Glendale DUI “Yikes” Situation – Two Women Zapped With DUI in the Same Car

Every once in a while, a case of driving under the influence in Glendale (or elsewhere) is so odd that you’re left scratching your head. Huh? Is that really possible?

Events that prove exceedingly rare – such as “hitting for the cycle” in baseball or a “blue” moon (two full moons in one month) — attract our attention because of their novelty and because, perhaps, of our innate capacity as human beings to get superstitious over eccentric events.

In any event, getting arrested for driving under the influence in Los Angeles, DUI in Glendale, Pasadena DUI, or Burbank DUI in and of itself is not a particularly unusual event. Thousands of drivers (including celebrities and sport stars) get stopped every year for said crimes.

But two women in Vermont got hit with DUI charges last week in a very, very rare situation. 22-year old Caryn Pletzer and 25-year old Ashley Griffin got snagged for DUI in Vermont on I-89 in the small town of Williston, the Saturday night before last. Pletzer had been driving, when she and her friend got into an argument. During the tussle, Griffin grabbed the steering wheel, causing the driver to lose control and roll the car over a number of times.

Both young women got taken to Fletcher Allen Healthcare to be treated for back injuries – fortunately; it appears they were not hurt beyond these minor injuries. Since both women had been under the influence of alcohol, they now BOTH face DUI charges. Even though Griffin wasn’t driving the vehicle, since she grabbed control of the steering vehicle, that’s enough for the DUI charge. Griffin also faces charges of gross negligent operation of a vehicle and aggravated assault.

Although there have been other instances of two people in the same car getting arrested for DUI during one stop – this blog actually covered one such instance a few weeks ago – a superficial scanning of news stories online has failed to show whether three people or more have been arrested in the same car for DUI. But it’s definitely possible.

The Glendale DUI process is essentially the same whether you’re stopped in some kind of exotic situation like Griffin and Pletzer were, or you were stopped in a more mundane situation:

• You get stopped at either a DUI checkpoint or a traffic stop and checked for symptoms of intoxication, such as bloodshot eyes and slurred speech.
• Officers will investigate you for DUI using preliminary alcohol screening devices and field sobriety tests.
• The officer will arrest you, generally pursuant to California Vehicle Code Sections 23152 (a) or 23152 (b).
• You find representation. You can represent yourself, work with a public defender, or retain an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney.
• You must deal with the automatic suspension of your license DMV hearings by wrangling with forms such as the suspension order and temporary license form.
• Your arraignment.
• Your pre-trial hearing – if you can’t resolve the situation during pre-trial, (only happens in one out of twenty cases) you move onto…
• Jury trial.
• Post trial. Perhaps your case will be dismissed or you will be found not guilty. Or perhaps you will face a sentence, and you’ll have to serve that.

Glendale DUI defendants can trust attorney Michael Kraut, located at: 
121 W Lexington Dr, Glendale, CA 91203 Phone: (818) 507-9123 . Not only does Mr. Kraut have a fantastic record of jury trials and a terrific reputation within the Los Angeles DUI community, but he also has a Harvard Law School education and 14-plus years under his belt as a Deputy District Attorney.

If you have been arrested for a DUI in Glendale or you are under investigation for driving under the influence in Southern California, please contact Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Michael Kraut for 24/7 assistance by phone at (323) 464-6453 or toll free at (888) 334-6344 or online.