUI murders (also called Watson Murders). But in addition to the tragic stories that unfold every day across the nation, unintentionally hilarious situations also emerge.

A case in point: A small Ohio paper called the Sandusky Register is reporting on a totally bizarre DUI case in Perkins Township.

Apparently, 27-year-old Nicole Scott had been driving home when she saw what she believed to be flashing police lights. She dutifully pulled herself over. But she then quickly realized that the “police lights” were just lights to a nearby sign for Skate World. Unfortunately, by this point, her Dodge Avenger had become mired in a snow bank.

By the by, police officers arrived at the scene and found Ms. Scott sitting alone in her car, still intoxicated. We will quote the Sandusky Register to give you the blow by blow from here:

“She denied being the driver of the vehicle and said her friend Ray had been driving, but he ran off. Scott refused a sobriety test because she insisted she was not the driver. She proceeded to tell police that her friend Samantha had been driving, and later that her friend Courtney had been driving. Finally, she said her friend Brittany had been driving, according to police.”

Unsurprisingly, the cops did not buy her multiple conflicting stories – and they also took notice of the empty bottle of Michelob Ultra in her car – and that there were only a single set of footprints around her vehicle – and arrested her.

When police pull you over – for a suspected Glendale DUI or DUI anywhere else in the state – they will typically look for signs that you are under the influence of a narcotic or alcohol. One of those signs might be telling the police five different stories about where you have been. Another might be that you have an open container of alcohol (like Michelob Ultra). If you smell like alcohol, mumble, stumble, or fumble, demonstrate poor motor skills or driving skills, or look disheveled, bloodshot eyed, or otherwise bizarre, chances are these Glendale DUI symptoms may get you arrested.

Fortunately, you do have legal recourse. A qualified Los Angeles criminal defense attorney, such as former prosecutor Michael Kraut of Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers (offices in Glendale at 121 W Lexington Dr, Glendale, CA 91203 Phone: (818) 507-9123) can deliver crucial services.

As a recognized thought leader in the Los Angeles DUI community, this Harvard Law School educated former prosecutor (14+ years working for the city) has a peerless reputation for delivering great service, compassionate advice, and strategic guidance.

February 14, 2011

Burbank DUI Drama: Young and the Restless Star Nabbed for DUI on L.A. Freeway – Does Anyone Care?

by Michael Kraut

Last week, Lindsay Lohan’s grand felony theft charge (which this blog covered at length in a previous post) consumed nearly all the oxygen in the Los Angeles DUI blogosphere. Jaime Presley’s DUI drama snatched up the dregs. (As this blog also covered recently, the “My Name is Earl” actress filed for divorce just weeks after her January arrest, prompting some to speculate that the DUI sparked her divorce – a rumor she quashed in no uncertain terms late last week.)

But out of all the Burbank DUI, Los Angeles DUI, Pasadena DUI, and Glendale DUI arrests made last week, one celebrity bust was given surprisingly short thrift by the news media and blogosphere: Kristoff St. John, a long-time star on the soap, The Young and the Restless, was pulled over on the freeway last Sunday at 1:30 a.m. and booked on a DUI charge.

The ever-vigilant celebrity watchdog website TMZ.com reported that St. John spent all Sunday behind bars before finally making his $5,000 bail. Officers pulled him over after they saw him speeding. The 44-year-old St. John apparently did “poorly” on his field sobriety tests.

St. John started his role as Neil Winters on The Young and the Restless way back in 1991 – 20 years ago – and actually got his start in the entertainment business when he was just 7, in a short-lived sitcom called That’s My Mama.

Burbank DUI field sobriety tests – similarly to the ones that St. John apparently failed – can trip up many motorists, even motorists who have consumed not a single drop of alcohol. This assertion may sound farfetched at first. But it will resonate as more rational, once you learn a little bit more about what the field sobriety tests (FSTs) actually are and how they work.

Officers who suspect a motorist of DUI in Burbank will subject him or her to physical and mental examinations on the side of the road. You’ve no doubt seen depictions of these tests on TV and at the movies. They include the horizontal gaze nystagmus test, the finger to nose test, the one-leg stand test, counting backwards test, reciting the alphabet backwards test, and walk the line test.

Essentially, the officer wants to know whether the suspect has any coordination problems – either physically or mentally. Unfortunately, these tests tend to yield “false positives.” For instance, say you’re not a coordinated person — or you get vertigo from the anxiety associated with your DUI stop. You may not perform well on your FSTs, even if you’re completely sober.

Conversely, someone who IS actually DUI might perform brilliantly on FSTs. For instance, a trained gymnast who spends her day walking on a balance beam might perform quite well on the “walk the line test” even if she had a BAC of more than twice the California legal limit of 0.08%.

The general lesson here is that, if you’ve been pulled over recently, you should talk to a qualified Los Angeles criminal defense attorney about what steps to take next. Michael Kraut of the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers (located in Burbank at 2600 West Olive Avenue, 5th Floor, Burbank, California 91505 Phone: (818) 563-9810) can provide crucial strategic guidance. Attorney Kraut is a former prosecutor (nearly a decade and half spent as a Senior Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles) and a media analyst trusted by major news media, like CNN and the New York Times, to provide commentary on breaking Los Angeles DUI news stories.

February 2, 2011

Glendale DUI Smorgasbord: A Bevy of Athletes Arrested for DUI

by Michael Kraut

Sports celebrities arrested for driving under the influence in Glendale often don’t get as much press as DUI actor celebrities, like Nick Nolte, Lindsay Lohan, Mel Gibson, and the like. But you might be surprised by the sheer number of sports stars recently been pulled over for DUI in Los Angeles and elsewhere. This post will take a look at four different athlete DUI arrests… that happened just last week!

If somebody you care about was recently charged with Los Angeles DUI, Burbank DUI, Glendale DUI, or Pasadena DUI, this post may help you in an additional way by giving you a resource to defend against charges.

First, let’s set our sites on Oklahoma, where wide receiver Kenny Stills and safety Tony Jefferson (both football players for Oklahoma) got arrested last Saturday morning within 20 minutes of each other. The WR Stills set several records as a freshman last year – including 61 passes caught, five touchdowns, and 687 yards. Jefferson was less decorated but certainly a good player last year – he got two interceptions, two sacks and 65 tackles.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in OK — in Tulsa County, more precisely — the boys basketball coach for Booker T. Washington, Shea Seals, got arrested last Sunday for driving under the influence. His team, the Hornets, are 11-0. Seals himself was named State Coach of the Year in 2010. Coach Seals has been suspended from both coaching and teaching pursuant to his DUI arrest.

Lastly, in Florida, Ozzie Canseco was arrested on the 15th of January for DUI in Florida. Like his twin brother Jose, Ozzie was a Havana-born baseball phenom. He appeared in the Surreal Life as “his brother’s double” and has also been arrested prior on charges of driving on a suspended license, steroid possession, and aggravated battery.

So with all these arrests, you might have questions about how police look for symptoms of Glendale DUI and DUI elsewhere – among sports star suspects and others.

Essentially, during and after a stop, an officer will search for symptoms such as: smell of alcohol around you, incoherent or slurred speech, falling over, fumbling with your wallet, bad driving or motor skills, disheveled appearance, slow or incoherent responses to questions from the officer, and eyes that are bloodshot or watery.

On the surface, identifying DUI suspects based on the aforementioned list of symptoms makes total sense. The problem is that these “symptoms” may mislead. For instance, say you are an overweight and unkempt person. You may appear to the police officer to look disheveled and uncoordinated, even if you are nothing of the kind. Likewise, say you had spent a long night studying at the library. Now your eyes are glazed over and bloodshot from reading books or your laptop. A police officer might not know this and might just think that you’re under the influence.

The problems get highlighted when people are borderline DUI. For instance, maybe you had two or three drinks at a party and then got behind the wheel and then got stopped by a police officer. While in fact you were not DUI, you did consume some alcohol. So if you exhibit any “symptoms,” the officer may just automatically assume that you are DUI.

By the way, conversely, you can be DUI and not exhibit DUI symptoms. For instance, someone who has had a lot of “practice” drinking may be able to maintain his balance relatively well or recite the alphabet backwards or touch his fingers to his nose. But just because he passes a field sobriety test or doesn’t exhibit “symptoms” does not necessarily mean he is not DUI.

All of this is to say that things can get very complicated very quickly. A Los Angeles criminal defense attorney like Mr. Michael Kraut can be a tremendous ally and strategic resource. Mr. Kraut’s Glendale offices are located at 121 W Lexington Dr, Glendale, CA 91203 Phone: (818) 507-9123.

January 31, 2011

Burbank DUI Nightmare Tragedy Avoided by Sheer Chance

by Michael Kraut

What could have been a horrifically bloody Los Angeles DUI story fortunately ended with just a minor fender-bender and an arrest. Last week, a man apparently under the influence of alcohol pulled his car onto some railroad tracks parallel to San Fernando Road and fell asleep – literally with his car striding the tracks. Sure enough, at around 1:15 in the morning, a Union Pacific freight train came barreling along and smashed into the vehicle. Fortunately for the unconscious driver, the freight train hit the car at such an angle that it spun off the tracks and whipped around. Local Sergeant Jim Reed (of Foothill Station) noted that “(the driver) wasn’t injured at all.” Amazing.

Drivers arrested for Burbank DUI, Glendale DUI, DUI in Pasadena, or DUI in Los Angeles are often lucky to be stopped before they get into a crash or hurt themselves or others. And sometimes, sheer luck prevents tragedies.

When many people imagine a driver falling asleep on a train track, they perhaps conjure up images of someone who has consumed bucket-loads of pills and alcohol. This brings up an interesting issue. Many people realize that driving under the influence of alcohol is wrong. But did you know that driving under the influence of drugs — including prescription pain medications and OTC drugs – can not only be as dangerous as (or even more dangerous than) driving under the influence of alcohol but that California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a) considers such action a criminal offense? Even if you have a doctor’s order to take a medication – or you are taking an over-the-counter drug – you can be arrested and charged for a DUI drug crime. Officers may not use a breathalyzer test on you. You might be subjected to a blood or urine test, however.

The good news, from a defendant’s point of view, is that a Burbank DUI drug charge is actually harder to prove than a DUI alcohol charge. But a conviction can result in a jail time, major fines, license suspension, loss of security clearance at your job, points on your license, and indirect but substantial problems, such as a likely hike in your insurance rates.

To respond smartly and efficiently to these charges, you should almost certainly talk to an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney. Burbank DUI attorney Michael Kraut (located at 2600 West Olive Avenue, 5th Floor, Burbank, California 91505 Phone: (818) 563-9810) has the knowledge, wherewithal, record of success, and in-house resources to provide you with a peerless defense. Mr. Kraut is no stranger to drug and DUI cases. Prior to becoming a criminal defense lawyer, he served as a prosecutor for the City of Los Angeles – more than 14 years as a Deputy DA – and he also brings his Harvard Law School education and high level connections to bear to help defendants get their best possible outcomes.

January 26, 2011

Glendale DUI Sports News: Astros’s Big Draft Pick Nailed with DUI in Georgia

by Michael Kraut

A week ago Sunday, Delino DeShields Jr., the Houston Astros’s 2010 first-round draft pick, got arrested for a traffic violation and DUI in Georgia, prompting many sports analysts who cover celebrity news, like incidents of sports stars driving DUI in Southern California, to debate furiously about what the 18-year old’s future might hold.

Whether you were tagged for underage DUI in Glendale, Burbank DUI, DUI in Pasadena, or DUI in Los Angeles; or you were recently arrested on a complicated charge, such as DUI with injury, the tribulations of DeShields Jr., may be quite instructive.

The Astros’ GM, Ed Wade, told MLB.com: “our position is it’s a private, police matter, and we don’t have any comment on it.” DeShields Jr., is the son of Delino DeShields, an ex-major leaguer who now works in the Cincinnati Reds organization.

According to news reports, the outfielder was pulled over for a traffic violation and arrested not only for DUI but also for possession of alcohol by a minor. He made a $2,500 bond, according to Athens-Clarke County police records. (For comparison: consider that the Astros signed DeShields Jr. to a bonus of $2.15 million last year.)

When a famous ballplayer — or anyone else, for that matter — gets pulled over for driving under the influence in Glendale, they can face a smorgasbord of DUI penalties, depending on how over the limit they were, whether they hurt someone or not, and other factors. Typically, a first time misdemeanor DUI offender will get penalties along the lines of 48 hours mandatory jail time, tough probation terms, mandatory DUI alcohol school and license suspension, and serious court costs and fines. In Los Angeles, the court may also order you to get an interlock device for your automobile. This is a contraption that will prevent you from running your car if you have alcohol on your breath (essentially, you have to blow into a tube to get a “sober” reading before you can drive the vehicle.)

Designing an effective defense to a charge of Glendale DUI is no small task. Criminal defendants are often confused, frustrated, and undereducated about their rights; this combination of factors leads to poor decisions that only compound problems. If you or someone you care about faces such charges, start making better decisions right now. Get in touch with the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers at: 121 W Lexington Dr, Glendale, CA 91203 phone 818-507-9123.

Attorney Kraut has been featured by trusted media organizations like CNN and New York Times as an expert in Los Angeles DUI law.

Connect with attorney Kraut today to explore your options to battle back against your charges.

January 21, 2011

Burbank DUI News Eclipsed by Bizarre Bicycle Arrests in Baldwin Hills

by Michael Kraut

Often, the most bizarre Los Angeles DUI news items come out of the valley (places like Burbank and Glendale). But last week, Baldwin Hills had the honor of being the site of a super-strange DUI bust in the Southland.

If you or a coworker or family member was arrested recently under suspicion of Los Angeles DUI, DUI in Pasadena, driving under the influence in Glendale, or Burbank DUI, take note at how seriously Southern California police took the dangerous behavior of a gaggle of Baldwin Hills bicyclists:

According to the AP, around 1:30 in the morning, California Highway Patrol got a call saying that a bicyclist had careered into the pavement and hurt himself. Officer Travis Ruiz came to the scene and found 15 bicyclists gathered around their fallen comrade. Many bikers lacked helmets and reflective clothing or gear. The bikers had alcohol on their breath. After taking field sobriety tests, five different bikers – including the one who got hurt – were found to have blood alcohol levels that constituted DUI. These five were arrested – even though they were driving bicycles and not motorcycles, cars or trucks.

As this blog has cataloged in the past – specifically with lawnmower DUIs – Long Beach DUI law is very strict. If a California Highway Patrol officer stops you for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you will face stiff charges according to either California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a) or 23152 (b). If convicted, you face a plethora of unpleasant penalties, from harsh probation to a full year driver license suspension to forced installation of a device in your car that won’t allow you to drive unless you blow a sober breath into it. And of course serious jail time always lurks as a possibility.

Your best line of defense is to connect immediately with a talented Los Angeles criminal defense attorney. One of the reasons why many Burbank DUI defendants choose the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers — (located at 2600 West Olive Avenue, 5th Floor, Burbank, California 91505, Phone 818-563-9810) — is that Attorney Michael Kraut and his team deeply understand the concerns that DUI defendants have. With more than a decade-and-a-half experience in the system – including 14 years as a local prosecutor – Attorney Kraut can help answer those nagging questions that have been keeping you up since the night (or day) of your Burbank DUI arrest.