Archive for September, 2011

If you have recently been arrested for an Orange County DUI, you understand how frustration, difficult and expensive it is to be charged as a DUI offender. It can be even more traumatizing if you are involved in a DUI-related accident.

Several police departments within Orange County are part of a program that requires drunk drivers who are involved in accidents to pay additional costs. These costs are related to emergency services, salaries of emergency personal, cost of investigations including conducting DUI field sobriety tests as well as the costs related to time spent transporting and booking the alleged DUI suspect.

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A fatal DUI accident in Riverside County has resulted in an Orange County man being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and manslaughter.

The accident, which occurred at 3:35am on Saturday morning, took the life of 20-year-old Joseph Castro, from Santa Ana and injured two teenage girls, a 19-year-old from the city of Orange and a 16-year-old from Santa Ana. The driver of the vehicle, 22-year-old Victor Martinez from Santa Ana, was allegedly traveling at high speeds when he crashed into a dirt embankment along the side of the road. Martinez was then arrested and booked at the Robert Presley Detention Center on suspicion of driving under the influence as well as manslaughter.

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Being arrested for driving under the influence in Orange County can be stressful, especially if it is during a DUI sobriety checkpoint. As a DUI offender, you are looking at consequences such as heavy fines and lengthy license suspensions. As a multiple DUI offender, you could be facing severe consequences that could include jail time. The only way to get the best representation during both the DMV and criminal court process is to have an experienced Orange County Drunk Driving Lawyer who knows the laws.

This upcoming weekend, Orange County will be conducting at least two DUI sobriety checkpoints, with the potential of others that have not yet been announced. In San Juan Capistrano, residents can expect a DUI sobriety checkpoint to occur on Friday, September 23^rd between the hours of 6:30pm and 2:30am as well as in Costa Mesa on Saturday, September 24^th from 6pm until 2am. Both of these locations are currently undisclosed, meaning that they will be occurring within the city limits but arresting officials are not providing the exact cross streets or location.

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An award-winning non-profit organization, RADD, or The Entertainment Industry’s Voice for Road Safety, led a press conference and awards ceremony at the University of California, Irvine to commemorate two grants that focus on college communities and local bars and restaurants.

RADD is dedicated to promoting road safety including minimizing DUI-related accidents as well as rewarding non-drinking designated drivers and cab riders. The organization, which was founded in 1986, is known for the phrase “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk” and team ups with celebrities and media partners to get its message across all age groups.

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More DUI checkpoints are in store for Orange County drivers. Law enforcement has received a grant from the California Offices of Traffic Safety  to conduct more DUI  and valid driver’s license checkpoints.

Drivers with any amount of alcohol in their systems and unlicensed drivers should beware, as should those not wanting to get stuck in serious traffic jams.

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A 27-year old Orange County man is being arraigned on driving under the influence and murder charges after he allegedly caused a DUI-related accident that killed his 20 year old nephew.

Apparently, the alleged driver, Tapu Aniceto Sitagata, was drinking with a group of friends and family members when they were asked to leave the bar after becoming too rowdy. While still in the bar’s parking lot, both the bartender and a local arresting officer offered to call a taxi to take the group home. Sitagata and his friends refused, claiming a taxi cab had already been called.

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In the last several weeks, Orange County has had more than its share of DUI sobriety checkpoints and DUI roving patrols. While most of these DUI checkpoints are announced prior to their commencement, it is not unusual for the location to be undisclosed or for the announcement to arrive literally moments before the checkpoint will be conducted.

During a recent anti-DUI campaign called “Avoid the 38”, officers were on the hunt for motorists who were driving under the influence of alcohol and or drugs and their efforts proved to be fruitful. According to released statistics, over 856 people were arrested for driving under the influence in Orange County during the two week stint that started on August 19^th and ended on Labor Day, September 5^th.

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