Los Angeles DUI Attorney Blog

April 29, 2015

Daredevil Does Damage While DUI

People who enjoy a few too many drinks before getting behind the wheel may attempt to show off their driving skills—speeding along busy highways, taking tight turns, and similar maneuvers that are likely to get them involved in an accident or picked up for a Los Angeles DUI.

So what happens when a real-life driving daredevil allegedly drinks too much before speeding in his SUV? A four-car pile up.
Like his father, stuntman Evel Knievel, Robbie Knievel has made a career of daredevil motorcycle jumps. But he was driving a 2005 GMC Yukon when he ran a red light in Butte, Montana, on the evening of April 21. According to the Montana Standard, he was traveling at high speed when he rammed into a Honda Accord, which hit a Ford Taurus, which hit a Hummer.

Knievel sped away in his SUV, parked it a few blocks away and was walking down the street when the cops caught up with him. Knievel refused a breathalyzer test, so the officers got a warrant for a blood alcohol test. They charged him with felony DUI because he has three previous drunken driving convictions. He also faces the misdemeanor offenses of leaving the scene of an accident, operating a vehicle without an interlock device and running a red light.

Photos of the daredevil’s arraignment show him sporting an orange jail jumpsuit, a big change from his trademark red, white and blue performance outfits. Knievel, who is 52, could be looking at some fairly serious consequences due to the DUI charge—up to five years in prison and $50,000 in fines.

What should you do if you or someone you love faces a serious DUI count? Will you go to jail? Will you lose your license? Call Los Angeles DUI defense lawyer Michael Kraut immediately to understand your options and craft a strategic response.

April 27, 2015

Drivers Can Run But They Can’t Get Away

by Michael Kraut

Motorists who cause an accident while driving under the influence may try to escape the consequences by fleeing the scene. But their respite from arrest is usually brief, and they’re picked up and charged with a Los Angeles DUI or some similar offense.
But it’s not always easy to make a clean getaway. Just ask William Yeckering of Owens, Illinois. He rammed into another vehicle while allegedly driving under the influence and tried to run away. But he had made the mistake of hitting a car owned by 6’ 2” high school football player Evan Williams.

The senior guard and defensive tackle put his on-field skills to use by chasing after Yeckering and bringing him to the ground. Williams held Yeckering down until police arrived at the scene.

Williams was dressed up for his impromptu chase—he and his date were leaving the prom when Yeckering hit their car.

The abrupt end to the chase wasn’t the only unpleasant surprise that Yeckering faced that evening. When police arrested him, they found he had a gun in his car, for which he did not have a permit. They also discovered that he had four previous DUI driving arrests—and that he was driving on a suspended license.

Whether or not alcohol is involved, leaving the scene of an accident in California can get a driver charged with a hit and run misdemeanor or felony. For a misdemeanor charge, involving damage to property, fines can run to $1,000 and drivers face six months in county jail. When a driver leaves the scene of an accident involving personal injury, the fines can go up to $10,000 and the driver could end up in state prison for as long as four years.

As a frequent contributor to respected media, like The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and Good Morning America, Los Angeles DUI attorney Michael Kraut of the Kraut Law Group Criminal & DUI Lawyers, Inc. understands what it takes to build successful defenses in complex DUI cases. Contact him and his team today to schedule a consultation.

April 22, 2015

Could Drinking Too Little Get You Arrested for a DUI?

by Michael Kraut

Getting caught driving after you’ve had a few too many drinks could land you in jail on a charge of DUI in Los Angeles. But apparently you could also be in trouble, at least as far as your driving abilities, if you drink too few non-alcoholic beverages before you hit the road.

Researchers at England’s Loughborough University found that motorists who were even mildly dehydrated made as many mistakes while driving as those whose blood alcohol content measure over the .08 mark. The study measured the responses of drivers who had only 25 millimeters (about .8 ounces) of water an hour.

Quoted in the British newspaper The Telegraph, Professor Ron Maughan said “There is no question that driving while incapable through drink or drugs increases the risk of accidents, but our findings highlight an unrecognized danger and suggest that drivers should be encouraged to make sure they are properly hydrate.’

According to the Leicester Mercury, too-thirsty drivers made 101 mistakes such as lane drifting, lane braking and touching or crossing lane lines. The number of mistakes went down to 47 when they drank sufficient water, which researchers said is about 6.8 ounces of water per hour.

This was the first study of how dehydration can relate to driving errors and accident risk, according to Maughan, who served as leader of the study and emeritus professor of sport and exercise nutrition at Loughborough University. Other effects of dehydration included impaired mental functioning, changes in mood, and reductions in concentration, alertness and short-term memory. (That does sound a lot like the effects of too much alcohol.)

Do you or a family member need insight from a qualified Los Angeles DUI attorney? Contact Michael Kraut of the Kraut Law Group Criminal & DUI Lawyers, Inc. to set up your free consultation.

April 20, 2015

DUI May Not Be the Worst Charge for Senator’s Brother

by Michael Kraut

What could be worse than getting picked up for a Los Angeles DUI? Getting picked up in Nevada while driving under the influence and carrying a gun–and then punching a state trooper in the face. Under those circumstances, being the brother of a high-profile U.S. Senator may not be of any help.

Larry Reid, the younger brother of Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, was apparently driving his black Lexus SUV in the median of Highway 95 between Boulder City and Searchlight, Nevada around noon on February 2. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that when a Nevada trooper stopped Reid around noon on February 2, the 73-year-old was slurring his words so badly that the officer couldn’t understand what he was saying.

Reid wanted to leave and began cursing when the officer told him no. He put the vehicle into gear, and when the trooper reached into the car to move it back into park, Reid allegedly slugged him twice in the face. The trooper subdued Reid after a scuffle, then searched the SUV and found a gun. Reid ended up spending the night in the Clark County jail.

The Senator’s brother is facing a barrage of charges, including DUI, battery on a protected person, driving in or across the median, failure to obey or comply with an officer, violation of the seatbelt requirement and possession of a gun while under the influence of alcohol, according to Fox News.

The morning after the arrest, Reid reportedly had no recollection of what had happened. He thought he had been in an accident.

To respond effectively to your charges, call a qualified Los Angeles DUI lawyer with the Kraut Law Group Criminal & DUI Lawyers, Inc. today to schedule a free consultation.

April 15, 2015

No Class Action Suit for Questionable DUI Arrests

by Michael Kraut

People involved in Los Angeles DUI cases–and in DUI cases across the country–often allege that the cops who have charged them have lied about the evidence that was used against them. Whether that’s true or not, drivers in Utah won’t be getting the chance to collectively make their case against one former state trooper.

The Utah case involves former Highway Patrol Officer Lisa Steed, honored in 2007 as the State Trooper of the Year but later fired after two judges found that she had lied in court and falsified reports in her DUI arrests. Steed made more than 1,000 such arrests in the course of her 10-year career with the department.

In December 2012, attorneys for three Utah motorists proposed a class action suit against Steed and the Utah Highway Patrol. They argued that Steed’s improper behavior had harmed hundreds or even thousands of drivers arrested for DUI, and that those drivers should be allowed to band together to sue her and UHP.

But Second District Court Judge Michael Allphin ruled in April that the circumstances of each DUI case were too unique to allow everyone arrested by Steed to become part of a single lawsuit. According to KSL.com, the judge wrote in his decision that “The proposed class members’ traffic stops occurred over a period of several years, at various locations, at different times of the day, and for differing reasons. These differences must be considered when determining whether reasonable suspicion and probable cause existed under the totality of circumstances of each traffic stop.”

Designing and executing an effective defense against DUI charges (even simple ones) is not intuitive. Fortunately, you can trust the seasoned, highly successful Michael Kraut. Call a DUI lawyer in Los Angeles with nearly two decades of experience.

April 13, 2015

Driving High Could Get You a DUI

by Michael Kraut

California’s police officers don’t yet have to worry about issuing a DUI in Los Angeles for someone who is driving erratically after legally smoking marijuana in the state. (They’ve undoubtedly arrested many for that offense who have been smoking it illegally.)

But Colorado, which became in 2012 one of the first two states to legalize pot for recreational purposes (the other was Washington State), is apparently dealing with that problem. The Colorado Department of Transportation launched a public information campaign last year that reminds motorists that being impaired by any drugs–not just alcohol–could land you in jail on a charge of DUI. CDOT calls it drugged driving.

Although much of the campaign’s material focuses on marijuana impairment, CDOT officials also want to reinforce the message that driving with any kind of drugs that cause impairment–including prescription medicines–could lead to a DUI arrest. CDOT is using posters and radio and television public service announcements to get its message out to drivers.

In 2013, 627 drivers in Colorado were involved in 481 traffic accidents that resulted in a fatality. More than 21 percent of those drivers–103–were what CDOT calls drugged drivers. Thirty six of them tested positive for cannabis alone; another 10 tested positive for pot and some other drug.

Of course, California cops and the California Department of Transportation may want to be taking notes. If pro-legalization forces have their way, voters in the state will have another chance to vote on legalizing cannabis in 2016. The California electorate rejected legalization of pot in 2010, but many observers give it a much better chance of passage this time due to the more widespread acceptance of marijuana usage in the U.S. today.

How should you respond to your recent and disarming charges? Call a qualified Los Angeles DUI defense lawyer (and ex-prosecutor) with nearly two decades of relevant legal experience.

April 8, 2015

After Killing Teen, Illinois Driver Arrested Again for DUI

by Michael Kraut

It would be devastating to learn that someone you loved had been killed or seriously injured by someone arrested for a Los Angeles DUI. It would make matters even worse if you found out that ten years later that driver hadn’t learned his lesson.

The family of 17-year-old Caitlin Weese of Elgin, Illinois, got the dreaded call back in 2003. Paramedics had rushed the high school senior to the hospital after 23-year old James Stitt hit her car head on. Weese died two days later just a few weeks before her high school graduation. Stitt had two prior arrests for DUI, and police found he was driving on a suspended license when he swerved into oncoming traffic and ran into Weese.

Stitt went to prison but got out in 2009. Just four years later, he got his license back, but had to use an ignition interlock device to start his car. Under current Illinois law, however, he was able to get that device removed after a year.

In November 2014, police found Stitt slumped over the wheel of his vehicle after he had crashed into two parked vehicles. After he failed a field sobriety test, police charged him with felony aggravated DUI. (There’s been no resolution of that case to date.)

Stitt’s latest arrest has spurred a move to change Illinois’ DUI law. Thanks to an effort by Weese’s family, who were outraged by Stitt’s newest arrest, a bill making it much tougher for repeated DUI offenders to get their drivers licenses back is speeding through the state legislature.

Do you need help defending against a drug or DUI charge? Michael Kraut of Los Angeles’s Kraut Law Group Criminal & DUI Lawyers, Inc. is a trustworthy, highly qualified former prosecutor. Call a Los Angeles DUI attorney today to strategize for your defense seriously.

April 6, 2015

Mother Charged in DUI Death of Child in San Diego County

by Michael Kraut

Police working Los Angeles DUI cases have to deal with some pretty difficult accident scenes. But there are probably few worse things than having to handle the aftermath of a DUI incident that involves young children, especially when one of them dies.

When El Cajon police officers arrived at an accident scene in the city around 10 p.m. on April 4, they found a 2010 Hyundai Accent that had had crashed into a telephone pole. They discovered 31-year old Brandy Teague and her three injured children inside the vehicle. Emergency vehicles transported the three children, ages 10, 3 and 2, to a nearby hospital, where doctors pronounced the three-year-old girl dead. The other two children suffered serious injuries but should recover.

It must have been a terrifying experience for the children. The oldest in the car, a 10-year old boy, ran to a nearby home to seek help after the accident, according to Fox5 San Diego news. An area resident reported the child had blood on his face and glass stuck in his eye.

Police speculated that Teague may have fallen asleep at the wheel of her vehicle just before the crash. Because she complained of pain, emergency responders took her to the hospital, but she didn’t stay there long. She ended up in the jail charged with gross vehicular manslaughter, cruelty to a child and driving under the influence of drugs.

According to MADD, 1,145 children die each year as a result of a traffic accident. Of those cases, 17 percent involve a driver operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Locating a seasoned and qualified Los Angeles DUI defense lawyer is a critical part of the process of reclaiming your life, your time and your peace of mind. Call ex-prosecutor Michael Kraut for a free consultation right now.

April 3, 2015

New Jersey Cop Kills Two Friends in Wrong-Way DUI

by Michael Kraut

You’d think that police officers charged with enforcing DUI laws would learn a lesson if they got themselves arrested for a DUI in Los Angeles or some other jurisdiction. But that that wasn’t the case for Pedro Abad, Jr., age 27, a six-year veteran of the Linden police department in New Jersey. He already had two DUI arrests on his record when he got behind the wheel after partying with friends on March 20th.

According to press reports, Abad and three friends—Linden police officers Frank Viggiano and Patrik Kudlak,, and Joseph Rodriguez, all 28 years old—were traveling in Abad’s Honda after spending several hours at strip clubs in New Jersey and Staten Island. (Newday said that several hours before the crash Abad had posted on Instagram a photo of three shot glasses filled with “Jack Daniels fire on the house.”)

Shortly before 5 a.m., Abad apparently drove the wrong way on a service road and then continued in the wrong direction on the West Shore Expressway on Staten Island. One 18-wheeler managed to avoid colliding with the vehicle, but another wasn’t able to move out of the way in time and hit Abad’s Honda head on. Viggiano and Rodriguez were killed, and Abad and his remaining passenger were admitted to the hospital in critical condition.

Abad had two arrests for DUI on his record. In January 2011, he put his car through a supermarket building in Roselle, New Jersey. The case never came to trial because Abad’s attorney said the police had not sent him information that he requested. Thirteen months later—in an incident caught on police recording equipment—Abad failed a roadside sobriety test when pulled over. After that incident, the state suspended his driver’s license for seven months and required him to use an ignition interlock device for four months.

Los Angeles DUI defense lawyer, Michael Kraut, of the Kraut Law Group Criminal & DUI Lawyers, Inc. is standing by to offer critical insight into your case and potential defense options. Call him and his team today to begin regaining control over your case and your life.

March 25, 2015

Vehicle Destroyed, But Police Officer Charged with DUI Survives Train Wreck

by Michael Kraut

A police officer in southern Texas may be recalling the old saying about people who live in glass houses never throwing stones. We don’t know if Devon Brittany New, a member of the Nixon, Texas, police force, ever arrested anyone for driving under the influence. But after her own recent arrest, New may be a little more sympathetic towards anyone accused of DUI in Los Angeles, in Texas, or in any other jurisdiction.

An article on the San Antonio Express-News’ website said that Officer New was suspended from duty for a week following her DUI arrest on March 9th. She had a narrow escape; after running a red light at 1 a.m., she stalled her vehicle on nearby railroad tracks. Fortunately, she was sober enough to get out of her 2015 Dodge Challenger, because a freight train coming down the track hit her vehicle and totaled it.

Although New is back at work until her April 9th court date, it’s not clear if she’ll be able to remain on the job if she’s found guilty.
Los Angeles police officers have also been charged with DUI in some rather high-profile cases. One notable incident occurred just about a year ago, when an off-duty officer lost control of his vehicle after getting off the westbound Pomona Freeway in Diamond Bar. What made the crash more unusual was that the 29-year-old officer traveled over a 50-foot area (not a road) separating the freeway from a McDonalds restaurant. He ended up crashing in the restaurant’s drive-through lanes.

The officer probably had little interest in the restaurant’s menu at that point, since he landed in the hospital with moderate injuries.

Do you need help defending against a drug or DUI charge? Michael Kraut of Los Angeles’s Kraut Law Group Criminal & DUI Lawyers, Inc. is a trustworthy, highly qualified former prosecutor. Call a Los Angeles DUI attorney today to strategize for your defense seriously.