Los Angeles DUI Attorney Blog

Authorities arrested a Crestline woman early Wednesday morning at Loma Linda University Medical Center. Law enforcement believes the woman was driving under the influence when she was in a rollover injury car accident on Highway 18 in the San Bernardino Mountains at 11:25 last Tuesday night.

The California Highway Patrol says that a person called 911 before the accident, apparently to report erratic driving conduct of a driver in the San Bernardino Mountains. Police say that the caller characterized the situation as a "possible DUI driver." Law enforcement believes the caller was referring to the woman now accused of being involved in a drunk driving wreck.

Super Bowl Sunday leads to spike in DUI and Domestic Violence arrests every year. Perhaps due to the adrenaline rush from viewing the world's biggest sporting event, various bets and arguments over the course of the game, the final outcome and likely aided by the consumption of lots of alcohol.

In California, both driving under the influence and domestic violence continue to be treated with heightened seriousness by law enforcement and the courts. Years ago, someone pulled over for a DUI might get escorted home, and police responding to a domestic violence call without an obvious injury might just warn the couple that they better take it easy. Today, that couldn't be farther from the way things work (How it works today).

All DUI stops (with occasional exceptions), result in an arrest. Often this is due to the driver not invoking his constitutional rights to not incriminate oneself. Likewise, even the most unobtrusive domestic violence calls will result in one or both parties being arrested.

And it doesn't stop there- both DUI and Domestic Violence arrests are almost always prosecuted blindly due to the political and cover your ass underpinnings.

We frequently are able to help the most when we get involved in a case early in the process, when working with law enforcement officers can take place ahead of their reports getting to the district attorney or other prosecutorial agencies.

Either way, the single best piece of advice when facing an encounter with law enforcement is to be polite, but to firmly stick to your Constitutional right to not incriminate yourself: This is best accomplished by making the statement, "My attorney told me not to talk to you." Cops are great at convincing you not to follow this instruction, but the Supreme Court of the United States has often said that the Fifth Amendment exists to protect innocent people from incriminating themselves.

If you are unsure of your rights, have been contacted by law enforcement or are currently facing charges in court, please contact us for a free consultation.

Sometimes a car accident is just an unfortunate event. Last December, news broke that Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman James Loney had been in a car accident on the 101 Freeway in Sherman Oaks. The Major League ballplayer was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after the Nov. 14, 2011 crash.

However, as this blog reported in December, Loney was not taken to jail after the crash. Emergency responders had concerns that a medical emergency might have been underway, and Loney was taken to the hospital for medical testing.

Police accident reports indicate that paramedics believed that Loney was displaying symptoms consistent with head trauma, including disorientation, after the freeway car accident. Nonetheless, law enforcement took a blood sample, suspecting that the ballplayer was under the influence. That sample was sent off to the lab for testing. Now prosecutors say the test results are back and Loney will not be facing California DUI charges.

Los Angeles police say that officers chased a late model Mercedes for the better part of an hour Saturday night. Authorities claim that police originally pulled the car over in Palms, but news reports do not clearly indicate the basis of the traffic stop. LA Police say that when officers approached the Mercedes, the driver appeared impaired. Apparently, officers told the man to turn off the ignition to his vehicle.

However, before police could investigate their suspicion that the man may have been driving under the influence, LA Police say that the driver fled the scene. Law enforcement began a pursuit that wound through Palms, West Los Angeles, the Wilshire district and West Hollywood, coming to an end in Culver City.