June 2009 Archives

Orange County Register reports. MISSION VIEJO -- Sheriff's deputies shut down and evacuated the Kaleidoscope Entertainment Center on Saturday night after a man threatened to commit suicide in public.

Deputy Darren Sandberg said the unidentified man told his girlfriend that he would shoot himself at the center and she alerted authorities at 8:45 p.m.

Sandberg said the man told the woman that he wanted to kill himself or be killed by police.

About 20 units responded to the scene, evacuated people across Crown Valley Parkway before combing the center for the man.

Authorities tracked his cell phone and located the man in Dana Point at 11 p.m. It is unsure how he got there because his automobile was at the entertainment center, Sandberg said.

The man was taken to Mission Hospital and placed on 72-hour watch, Sandberg said.

The defendant in this case will need to hire an experienced Orange County Criminal Attorney or an Orange County Criminal Defense Lawyer.

Orange County Register reported. SANTA ANA - The man accused of Orange County drunken driving in the crash that killed Angel pitcher Nick Adenhart and two others ordered his injured stepbrother to flee the crash scene, according to testimony in court records made public today.

The more than 200 pages of grand jury transcripts in the Orange County DUI case of Andrew Thomas Gallo, 22, of San Gabriel, shed light into the details of the crash.

Testimony was taken from 14 witnesses, including a Fullerton police officer who testified that Gallo admitted that he shouldn't have been driving that night.

Gallo's stepbrother, Raymond Alexandro Rivera, was in the mini-van with Gallo during the crash.

"After the crash, you opened your eyes. Did you see your brother Andrew?'' asked Deputy District Attorney Susan Price during the grand jury proceedings.

"Yeah. ... He was unbuckling his seat belt in the driver's seat,'' Rivera answered.

"Did he say anything to you?" Price asked.

"Yeah. I'm going to curse right now so,'' he replied while testifying. "He said, 'Run, Bitch,' is what he said,'' Rivera said.

Rivera added that he stayed - while his brother fled the scene.

Other witnesses testified to seeing Gallo get out of the mini-van, make a call on his cell-phone and flee the scene.

Zenaida Tovar, a passerby who witnessed the DUI crash and stopped to help, testified that Gallo repeated "Oh, (expletive). I'm in trouble."

Gallo was indicted by the grand jury May 27 and charged with three counts of murder, felony hit-and-run, driving under the influence and causing injury and driving with a .08-percent blood alcohol or higher and causing injury.

Rivera also testified that he was with his brother hours before the crash. The pair went to a restaurant called Johnny Carino's in Covina to surprise Gallo's girlfriend, who worked at the eatery, according to Rivera's testimony.

The brothers arrived at 4 p.m. and had two beers each at the bar, Rivera said, to celebrate Gallo starting a new job the next day, as well as getting a government unemployment check.

Rivera said he also encouraged Gallo to have a shot of tequila with him.

"We didn't want to get drunk and do that and go home, but I guess I got carried away,'' Rivera said. "Then when I ordered the shot, it kind of changed the way the night was going to unfold."

Rivera told the grand jury that after running an errand, the brothers went to another bar in Covina, The Well, at about 6:30 p.m.

The pair had at least two rounds each of beer in over-sized mugs before Rivera testified that he ordered another pint of beer for both of them. Rivera testified that Gallo initially declined the last pint.

"He says, 'I'm driving. You go ahead and get what you want I don't want to do it,'" Rivera testified. "I said, 'Are you going to turn it down?' So then we both drank them."

Fullerton police Investigator Matthew Malone testified that Gallo said he also had several shots of sake, probably from a neighboring bar five doors down.

Rivera said he got drunk and asked Gallo to drive when the pair left The Well at 10:30 p.m. and soon after passed out in the mini-van.

"I told him I'm going to start blanking out. .... I told him, 'You're going to have to drive, because it's going to be a real big problem,'" Rivera testified. "I knew he has a much higher tolerance to alcohol than I do."

The Fullerton DUI crash happened after midnight on April 9. Malone testified that Gallo had no memory of what happened in the 90 minutes between leaving The Well and the crash.

"He stated that he had never been in the city of Fullerton, doesn't know anyone in the city of Fullerton and doesn't know why he would be in the city of Fullerton," Malone testified.

Gallo was speeding in a minivan eastbound on Orangethorpe Avenue while driving under the influence of alcohol, on probation and driving on a suspended driver's license when he caused the wreck that ended three lives, prosecutors said.

Authorities said he ran a red light and crashed into a Mitsubishi that was passing through the intersection.

Three passengers in the Mitsubishi died: Adenhart, 22, who was playing in his fifth professional season and had pitched well that night at Angel Stadium; Courtney Stewart, 20, a student and former Cal State Fullerton cheerleader; and Henry Pearson, 25, a law student working toward becoming a sports agent.

A fourth victim, Jon Wilhite, 24, a former player for Cal State Fullerton's baseball team, was critically injured, but survived.

After the crash, Gallo fled, prosecutors said, but he was arrested less than 30 minutes later near the shoulder of the 91 freeway.

Gallo had a blood-alcohol level of .19 percent two hours after the crash, prosecutors have said. At the time of the crash, Gallo was on probation for a 2006 conviction for driving under the influence.

During the proceedings, Price asked Malone if he had asked if Gallo thought he should have been driving.

"He stated in quotes 'Absolutely not,'" Malone testified.

Malone testified that Gallo was emotional when he found out that three people had died.

"He appeared to have started crying," Malone testified about Gallo. "And then he made the statement, 'I (expletive) up.'"

Gallo, held at Orange County Jail, faces a maximum sentence of 54 years and eight months to life in prison if convicted on all counts.

In the Daily Pilot.com, an article dated June 19th, 2009 focused on drunk driving in orange county. Costa Mesa police will conduct a DUI checkpoint Tuesday night on Newport Boulevard.

From 8 p.m. Tuesday to 2 a.m. Wednesday officers will stop vehicles on northbound Newport Boulevard and 22nd Street. The stop is a way for authorities to remind the public of the dangers of drinking and driving or driving without a license.

Police said recent statistics provided by Mothers Against Drunk Driving show that someone is killed every 30 minutes in an alcohol-related crash. Tuesday night officers will be looking for intoxicated drivers and various other vehicle code violations. The fourth of July holiday often starts early in the week in Newport Beach, espeically on the penisula with all the bars.  A DUI to start off the summer is not the way to celebrate the holiday.

Funding for the checkpoint and additional manpower is funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety. If you are arrested in Orange County for a DUI, you should call an attorney to represent you. Here are a few websites to look at:

Orange County Dui Attorney

Orange County Drunk Driving Lawyer

Orange County Dui Lawyer

In an article appearing in the Daily Pilot dated June 19th, 2009, Orange County DUIs were the focus. Newport Beach police are teaming up with Harbor LLC for the second time in a year to remind bar-goers the dangers and costs associated with drinking and driving. An Orange County DUI is expensive.

In the alcohol-awareness campaign, patrons at Newport Beach bars along the Balboa Peninsula will begin to see posters plastered on business walls and in bathrooms reminding the public that the cost of a first DUI arrest can be upward of $12,000.

The goal is to get customers to call a cab or have a designated driver instead of getting behind the wheel and either getting arrested or becoming seriously injured in an accident.

Newport Beach DUIs : In 2008, Newport Beach police arrested 677 drivers on suspicion of DUI -- a 25% jump from the year before. This campaign is a combined effort with educational programs the department is doing with bar owners and bartenders. If you need a DUI attorney, click on the websites listed below:

Orange County Dui Attorney

Orange County Drunk Driving Lawyer

Orange County Dui Lawyer

OC Register reported. COSTA MESA - A 27-year-old mother of three who police say neglected her three young children has pleaded not guilty to felony child abuse and endangerment.

Jessica Zepeda of Costa Mesa was arrested Tuesday morning for leaving her three young children alone in their home for more than 13 hours, police said.

Booking mug of Jessica Zepeda, 27, of Costa Mesa.

COURTESY OF COSTA MESA POLICE DEPARTMENT

Zepeda was reportedly with her boyfriend at the Motel 6 at the 1400 block of Gisler Avenue, according to Costa Mesa police Lt. Mark Manley.

Police discovered her three children - between ages 4 and 10 - alone and unharmed in their home. At about 12:45 a.m. Tuesday, a police officer spotted the 4-year-old walking on the street looking for his mother.

The child directed the officer to the home of a relative, who then disclosed where the child lived, according to police.

Zepeda allegedly left her three children about 9 p.m. Monday and returned home at about 10:20 a.m. Tuesday. Zepeda checked into the motel around 10:30 p.m. Monday, police said.

Zepeda is being held in lieu of $100,000

The defendant in this case will need to hire an experienced Orange County Criminal Attorney or an Orange County Domestic Violence Lawyer.

 

The Daily News reported. The Dodgers confirmed reliever Ronald Belisario was arrested early Saturday on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Belisario reportedly was near his Pasadena apartment at around 2:30 a.m. when he was pulled over by the California Highway Patrol. After the 26-year-old was taken to the Pasadena Police Department, he was released on bail.

"Whenever a member of your organization is said to be in violation of the law, it is disappointing," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti via an e-mail from the public relations staff. "We will provide any help we can."

The right-hander, who pitched the final inning in the Dodgers victory over the Mariners on Friday, was on time and in the clubhouse Saturday well in advance of the

game against the Mariners.

Belisario was pulled over on Fair Oaks Avenue just south of Colorado Boulevard. He reportedly was talking on his cellular phone, which triggered the traffic stop.

"I was driving to my apartment, talking on the telephone and they stopped me," Belisario told the Los Angeles Times. "Then they gave me the alcohol test and it was normal. They gave me a paper, said everything was normal. Everything's fine."

Belisario will need an experienced Orange County DUI Lawyer.

Here are a few websites to visit:

Orange County Dui Attorney

Orange County Drunk Driving Lawyer

Orange County Dui Lawyer

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ABC News reported. SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- An Orange County man has been convicted of murdering his former friend and killing the victim's dog.

Salvador Marquez, 28, was charged with first-degree murder in Orange County, animal abuse, and unlawfully taking a vehicle in connection to the August 2006 murder of 62-year-old Stephen Clark in San Clemente.

Marquez met Clark two years before the Orange County murder, and the two became friends.

Marquez had even lived with Clark at times when he had no permanent place to stay

But in July 2006, Clark caught Marquez attempting to steal fishing poles from the home and kicked him out.

A month later, on August 5, 2006, Marquez returned to the San Clemente home with the intention to burglarize it.

When confronted by the victim, Marquez used two knives to stab Clark 98, one of which broke by the force of the stabbing.

Marquez also killed Clark's poodle-mix "Charlie," stabbing him 60 times.

The suspect then ransacked the house and drove away in Clark's pickup truck.

He was later found sleeping on the side of the road and was arrested for DUI.

Clark's stepfather noticed the truck was gone, and when Clark didn't return, he entered the home and found the body on the bathroom floor.

The man called police, who linked the missing truck to Marquez.

DNA evidence also matched the Marquez to the victim and the crime scene.

During the trial Marquez said he went to the home to apologize for the fishing poles, blacked out, and didn't remember committing the murder.

He faces a maximum of life in prison without the possibility of parole when he's sentenced on April 24

ABC News reported. GARDEN GROVE, Calif. (KABC) -- The passenger shot to death by a Orange County cop had allegedly punched the cop in the head.

A police officer conducting a traffic stop in the area of Galway Street and Trask Avenue shot and killed passenger Jaime Castellanos Suarez at about 8:20 p.m. Sunday. 

Police said Suarez had punched the officer in the head and was able to grab his gun and point it at him.

The officer was able to regain control, then shot Suarez in the chest. Suarez died at the scene

Authorities said the car that Suarez was a passenger in was pulled over for loud music.

No officers were seriously hurt during the incident.

Police said Suarez had an outstanding felony warrant for Orange County DUI.

The Orange County District Attorney's Office is investigating the shooting.

The defendant in this case will need to hire an experienced Orange County Criminal Attorney or an Orange County Criminal Defense Lawyer.

 

Orange County Register reports. SANTA ANA - The former head of a condominium association was sentenced to two years in prison today for embezzling more than $530,000, including shining laser beams into cockpits of police helicopters on two instances, county prosecutors said.

Peter G. Kontos, 36, who was president of the Villa Point Condominium Association in Newport Beach, pleaded guilty in December to one felony count of grand theft, 39 counts of forgery and 64 counts of Orange County money laundering, prosecutors said.

Today, Kontos was sentenced to two years in prison.

The Orange County embezzlement case dates back to March 2003, prosecutors said, when Kontos was the association's president. He stole $538,653 of association funds by forging the signature of the treasurer on 39 association checks, prosecutors said.

The checks were made out to contractors under pretense that they were doing work for the condominium complex, prosecutors said. The contractors cashed the checks and gave most of the money back to Kontos, in the hopes of receiving future work at Villa Point condominiums, prosecutors said.

The first laser beam incident happened on March 20, 2006. Kontos pointed a high-powered laser beam at a police helicopter headed toward the Newport Beach Police Department, prosecutors said.

The pilots got headaches because of the beam, as well as itchy eyes, prosecutors said.

found $135,000 in cash, several grams of cocaine and an Alpec 6406 green-light laser. The cash was seized and later used for restitution in the embezzlement case, and Kontos has paid another $202,000 in restitution, prosecutors said. The defendant in this case will need to hire an experienced Orange County Criminal Attorney or an Orange County Criminal Defense Lawyer.

Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot reported.

Laguna man accused of growing pot for sale

A Laguna Beach man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of cultivating marijuana for sale. Michael Eric Newman, 46, allegedly had 285 marijuana plants at his Baja Street address, said Laguna Beach Police Sgt. Jason Kravetz.

"During the course of an ongoing investigation that led up to this search warrant, it was believed that Newman was operating an illegal marijuana dispensary at the location," Kravetz said. After serving a warrant, officers entered the premises and allegedly found a large indoor growing operation.

In addition to the plants, officers allegedly seized 3.26 pounds of processed marijuana and 24.6 pounds of unprocessed marijuana.

Newman was arrested on suspicion of cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale, and conspiracy to commit a crime.

He was held at Orange County Jail on $100,000 bail, according to jail records.

Assault charge sought in parking incident

A Laguna Beach man who apparently didn't want to wait for a parking spot on Forest Avenue is now facing a charge of alleged assault with a deadly weapon, Kravetz said.

Steven Thomas Singer, 56, was arrested at 7:07 p.m. Saturday after allegedly striking a woman in a parking space in front of a restaurant, Kravetz said.

The alleged victim was trying to hold the space on Forest Avenue for her husband by standing in it. In the meantime, the suspect pulled into the spot.

The woman wouldn't move so the driver began inching forward into the space, and continued moving forward until he allegedly bumped her on the left leg, Kravetz said. He then parked in the space and ran into the restaurant, came out a minute later and drove off. The husband called police, who located the suspect via his cell phone.

Singer agreed to return to the scene and was arrested. The woman complained of pain to her leg but had no visible injuries, Kravetz said. The defendant in this case will need to hire an experienced Orange County Criminal Attorney or an Orange County Criminal Defense Lawyer.

Newport Beach Daily Pilot reports. Police are crediting quick-thinking witnesses and a cooperative victim with nabbing a man they say tried to rob a woman Wednesday.

Police arrested Douglas Rodney Nicholson, 39, on suspicion of attempted robbery in Orange County Wednesday after they said he approached a woman at about 10:46 a.m. on Fairview Road between the 55 Freeway and Wilson Street and tried to steal her purse.

The woman, 5-feet-tall, 120 pounds and in her early 20s, fought off the much bigger Nicholson's attempts to snatch her purse and refused to hand over money when he demanded it, said Lt. Clay Epperson. Bystanders saw the scuffle and called police, who thanks to their and the woman's description, were able to catch Nicholson down the block near Wilson and Avalon streets, Epperson said.

Nicholson is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail in Orange County Jail.

The defendant in this case will need to hire an experienced Orange County Criminal Attorney or an Orange County Criminal Defense Lawyer.

Orange County Register reported. YORBA LINDA - The Orange County chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving honored local law enforcement at a luncheon and awards ceremony at the Nixon Presidential Library & Museum on Thursday.

About 350 uniformed officers dined on barbeque chicken, potatoes and coleslaw as 24 of their fellow officers were given the 2009 Century Award for making 100 or more arrests for suspicion of driving under the influence in Orange County during 2008.

A dozen prosecutors also received the 2009 Diligent Prosecution Award for their work in Orange County DUI convictions and drunk driving deaths.

"It's always been very important for us to show our appreciation for our public agencies who are partners in eliminating Orange County drunk driving," said Gail Butler, executive director of the Orange County chapter.

Officers who received the Century Award made 100 or more arrests for suspicion of driving under the influence in Orange County.

Motorcycle officer Tai Huynh of the Huntington Beach Police department received the quadruple Century Award for making 445 DUI arrests in one year.

During the luncheon, a presentation was given for Carla Olson, a Yorba Linda woman who was killed by a drunk driver in 2003. Her family was there for the presentation.

"Her story is tragic. She was killed in the prime of life, but her family has embraced MADD to cope with their loss," Butler said.

The officers applauded for the family.

Lori Muir - who survived a drunk-driving collision - received the heart of MADD award for her 10 years of volunteerism with MADD and her work at the Laguna Niguel victim impact panel.

In 1998, Muir was hit by a drunk driver and lost her left leg. After she told her story from her wheelchair, the crowd of uniformed officers gave her a standing ovation.

Orange County Register reported. SANTA ANA - Lt. Erin Lorraine Giudice, who was recently appointed to head the Orange County Sheriff's Harbor Patrol, was transferred to jail operations two days after she was arrested on suspicion of DUI in Orange County earlier this month.

Irvine police arrested Giudice, 48, the night of April 15 after a stop at the Jamboree Road off-ramp from the I-5 freeway for DUI.

The Irvine police arrest log lists the arrest as taking place at 10:21 p.m. The daily police blotter records the incident as taking place at 8:58 p.m.

Giudice was transferred April 17 to the Theo Lacy Facility in the Orange County Jail, where she is now working.

Capt. Dave Nighswonger, who oversees the sheriff's internal affairs unit, said that there was an internal investigation under way, but declined to comment on specifics of the case, because of a state law requiring that police personnel matters be kept private.

"We did transfer a number of lieutenants around," Nighswonger said. "Our transfers are for operational needs."

Sheriff's Department spokesman Jim Amormino later called to clarify that Giudice's transfer was a result of the pending investigation, although a number of lieutenants were also transferred around the same time, he said.

No charges for DUI have been filed against Giudice. Irvine police sent the case to the District Attorney's Office on Monday, Irvine police Lt. John Hare said.

Nighswonger said the department did not have a specific policy addressing consequences for a DUI conviction.

"We have department policies that require employees to obey the law," Nighswonger said. "Then there's canons of ethics that hold our department employees accountable."

Command staff has not yet made a decision on the case, Nighswonger said.

"We need to ensure that our employees get a chance to address it, come in and be interviewed, and give their side of the story," Nighswonger said.

According to The Log, a local boating and fishing newspaper that reported Giudice's transfer but not her arrest, Giudice had been appointed to the position just a few weeks earlier, as a replacement for Capt. Deana Bergquist, who had been reassigned to the jails.

The OCRegister.com on December 10, 2008 reported on female DUIs In Orange County. Ladies, before taking that sip of Egg Nog Martini this holiday season, know that you're now catching up with the fellows in alcohol consumption and auto accidents.

Just in time for the season of Christmas office parties, family get-togethers and other festivities involving holiday cocktails, the Automobile Club of Southern California released a study that says young women are closing the gender gap in the number of injuries and deaths resulting from driving under the influence.

Between 1998 and 2007, the number of women drivers aged 21 to 24 involved in alcohol-related crashes soared by 116 percent, according to an Automobile Club of Southern California study. For men, the number jumped 39 percent in the same period.

Women aged 21-24 who were killed or injured in DUI crashes, whether as drivers, passengers or pedestrians, increased 46 percent to 1,515 in 2007 from 1,037 in 1998 in California, the study found.

Some 4,057 men of the same age range were killed or injured in DUI accidents in 2007, compared to 3,434 in 1998.

Steven Bloch, a researcher for the Auto Club, said that reports of celebrity DUI arrests involving Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie are indicative of a broader trend, and not just Hollywood behaving badly.

"This is part of a larger social trend," Bloch said. "We like to think of our society as one of equality, but the drinking and driving is not the kind of equality we're looking for."

A study by Richard Grucza of the Washington University School of Medicine that was published in the August issue of the medical journal "Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research," says that the prevalence of alcohol dependence among women has increased in the decades since World War II, but has not increased significantly among men.

The study finds that women are starting to drink at a younger age, which researchers believe is linked to alcohol dependence.

Costa Mesa Police Chief Christopher Shawkey spoke about the department's alcohol-impaired task force, in which officials offer local bar and restaurant employees training in recognizing when someone is too drunk to be served and how to deny serving them without sounding confrontational.

The city created the program two years ago after the California Department of Motor Vehicles released a report ranking the cities in which people end their nights of drinking before getting arrested for DUI. An Orange County criminal attorney can help in an arret for DUIs.

The OCRegister.com on December 10, 2008 reported on Costa Mesa ranked No. 3, with 17.45 per 10,000 adults having had their last drink in that city. The city ranked No. 2 in DUI arrests, with 21.07 arrests for every 10,000 adults, records show. The findings illustrate a trend of people are drinking in coastal cities, officials say.

Aside from Costa Mesa's training, the police agency will join other departments in the county by holding increased DUI checkpoints and patrols.

Officials said that if you're going to drink, have a plan for who will be the designated driver, or keep the number of a taxi dispatcher handy. And keep in mind your limit. If a woman who weighs 130 has had four dry martinis within two hours, her estimated blood alcohol level will be .18, the Auto Club says. Four glasses of champagne over the same time period can result in a blood-alcohol level of .08.

While the legal limit is .08, a blood-alcohol level of .05 can deteriorate motor skills, leaving drivers' muscles more relaxed and coordination slowed. Don't go it alone, call an Orange County Criminal Defense attorney.

Orange County Register reported. Before making a cooking demonstration at the Festival of Arts on Sunday, Marcel Vigneron of Bravo's reality show "Top Chef" first stopped at the Laguna Beach jail early Saturday morning.

Vigneron was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving in Orange County at 12:45 a.m. Saturday off of Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach, according to Laguna Beach police records.

Laguna Beach police pulled over the reality show star near Vista Del Sol and he was given a blood test when the officer noticed he may have been driving under the influence, said Sgt. Jason Kravetz of the Laguna Beach Police Department

Vigneron, who was initially stopped on suspicion of speeding, was taken into custody and his bail was set at $2,500.

Vigneron, runner-up on the second season of "Top Chef," was among the celebrities who attended the Pageant of the Masters benefit gala Saturday night.

On Sunday, Vigneron made his scheduled appearance, dispite his DUI arrest, where he gave a cooking demonstration.

Vigneron, a Las Vegas resident, can still drive a vehicle despite the DUI in Orange County, Kravetz said. He has 30 days to notify the Department of Motor Vehicles, but authorities here can also notify Nevada officials.

An OCRegister.com article dated January 9th, 2009, reported that police will be on the lookout for motorists driving under the influence more than usual this Sunday, Super Bowl Sunday.

Statewide, 12 people were killed in alcohol-involved collisions on Super Bowl day last year, and another 167 were injured. The California Highway Patrol arrested 403 for drunk driving. In Orange County, two alcohol-related collisions were reported, three people were injured and 20 cited for DUI, according to CHP statistics. These  Drunk Drivers in Orange County will need an experienced Orange County DUI Lawyer. Here are a few websites to visit:Orange County Dui Attorney, Orange County Drunk Driving Lawyer, and Orange County Dui Lawyer.

"We're not discouraging the celebration," CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow said in a statement. "We're asking fans to make the right call, so they won't find themselves benched in a jail cell."  An Orange County Criminal Attorney is here to help

Coastal cities like Costa Mesa and Newport Beach rank poorly in alcohol-related crashes and DUI arrests, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety - so beware of your neighboring motorists if you plan on traveling through there. If you are arrested for a DUI in Newport Beach , call an attorney.

For the most part, Orange County cities are not planning any special DUI patrols or checkpoints for Super Bowl Sunday. But Brea police Sgt. Bill Smyser said officers will make sure to keep an eye out at popular spots around town.

In Santa Ana, officers expect to increase its number of patrol officers on Sunday

The Daily Pilot reports. A Corona del Mar High School teacher who some students said blurred the line between professor and peer was arrested on suspicion of giving marijuana to a Newport Harbor student, police said Tuesday.

Chad Edward Smith, 37, who teaches math, was arrested Thursday afternoon at his Newport Beach home after police said they investigated a parent's concern that their teenager was smoking marijuana with the instructor.

"He didn't make that barrier like 'I'm a teacher. You're a student,'" said junior Caroline Eskew, 17. "Anyone felt like they could go to him with anything."

Police said last week they received a call from a concerned Newport Harbor High School parent. The parent had seen a text message on their 16-year-old son's phone from Smith that contained a conversation about smoking marijuana together, Lt. Craig Fox said.

Police then contacted the teenager, who confirmed his mother's suspicions, Fox said.

Authorities said Smith knew the student through a chance meeting at a restaurant.

Attempts to reach Smith for comment were unsuccessful Tuesday.

Authorities went to Smith's house Thursday with a search warrant and found a small amount of marijuana and text messages on his phone and arrested him, officials said. He bailed out of Newport Beach jail on a $50,000 warrant later that evening.

Smith has been placed on paid administrative leave while the district investigates, Newport-Mesa Unified spokeswoman Laura Boss said.

Among the school's students, even those who weren't in his class, Smith had a reputation for connecting with them and having a fun class, even letting kids listen to their iPods in between assignments and throwing parties once a week.

"When you walked by his room, it made you feel happy," Eskew said. "He made learning fun."

"Nice guy, funny...cool," said Pete Kitzens, 18. "When I worked up in the office, I'd see him come in and he'd talk. He always joked."

Police are investigating whether Smith provided marijuana for other students and urge anyone with information or who may have been a victim to call (800) 550-NBPD.

 

The defendant in this case will need to hire an experienced Orange County Criminal Attorney or an Orange County Criminal Defense Lawyer.

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Orange County Register reports. COSTA MESA The Police Department will conduct a sobriety/driver's license checkpoint this weekend.

The checks will take place from 8 tonight to 2 a.m. Sunday at the intersection of northbound Newport Boulevard and 22nd Street to inform the public about Orange County drunken driving and driving without a license.

Earlier this month, police logged 959 vehicles that drove through a checkpoint at Baker Street east of Bear Street.

Of those cars, 345 were stopped and 15 drivers were screened for driving under the influence.

There were no Orange County DUI arrests; one under-aged driver was cited for having a blood-alcohol level of .01 percent.

Five people were arrested for driving without their licenses and three were arrested for driving on suspended licenses. Eleven other citations were issued for various vehicle code violations. Five cars were impounded.

The Police Department receives funding for the program through the state Office of Traffic Safety.

These  Drunk Drivers in Orange County will need an experienced Orange County DUI Lawyer.

Here are a few websites to visit:

Orange County Dui Attorney

Orange County Drunk Driving Lawyer

Orange County Dui Lawyer

 

An OCRegister.com article dated March 13th, 2008,  reported on Orange County DUIs. Give Officer Tai Huynh a second and he can tell you whether that driver careening across his lane has been drinking or is just on his cell phone. "If he's on the phone, it'll just be once. It's inattention," Huynh said. "But if he keeps weaving in his lane, it's drinking."

Huynh, an 18-year veteran of the Huntington Beach Police Department, was honored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving on Thursday at the Nixon Library for his 467 DUI arrests in 2007, and got a minute-long standing ovation from 300 of the county's top figures in law enforcement. If you have been charged with an Orange County DUI, call an attorney who specializes in Orange County Criminal Defense.

His arrest count shattered the Orange County record of 325 DUI arrests set the year before.Officers from the Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa and Orange police departments dominated the awards, taking the top 10 spots. All three departments have a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety that pays for two full-time motorcycle patrol officers dedicated to DUI enforcement. Orange County is tough on drunk drivers. You will need an Orange County Criminal Defense attorney.

"If another officer needs help, we'll help, but we're not supposed to take burglary calls or things like that," Huynh said, adding that other requirements of the grant include quarterly checkpoints, saturation patrols and enforcing warrants for failure to appear in court.

It takes an average of two hours to process a DUI arrest - more when there are complications like a child in the car or an injury, Huynh said. That and the incessant need to testify in court leave him less time to patrol the streets.

"It's not that I purposely work hard," Huynh said. "I just go out and do my job. Sometimes I stop 50 vehicles and no one's been drinking. Sometimes I stop 20 and it's half."

Occasionally, those court appearances can lead to more arrests. Officer Chris Brunt of the Costa Mesa Police Department, who was honored for 207 arrests, wrote down an account of his most memorable arrest, which was shared with the audience:

"I was at court testifying on a DUI arrest. At the lunch break, I saw the defendant on my case drive away from the court house. Knowing he had a suspended driver's license, we pulled him over. As I was talking to him, I could smell alcohol coming from him. I conducted a DUI investigation and arrested him again for DUI at the lunch break of his DUI trial. He was well over the legal limit at lunch time, after sitting in court all morning."

Drunk Drivers in Orange County will need an experienced Orange County DUI Lawyer.

Here are a few websites to visit:

Orange County Dui Attorney

Orange County Drunk Driving Lawyer

Orange County Dui Lawyer

The DailyPilot reports. Stephen Leece, son of Costa Mesa Mayor Pro Tem Wendy Leece, is on three years informal probation and must participate in an Orange County domestic violence program after being convicted of violence against his girlfriend.

Leece, 28, pleaded guilty Friday to misdemeanor corporal injury to his girlfriend following his arrest June 3 on suspicion he had beat her and her 9-year-old son during an argument and the girlfriend's home in Orange County.

Prosecutors dropped child abuse and vandalism charges against Leece "in the interest of justice," said Orange County District Attorney spokeswoman Farrah Emami.

Leece was sentenced to a domestic violence program, three years informal probation, 25 days in jail with credit for time served and eight hours of community service. The court also issued a protective order mandating he stay away from the victim, Emami said.

Police said they were called to Leece's girlfriend's house June 3 after an argument between the two turned physical. Authorities said he had pushed the girlfriend and violently pushed and pulled her 9-year-old son around the house when he tried to intervene. Leece fled the home after officers were called and surrendered to them later that day

The defendant in this case should have hired an experienced Orange County Criminal Attorney or an Orange County Criminal Defense Lawyer.

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Orange County Register reports. The Orange Police Dept. is conducting a DUI and driver's license checkpoint from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. tonight.

The checkpoint is at the 1800 block of W. Chapman Avenue for westbound traffic.

Funding for DUI special enforcement efforts is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

These  Drunk Drivers in Orange County will need an experienced Orange County DUI Lawyer.

Here are a few websites to visit:

Orange County Dui Attorney

Orange County Drunk Driving Lawyer

Orange County Dui Lawyer.

Information: 714-744-7444 or click here.

The OCRegister.com reported on June 18,2009 about an orange county woman attacking a man with a pipe after a gang-related confrontation broke out this morning in Santa Ana, police said. She will definitely need an Orange County Criminal Attorney.

The incident occurred at 1:23 a.m. in the 1000 block of West Camile Street, near Flower Street, when two men and two woman, approached the victim who was standing in his front yard and started assaulting him, said Santa Ana Police Cmdr. Tammy Franks. Assault is a crime and it requires legal defense.

One of the women -- who was carrying the pipe -- hit the 35-year-old victim multiple times in the upper body, including the chest and back, Franks said, adding that it was unknown what prompted the attack. She is lucky she did not kill her victim. Orange County Assault is taking seriously by authorities.

The woman then smashed out the back window of the victim's Toyota Sienna, Franks said.The victim was injured, but he refused to be taken to a hospital.

One woman was described as being Hispanic, about 23 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall, about 235 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. The other woman is Hispanic, between 20 and 23 years old, 5 feet to 5 feet 3 inches tall, about 140 to 160 pounds with blonde hair, Franks said.

The defendant in this case will need to hire an experienced Orange County Criminal Attorney or an Orange County Domestic Violence Lawyer

Contact the writer: jcassidy@ocregister.com or 714-704-3782

Orange County Register blog The Crime Sceen reports. According to the old legal adage, George Eugene Cross must  be a  fool.

The saying goes something like "he who represents himself has a fool for a client."

Cross, 40, is defending himself in Orange County Superior Court against a forcible rape charge.

If convicted, he could get a life term in prison.

Actually, maybe it's not that big a deal to Cross.

That's because he is already serving 55 years to life for a series of sexual assaults in Sacramento County in 2002, and he has a prior rape conviction  in Long Beach in 1995.

Maybe his prior experience in court leads him to believe  he can adequately represent himself  during his Orange County trial.

He is charged with raping a 17-year-old girl in her Anaheim apartment in 1997.

According to court documents, the assailant grabbed the girl by her wrist, squeezed her throat and said " If you make any noise, I'll hurt you."

Cross was allegedly linked to the crime in 2004 when Anaheim Police detectives were notified by the Orange County Crime Lab there was a "cold hit" on his DNA when it was compared to evidence collected from the crime scene.

By then, Cross was serving his 55 years to life at Mule Creek Prison.

He's sitting now in a business suit in a chair in the 11th-floor courtroom of  Superior Court Judge Richard M. King arguing more than two dozen pre-trial motions on his own before jury selection begins.

He claims -- among other things -- that his Miranda Rights protecting him from self-incrimination were violated; that he was denied a speedy trial; that he's not getting sufficient number of phone calls; that he shouldn't be restrained in court and that the DNA test needs to be done again.

He did win one marginal legal issue last week when he refused to waive time for trial after the prosecution asked for a delay.

Deputy District Attorney Robert Mestman sought a short continuance because the alleged victim is now nine months pregnant and her doctor recommended against her testifying in court so close to birth.

Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals, however, found there is no legal cause to delay the trial, and that the woman, who is now 29, is mobile and willing to testify.

That issue will likely become moot next week if the woman gives birth during pre-trial motions. That change in circumstances will give rise to a new motion to delay the trial, Mestman said.

While it is rare for defendants in Orange County to ask to defend themselves  -  especially when the crimes could lead to a life sentence -- it does happen.

And when a defendant does demand to serve as his own lawyer, the request is almost always granted, unless he is mentally incompetent or if  granting the request would cause an undue delay in the start of the trial.

The defendant in this case should hire an experienced Orange County Criminal Attorney or an Orange County Criminal Defense Lawyer.

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Whittier Daily News reports. An Orange County driver pleaded not guilty Monday to causing an April 9 crash that killed three people, including Los Angeles Angels rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart and a Diamond Bar woman.

Prosecutors allege Andrew Thomas Gallo, 22, was speeding and driving with a blood-alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08 when he ran a red light and crashed into a Mitsubishi Eclipse that was carrying Adenhart and three others.

Gallo's driver's license was suspended and he was on probation for a previous DUI conviction in San Bernardino County at the time of the crash, according to Susan Kang Schroeder, public affairs counsel for the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

Gallo was arraigned Monday on three

counts of murder, one count of driving under the influence causing injury with one prior conviction, driving with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher causing injury, and hit-and-run with injury.

The criminal complaint also alleged that Gallo caused great bodily injury and death to more than one victim. In addition, he faces sentencing enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury.

Schroeder said Gallo faces 54 years and eight months to life in prison if convicted on all counts.

Gallo's attorney entered the not guilty plea for him. He later told reporters he would seek a change of venue for the upcoming trial.

"Generally the emotion here, it's so heated,"  He said he and Gallo have received death threats.

It's not clear when he will file the motion asking to try the case elsewhere. He didn't return a call seeking further comment.

Gallo is being held at Central Mens Jail in Santa Ana in lieu of $2 million bail. He is scheduled to return July 31 to Central Superior Court in Santa Ana for a pre-trial hearing.

Also killed in the April 9 collision were Henry Pearson, 25, a law student working toward becoming a sports agent, and Courtney Stewart, 20, a student and former cheerleader at Cal State Fullerton who grew up in Claremont and lived in Diamond Bar.

Jon Wilhite, 24, of Manhattan Beach was also critically injured in the crash.

The four were headed to a Fullerton club called In Cahoots at the time of the crash. Adenhart had pitched six scoreless innings against the Oakland A's only hours earlier.

Authorities allege Gallo was driving a maroon minivan that ran a red light at Orangethorpe Avenue and Lemon Street and struck the Eclipse driven by Stewart. The van was going about 65 mph in a 35 mph zone, officials said.

Gallo fled the scene of the accident on foot and was arrested by Anaheim police on the 91 Freeway near the State College Boulevard exit. He allegedly tried to run again when contacted by officers.

It's the second DUI-related case against Gallo.

San Bernardino County Court records show he pleaded guilty to DUI on May 1, 2006, and was sentenced to two days in county jail and 36 months probation.

As part of the plea bargain, the charges of DUI with 0.08 percent blood-alcohol level or higher and having no proof of insurance were dismissed.

The case stems from a Dec.8, 2005, incident, but court records didn't say where.

When he was sentenced, the court advised Gallo he could be charged with murder if he continued to drive under the influence and someone was killed.

He violated his probation Jan. 19, 2007, by failing to file proof with the court that he enrolled or finished a treatment program.

Gallo also pleaded guilty in Jan. 20, 2007, to possessing less than one ounce of marijuana and was told to remain at Bible Tabernacle New Life Program and finish the program.

On Nov. 20, 2007, he submitted proof to the court that he completed the program.

Wire services contributed to this story.

ruby.gonzales@sgvn.com

(562) 698-0955, Ext. 3026

The OCRegister.com reorted on March 4, 2009 that Orange County Sheriff's Deputy Dallas Hennessey held the record for DUI arrests in 2007, but with only half that total in 2008, he couldn't be happier.

"We're seeing more taxis at the bars and strip club," the 10-year Sheriff's Department veteran said. "I like to arrest people to let them know they've done something wrong, but I'd rather them not drink and drive at all."

Hennessey was one of three deputies honored at Tuesday's City Council meeting by Mothers Against Drunk Driving for Orange County drunken driving arrests. Hennessey made 43 arrests, Deputy Anthony Ramirez, 26, and Deputy Michaela Mihai, 26. Each was recognized with the MADD "Deuce" Award, given to officers making more than 25 DUI arrests in a year. About 10,000 drivers were arrested on suspicion of Orange County drunken driving in 2008.

Hennessey - a drug recognition expert - has developed catching suspected drunken drivers to an art. In 2007, he made 111 arrests, becoming the department's only deputy to generate more than 100 arrests in one year.

Police Services in Lake Forest have taken advantage of the deputy's eye to continue an effort to get drunken drivers off the road. In 2007, Lake Forest led cities contracted with the Sheriff's Department in the number of DUI arrests, with 266. Stanton followed as a distant second, with 188, and Dana Point reported 182.

Lake Forest stands behind its law enforcement and focuses on catching impaired drivers with Orange County DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols. But Hennessey generates most of his catches on routine patrols, especially around the city's I-5 freeway border.

In 2008, his 43 arrests were well below his 2007 achievement. One reason - he was off work for three months after he tore his biceps tendon during a DUI pursuit. But Hennessey also hopes drivers' awareness is changing. Aside from more taxis at the local night spots, he's also seeing more people with designated drivers taking fewer risks.

"Last year, we had DUI crashes every night during the summer months," he said. "Now we're seeing a lot less."

 Drunk Drivers in Orange County will need an experienced Orange County DUI Lawyer.

Here are a few websites to visit:

Orange County Dui Attorney

Orange County Drunk Driving Lawyer

The OCRegister.com reported an increase in  DUI arrests in an article dated May 22, 2009. The Police Department's efforts to stem disturbances in a downtown plagued by complaints are paying off, Capt. Greg Mayes told the City Council. Orange County DUI arrests linked to downtown establishments jumped 270 percent - from 24 to 65 - in the first four months of 2009 compared to the same period in 2008, Mayes said. Last year, some residents and business owners were at odds with the city over continuing problems with revelers. In the downtown, there are 50-plus bars and restaurants. Maybe Orange County should do DUI checkpoints everynight. If you need an Orange County Criminal Attorney, click on the link.

 

Mayes said the Orange County DUI increase can be attributed to two factors: stepped up patrols and business owners policing their own clientele, allowing officers to spend less time responding to alcohol-related incidents in the downtown and more time on the road.

"We also ask drivers who are pulled over in different parts of the city where they had their last drink," Mayes said. "We are keeping track of those associated with downtown Fullerton businesses."

The police report reflected decreases in other areas of the downtown: assaults, 29 percent; fight calls, 32 percent; disturbance calls, 59 percent; public drunkenness, 50 percent; and possession of alcohol violations, 44 percent.

"Behavior has definitely improved in our downtown," Mayes said. "Now Orange County DUI  enforcement has become a priority."

Drunk Drivers in Orange County will need an experienced Orange County DUI Lawyer.

Here are a few websites to visit:

Orange County Dui Attorney

Orange County Drunk Driving Lawyer

Huntington Beach Independent reported.The pretrial for the man who crashed into a 14-year-old bicyclist two years ago is scheduled to begin Friday morning at Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana.

Jeffrey Woods, who is charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, was arrested following the Aug. 29, 2007, accident that killed eighth-grader Danny Oates. Woods allegedly ran into Danny while driving under the influence of Xanax and Vicodin and sending text messages.

The pretrial is set to begin at 9 a.m. Friday, with a jury trial to commence June 26.

Ventura County Star reported.A California Highway Patrol Officer testified in court Friday that he has made "bets" with alleged drunken drivers many times, as he did after a motorist in Moorpark was pulled over last year.

CHP Officer Keith Bianco testified at a hearing about evidence in the case of 27-year-old Shant Ohannessian of Granada Hills, who is being charged with drunken driving. Bianco said he bet Ohannessian that he was legally intoxicated.

"I asked him if he wanted to bet on it?" said Bianco, adding that he then asked Ohannessian how much money he had in his pocket.

Bianco said Ohannessian said he had $40, and Bianco said he raised his bet to $100. He said he didn't realize the bet had gone to $200, as Ohannessian claims.

He denied telling Ohannessian that he could get $200 at an ATM at a convenience store across the street from where he was pulled over.

Ventura County Superior Court Judge David Long is holding the evidentiary hearing after Ohannessian's lawyer, Ben Maserang, filed a legal motion to get all the evidence during his client's arrest tossed out of court.

Maserang claims the evidence was fabricated after his client refused to pay a $200 bribe.

Maserang subpoenaed Bianco to testify as a defense witness. Bianco, along with CHP Officer Dustin Wood, was secretly recorded by Ohannessian's passenger Camillo Landinez, 28, of Thousand Oaks about 11:45 p.m. Oct. 28 on Spring Road in Moorpark.

Landinez made the seven-minute recording with his cell phone during the traffic stop. In the recording, a voice identified as Bianco is heard making bets twice.

The recording was deleted by an officer, Maserang said. Ohannessian paid a computer data service $300 to retrieve the deleted file.

Landinez made a call to the 911 dispatcher at 12:45 a.m. on the night of the incident and said CHP officers were asking for a $200 bribe to let them go, according to Maserang.

Bianco denied that he had taken a bribe or deleted the recording, saying he doesn't know how to erase a recording from a cell phone. He said he's made bets numerous times with motorists as a tactic to gauge a person's "ability to be honest" to his questions about intoxication.

Bianco said he was working overtime at a California Department of Transportation highway project at highways 23 and 118 near Los Angeles Avenue in Moorpark. He said he was parked there to protect construction workers and monitor traffic. Bianco said he heard a radio transmission or possibly through a cell phone call that Wood, who was also working overtime nearby at a Caltrans project, had stopped a motorist.

On Thursday in Ventura County Superior Court, Wood testified that he saw a pickup truck stop at a green traffic signal before turning, so he followed the driver, Ohannessian, who Wood said went two feet over the lane divider.

Wood said he followed the vehicle because stopping at a green light could be a sign of intoxication. Wood testified the "bet" was a joke, everybody laughed about it and no money exchanged hands.

Bianco said he's been with the CHP for 17 years and has worked overtime at Caltrans projects more than 400 times.

A CHP supervisor, Sgt. Michael Curtin, testified that he didn't recall the exact day that Landinez went to the CHP to file a complaint about his bribery allegations.

Curtin admitted telling Landinez that he could be prosecuted if he filed a false report against the officers. Curtin said he didn't know it's against the law and against CHP policies to make such an admonition about prosecution when someone is filing a complaint. Curtin also said he didn't know that it has been five years since that kind of written admonition was removed from the form used to file a complaint against a CHP officer.

Curtin said he didn't tell Bianco it was "inappropriate and unprofessional" to make bets with DUI suspects because his hands are tied, since the current allegations could lead to the filing of complaints against officers.

These  Drunk Drivers in Orange County will need an experienced Orange County DUI Lawyer.

Here are a few websites to visit:

Orange County Dui Attorney

Orange County Drunk Driving Lawyer

Orange County Dui Lawyer.

Contact the writer: jcassidy@ocregister.com or 714-704-3782

Contact the writer: 714-704-3706 or atownsend@ocregister.com

In the OCRegister.com, dated August 7th, 2008, an article reports on murder and drugs. If you need an experienced criminal attorney in Orange County for drug charges, Coffey and Coffey can assist. ANAHEIM Police were searching today for three more members of a Christian biker gang accused of conspiracy to commit murder in connection with a bloody barroom brawl last month in Newport Beach. If caught, they will need an experienced Orange County Lawyer.

Police released few details this morning of the three men, saying only that they are thought to be residents of Southern California and members of the Set Free Soldiers. All three were wanted on outstanding warrants for conspiracy to commit murder, Newport Beach police Sgt. Evan Sailor said.

More than 150 officers - some dressed in camouflage and helmets - raided homes across Orange County early Wednesday. They arrested seven members of the Set Free Soldiers, a biker gang allegedly masquerading as a church, and three members of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. These 7 shoudl hire an Orange County Lawyer expereinced in assault cases.

Among those arrested was Pastor Phil Aguilar, 60, of Anaheim. The Web site for Set Free Churches Worldwide describes him as the group's founder and director. He describes himself on his MySpace page as "the Chief... a sinner saved by the grace of God."

He and the other Set Free Soldiers were arrested for alleged conspiracy to commit murder. Aguilar was being held without bail and was scheduled to appear in court on Friday. An Orange County attorney with experience in conspiracy to commit murder needs to be hired.

Police have released the name of only one other person arrested in the raids Wednesday: John Phillip Lloyd, 41, of Costa Mesa, a member of the Hells Angels. He was being held on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon; his bail was set at $1 million.

Two others, believed to be Hells Angels, were arrested for alleged drug possession.

According to police, members of the two motorcycle gangs clashed on a Sunday afternoon last month at a Newport Beach bar called Blackie's By the Sea. Two people were stabbed during the brawl, both of them apparently members of the Hells Angels. A third man - believed to be a member of the Set Free Soldiers - was hit by a pool ball.

Newport Beach police responded to the large fight, but everyone had fled the scene by the time they arrived.  For an expereinced lawyer in Newport Beach, who serves all of orange county, clink on this link.

In an article dated Feb 3rd, 2009, the OCRegister.com reports on a 17-year-old boy who police suspect was under the influence of alcohol and weaved in and out of traffic on Lincoln Avenue. He is believed to have started a five-vehicle collision that sent five people to hospitals, Anaheim police Sgt. Tim Schmidt said.The defendant in this case will need to hire an experienced Orange County Criminal Attorney. 

 Why do people think they can get away with impaired driving? This 17 year old will need a very good Orange County DUI attorney.  As he weaved in and out of traffic lanes, police said, the teen sideswiped two vehicles, which included a van with a mother and her 10 children, before rear-ending a black SUV, Schmidt said. And he didnt' stop. In Orange County, the DA will have a field day. Hire an Orange County DUI Lawyer for sure.

The force of the crash sent the SUV into the raised median, through shrubbery, trees and flowers and into oncoming traffic before it collided with a silver Toyota driven by a nurse who had just left work, Schmidt said.

The driver of the SUV and Toyota are in critical injury after the crash, he added. The teen ended up spinning 360 degrees into a parked vehicle before coming to rest, Schmidt said.

A 17-year-old passenger in the teen's car was injured. The mother and the children in the van were not injured, Schmidt said. Whole life ahead - he better hire a good criminal attorney in Orange County. When officers arrived at the scene, they gave the teen a sobriety test, during which Schmidt said he displayed symptoms of intoxication and was arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence with injury. An expereinced Orange County DUI attorney is his only hope to not spend the ret of his life locked up.The teen driver was uninjured, Schmidt added.

Here are a few websites to visit:

Orange County Dui Attorney

Orange County Drunk Driving Lawyer

 

In an article from the OCRegister.com, dated June 12, 2009, a Fontana man with two prior drunken-driving convictions was sentenced to 15-years to life today for the second-degree murder of a woman in an alcohol-related crash on the 91 in 2007.  Drunk Drivers in Orange County will need an experienced Orange County DUI Lawyer.

Conrado Octavio Cruz-Rivera, 34, who had been required to attended scores of alcohol counseling sessions on his first two drunken-driving convictions, did not comment when Superior Court Judge Frank F. Fasel sent him to prison for the death of Katherine Lynn Aceves, 49, of Corona.

"I know that none of my excuses nor a thousand words can relieve the pain that I have caused," he wrote in Spanish. "I can't give back the life of his sweetheart, but if I had the opportunity to return her life to him, I would give my own life..."

Cruz-Rivera testified during his trial that he drank about eight beers at a family party but did not feel that he was a danger on the road when he got behind the wheel of his wife's Nissan pickup. If you have been charged with an Orange County DUI, don't go it alone. You need an Orange County Criminal Defense Attorney.

He testified in Spanish through an interpreter that he nodded off after deciding to exit the eastbound 91 at Imperial Highway after his low-fuel indicator turned on.

But instead of driving off the freeway, he clipped the rear end of a Chevrolet Suburban being driven by Katherine Aceves, sending it spinning out of control.

The Suburban smashed into two electric utility boxes and landed in a culvert next to the freeway. Katherine Aceves was killed.

A test revealed that Cruz-Rivera had a blood-alcohol level of .17 - more than twice the legal limit - two hours after the 1:30 a.m. crash. Wow. Wonder what is BAL was when he got in his car. He will definitely need an Orange County Criminal Attorney

Deputy District Attorney Susan Price introduced evidence that Cruz-Rivera had been convicted of drunken driving in 2004 and 2005 and was required to attend nearly 75 group and individual alcohol-counseling sessions where he had been repeatedly warned about the dangers of drinking and driving.

Here are a few websites to visit:

Orange County Dui Attorney

Orange County Drunk Driving Lawyer

Orange County Register reports;  - A Ladera Ranch woman stood in a dark blue jail jumpsuit in a courthouse holding cell this afternoon and told her family "I love you" moments before her arraignment in Harbor Court in Newport Beach on charges she conspired to murder her millionaire boyfriend for money in 1994.

Nanette Johnston Packard McNeal's husband and two adult children sat in the courtroom gallery and gave her the OK sign, blew her kisses and told her they loved her back before they were warned by a bailiff that communicating with prisoners in court is prohibited.

Packard McNeal, 43, was arrested at her home on Wednesday on a warrant charging her and a former paramour with the Dec. 15, 1994, shooting death of entrepreneur William Francis McLaughlin, 55, in his home in a gated community in Newport Beach.

Eric Andrew Naposki, 42, her alleged co-conspirator, was arrested Wednesday at his home in Greenwich, Conn. He will be extradited to Orange County within the next ten days, prosecutors said.

Deputy District Attorney Matt Murphy charged both defendants with murdering McLaughlin for financial gain - a special circumstance that could lead to a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole if they are convicted.

Superior Court Judge Karen L. Robinson agreed to delay Packard McNeal's arraignment until June 8 at the request of defense attorney Barry Bernstein. Packard McNeal, a mother of four children including a new infant, will remain in custody without bail pending a bail review hearing in Orange County Superior Court's Harbor Justice Center on May 26.

Her husband and two adult children left the courthouse hastily and declined to comment to reporters.

Bernstein, who also represented Packard McNeal in 1996 when she pleaded guilty to embezzling from McLaughlin before his death, also declined to comment.

Murphy said a re-examination of all the evidence in the case prompted him to file charges. "The Newport Beach Police Department never gave up on this case," Murphy said. "We greatly look forward to presenting our evidence to a jury."

He declined to reveal what new evidence led to charges being filed now, nearly 15 years after McLaughlin was shot six times in the chest as he stood in the kitchen of his million-dollar-plus home in Balboa Cove.

Murphy contends that Packard McNeal met Bill McLaughlin, who made a fortune in the 1980s with a machine that separated plasma from blood, in about 1990 when she was about 25. According to Murphy, he responded to her personal ad that read, "I know how to take care of my man if he knows how to take care of me."

McLaughlin, who was in his 50s and who had just gone through a divorce, later began dating and financially supporting Packard McNeal, according to prosecutors. Packard McNeal, who at the time was divorced with two children, started living with him in a beachfront home he purchased for her and also stayed with him in his bayfront home.

At the same time, she also was allegedly an affair with Naposki, a former National Football League player for the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts, according to prosecutors. At the time of McLaughlin's murder, Naposki worked as a bouncer at the Thunderbird Nightclub, located in Newport Beach, less than 500 feet from the McLaughlin's home.

Prosecutors believe that Packard McNeal, who had a $1 million life insurance policy on McLaughlin, provided Naposki with a key to the McLaughlin's home and information about when he was expected to be at the house.

At about 9 p.m. on Dec. 15, 1994, Naposki allegedly entered McLaughlin's home using the house key Packard McNeal provided, and shot McLaughlin six times with a 9 MM handgun while he was standing in the kitchen, according to the District Attorney's Office. He then walked over to the Thunderbird and reported for work, prosecutors said.

McLaughlin's son, a young adult who suffered brain damage as a result of being hit by a drunken driver a few years earlier, was upstairs listening to music and heard the gunshots. The victim's son found his murdered father and called 9-1-1.

Packard McNeal was named in McLaughlin's will, and was due to receive $150,000 in cash the event of his death and also have the right to live in his beach house rent free for one year, according to prosecutors

On OCRegister.com, an article dated June 10th reports that an autopsy report showed Courtney Frances Stewart had a blood-alcohol content above the legal limit for someone her age when the car she was driving was struck by an alleged drunken driver on April 9.

The crash killed Stewart, 20, a student and former cheerleader at Cal State Fullerton, and two of her passengers: Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart, 22, and Henry Nigel Pearson, 25, a law student working toward becoming a sports agent.

A fourth passenger in the Mitsubishi Eclipse that Stewart was driving, Jon Wilhite, 24, was seriously injured and is recovering.

Toxicology tests conducted by the Orange County Coroner showed Stewart had a blood-alcohol content of .06, said Deputy District Attorney Susan Price. The legal limit in California for drivers under 21 is .01, while the limit for drivers 21 or older is .08.

The driver of the minivan that collided with the Mitsubishi, Andrew Thomas Gallo, pleaded not guilty on Monday to three counts of second-degree murder and driving under the influence, among other charges.

Gallo's attorney Randall T. Longwith, said he had heard about Stewart's toxicology report more than a month ago but had only recently received a copy.

"It's a big revelation," Longwith said. "In essence, we're talking about two people who were drinking and driving. I think it's definitely something we need to look at and investigate."

Price said Stewart's peripheral blood alcohol content of .06 is the correct measurement, as was testified to by a doctor during grand jury hearings in the case. Price said because Gallo was at fault in the accident, Stewart's blood alcohol content is irrelevant.

An indictment accuses Gallo of driving a minivan drunk through a red light and striking the Mitsubishi while it was proceeding through the intersection legally on a green light.

Gallo had a blood-alcohol level of .19 percent two hours after the crash, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

"Nothing Courtney Stewart did caused this collision," Price said. "It's not uncommon for us to see DUI drivers on both sides of a collision, both the person at fault and the person who happens to be the victim."

Gallo is being held in lieu of $2 million bond and is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on July 31.

If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum sentence of 54 years and eight months to life in prison

For more information, click on the links below if you have been charged with a crime in Orange County.

www.orangecountycriminalattorney.net

 

www.orangecounty-criminalattorney.com

 

www.ocdui.net

 

www.orangecounty-dui.com

 

www.dui-orangecounty.com

 

Huntington Beach Independent reports,The pretrial for the man who crashed into a 14-year-old bicyclist two years ago is scheduled to begin Friday morning at Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana.

Jeffrey Woods, who is charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, was arrested following the Aug. 29, 2007, accident that killed eighth-grader Danny Oates. Woods allegedly ran into Danny while driving under the influence in Orange County of Xanax and Vicodin and sending text messages.

The pretrial is set to begin at 9 a.m. Friday, with a jury trial to commence June 26.

These  Drunk Drivers in Orange County will need an experienced Orange County DUI Lawyer.

Here are a few websites to visit:

Orange County Dui Attorney

Orange County Drunk Driving Lawyer

Orange County Dui Lawyer

-- Michael Miller

In the OCRegister.com, an article  dated June 8th, 2009 describes the death of a 49-year-old man. He  died Sunday night after slamming his Toyota Corolla into a wall next to a fire station at 2300 Placentia Ave. just after 10:30 p.m. Was he driving while intoxicated? If you need an Orange County Criminal Attorney, call ahead of yoru court date.

The man has not been identified pending notification of next of kin.

Several people saw the Corolla speeding north on Placentia, passing other cars and at one point crossing into oncoming traffic lanes, police said. If you have been accused of any crime, including speeding, consider an Orange County DUI attorney.

Where Placentia veers to the left as it passes between Fairview Park and Costa Mesa Country Club, the Corolla kept going straight, cutting across the lawn of Fire Station No. 4 and crashing into a wall. Was he drunk? If you know someone that has been charged with a crime, call an Orange County Criminal Attorney.

Costa Mesa firefighters inside the station came out to try to rescue the driver, but he died at the scene. Many impaired drivers speed. You need an attorney- an Orange County DUI attorney.

Placentia was closed for much of the night for the investigation, but was opened this morning so that students could get to Estancia High School. An Orange County DUI Attorney can assist with you if you are charged with driving under the influence.

Contact the writer: 949-454-7307 or eritchie@ocregister.com

Reported in a March 2nd, 2009 article on the OCRegister.com, a 20-year-old is accused of killing a 26-year-old in a high-speed crash. She was charged today with one felony count of murder in the death of 26-year-old April Junhee Whang in a high-speed car crash last month, authorities said.  An Orange County Criminal Attorney should be hired to assist with this case.

Whang's family and friends sat in the court gallery as Brittany Deanne Schuetz pleaded not guilty to the murder charge during an arraignment this morning at the North Justice Center in Fullerton. An Orange County DUI attorney could help in a case of this nature.

"Nobody saw any kind of emotion from her until she found out she was going to be charged with murder," said Whang's boyfriend, Thomas Sleigh. "That's when everyone could see her emotion and tears," he said. She needs an Orange County Criminal Attorney.

Schuetz, of Santa Ana, is accused of driving with a blood-alcohol content of 0.24 percent, three times above the legal limit, while on probation for a 2007 driving under the influence case. Second time DUI- she needs an Orange County DUI attorney

She is being held in lieu of $1 million bail, said Susan Kang Schroeder, a district attorney's spokeswoman. Schuetz is scheduled to appear in court March 12 for a pretrial hearing, Schroeder said. If convicted, Schuetz faces up to 15 years to life in prison. Wow, she better have an Orange County DUI attorney

Whang's untimely death shattered the hearts of those who loved her."We are devastated," said Kimberly Whang, April's 21-year-old sister. "It's not easy to wake up in the morning and realize that April is not coming home. It's been really emotional and hard for our family."

Last month, more than 1,000 family and friends gathered to memorialize the woman with an infectious smile and a warm heart at Sky Rose Chapel in Whittier on a rainy and cold Friday evening."We had plans," Sleigh, 24, said. "We wanted to get married. We wanted to buy a small place to begin our life," he said.But those dreams evaporated during the early morning hours of Feb. 1 in La Habra. Whang was driving her 2004 black Acura Integra south on Beach Boulevard before turning left onto eastbound Imperial Highway when she was struck by Schuetz. According to police reports, Schuetz was driving between 90 and 100 mph east on Imperial Highway in a 2003 Mazda 6 when she failed to stop at a red light and collided with the Integra.Whang was thrown from the driver's seat to the cargo area of her Acura, the investigation revealed. Whang, who was about one mile from her Fullerton home, was pronounced dead at the scene.La Habra police found Schuetz sitting in the driver's seat showing signs of intoxication, including giving off a strong odor of alcohol, having bloodshot eyes and watery eyes and not being able to answer basic questions asked by officers, according to the District Attorney's Office. On Jan. 31, Schuetz is accused of drinking alcoholic beverages at a party in Sherman Oaks. On Feb. 1, she is accused of dropping off her friends in Whittier and ignoring their offers to obtain alternate options for her to get home, according to the District Attorney's Office.The irony, Sleigh said, is that Whang always insisted that her friends didn't drink and drive.

 

The OCRegister.com reports in an article dated June 8, 2009  on the crash that killed the Angels pitcher. A man was charged with three counts of murder stemming from the alcohol-related crash that killed an Angels pitcher. If you have been charged with an Orange County DUI, call an  attorney.

Others state this man cannot get a fair trial in Orange County.I fyou have been charged with a crime in Orange County, you need an Orange County Criminal Attorney

But Deputy District Attorney Susan Price said she will oppose transferring Gallo's trial to another county. "Absolutely," she said, "he can get a fair trial here. Price said she will also try to get the case to trial within six months.

Meanwhile, Gallo, 22, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment to a grand jury indictment charging him with three counts of second-degree murder and other charges connected to the April 9 crash in Fullerton.

The indictment accuses Gallo of driving a minivan drunk through a red light in Fullerton and broad siding a Mitsubishi Eclipse that was proceeding through the intersection legally on a green light.

The crash killed Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart, 22, Courtney Stewart, 20, a student and former cheerleader at Cal State Fullerton who was driving the Mitsubishi, and Henry Pearson, 25, a law student working toward becoming a sports agent.

Jon Wilhite, 24, of Manhattan Beach, a fourth passenger in the car and a former standout player on the Cal State Fullerton Titan baseball team, was seriously injured. Wilhite is recovering and was present in the courtroom this morning for Gallo's indictment.

Superior Court Judge David A. Thompson scheduled a pretrial hearing before fellow judge Richard Toohey on July 31.

Gallo, who has a prior drunk-driving conviction on his record, could get 54 years, eight months in prison if convicted. Police said that Gallo's blood alcohol content was nearly three times the legal limit the night of the crash. He will definitely need an Orange County DUI attorney.

He is also charged with felony counts of fleeing from the scene of a traffic collision involving death or permanent injury, driving under the influence causing injury and driving with a .08 percent blood alcohol causing injury, plus sentencing enhancements for inflicting great bodily harm. If you have been accused of a crime, call an Orange County Criminal Attorney

Prosecutors filed second-degree murder charges against Gallo instead of the less serious vehicular manslaughter charges under the legal theory that he showed implied malice because he knew that driving while intoxicated was dangerous to human life, but he elected to do so anyway. Needs a very good Orange County DUI attorney

Gallo pleaded guilty in 2006 to driving under the influence as part of a plea agreement, and wrote - as required - on the guilty plea form, "I understand that if I continue to drink and drive it may result in death or serious bodily injury to another person."

 

Newport Beach's The  Daily Pilot reported.

A sobriety checkpoint conducted by the Costa Mesa police Tuesday at Baker and Bear streets resulted in 345 drivers stopped, 15 of whom were checked for driving under the influence, but there weren't any DUI arrests.

According to police, eight drivers were arrested on suspicion of driving without a license and driving on suspended licenses.

One underage person was cited for having 0.01% of alcohol in their blood, and 11 people received citations for vehicle code violations. Five vehicles were confiscated.

The next checkpoint will be June 26, and the police department will have patrolling officers on adjacent streets to stop drivers who try to avoid it.

-- Michelle Mocarski

These  Drunk Drivers in Orange County will need an experienced Orange County DUI Lawyer.

Here are a few websites to visit:

Orange County Dui Attorney

Orange County Drunk Driving Lawyer

Orange County Dui Lawyer

 

The Newport Beach Daily Pilot reported in an article.

Costa Mesa Mayor Pro Tem Wendy Leece's son is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail after his arrest Wednesday on suspicion of felony battery against his girlfriend and her son.

Stephen Leece, 28, from Costa Mesa, surrendered to police Wednesday afternoon, hours after police said he fled from his girlfriend's house after attacking her and her son.

Attempts to reach Wendy Leece on Wednesday were unsuccessful.

Police were called about 12:20 a.m. Wednesday to the 100 block of East 16th Street, where authorities said Stephen Leece and his girlfriend had gotten into an argument.

The fight turned physical when Stephen Leece pushed the woman around the room and shoved her to the ground, according to police. Authorities said she was roughed up and had bruises on her arms.

When her 9-year-old son tried to intervene, Stephen Leece attacked him, Lt. Clay Epperson said. The boy was pushed and pulled around the room and had visible marks on his arms from the incident, he added.

"It was pretty violent," Epperson said, although neither the son nor his mother were taken to the hospital.

When Stephen Leece's girlfriend yelled for her son to call police, Stephen Leece fled, officials said.

Hours after the alleged incident, police looking for Stephen Leece got a phone number where they could reach him and called him, Epperson said. He agreed to meet with officers, and he was arrested without incident.

The defendent in this case will need to hire an experienced Orange County Criminal Attorney or an Orange County Domestic Violence Lawyer.

---

If you are in need of an Orange County Criminal Lawyer contact the following Websites:

Orange County Criminal Attorney

Orange County Dui Lawyer

Orange County Drunk Driving Attorney

Orange County Dui Attorney

Contact the writer: lwelborn@ocregister.com or 714-834-3784

The OC register.com website reported in an article dated April 22, 2009 about a mock DUI.  The wrecked remains of a car and the bloodied bodies of students were displayed for all to see Tuesday morning at Mission Viejo High. The mock DUI incident was staged by local agencies at the high school to dissuade students from drinking and driving. If you have been arrested for a DUI, you need to hire an Orange County DUI attorney.

 

The scenario takes the audience through a student's decision to drink and drive -- simulating a car crash, on-scene treatment of victims, arrest of the drunk driver, family notification of a death, and the legal proceedings that follow. An Orange County DUI attorney states an aggresive criminal defense attorney is needed.

 

"We're hoping what they saw today will stick with them not only for this next weekend but for the rest of their lives," said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi, who spearheaded the effort.

There were 11 student actors from the school's drama department staged on the scene as more than 2,000 students and 300 parents watched the events unfold. Some students had tears in their eyes, said Concialdi. If you have been accused of a crime, hire an Orange County Criminal Defense attorney.

Other participating agencies included the Orange County Sheriff's Department, Orange County Coroner's Office, Mission Hospital, Medix Ambulance, O'Connor Mortuary, Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) volunteers and counselors, San Clemente Towing and S & K Towing Company.  An Orange County DUI is nothign to laugh at.

The ocregister.com website reported in an article dated May 21, 2009                         

Memorial Day travel by Southern Californians is expected to drop by 2.3 percent to just over 2.5 million trips this year - yet another sign of the harsh economic times, travel experts say. An Orange County DUI attorney urges you to be aware of the penalties for driving drunk.

As more people are expected to stay in town, local police are gearing up to combat drinking and driving on local roads.  An orange county dui attorney is needed if you get a DUI in orange county.

Anaheim police Sgt. Rick Martinez, who coordinates DUI enforcement efforts in the county, said that while it's difficult to quantify, "it seems that people are inclined to stay closer to home, go to people's homes or establishments, and get behind the wheel after they've been drinking."

Police departments throughout the county will be mounting sobriety patrols, as they routinely do for holiday weekends. If you get a dui, you will need an orange county criminal attorney.

If you plan on sticking around for local festivities, make sure to have a designated driver. Driving under the influence checkpoints will be held in cities including Newport Beach. While Southern Californians are planning fewer out-of-town trips this year, that's not the case nationwide. An Orange County criminal defense attorney stated this county is tough on DUIs.

Nationally, travel this weekend is projected to increase slightly - by 1.5 percent, a trend that reflects a significant drop in gas prices compared to 2008 when the cost for fuel was at an all-time high, nearing $4 a gallon.

Just over 2 million local travelers will drive to their destinations, about a 2.1 percent decrease from the previous year, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California. Checkpoints do result in DUI convictions. Plan on hiring an orange county DUI attorney.  Orange County does many checkpoints throughout the year. If you need more informationn on an orange county Dui attorney, click on the link.

The OCregister.com website reported in an article on Febuary 26th, 2009 that a nationally acclaimed court program in Newport Beach aimed at rehabilitating repeat drunken drivers could be shut down this summer when the cash-strapped county health department pulls its employees from the program. An Orange County DUI attorney could help.

And other court programs targeting repeat drug and domestic violence offenders will be able to accommodate fewer people because of cuts from the Health Care Agency, which is slashing a wide range of services to shore up a $15 million budget deficit.

That's despite county reports that say these programs save millions of dollars in unused jail beds, reduce recidivism and prevent future crimes.

"We save the county three or four times what they would spend putting these people in jails," DUI court Judge Carlton P. Biggs said. "I have watched people go through the revolving doors of misdemeanor DUIs.... DUI court breaks that relationship. It changes people's lives." An orange county criminal attorney could make a difference.

The DUI court at Harbor Justice Center is the hardest hit by health department cuts to the so-called collaborative court programs, which operate through partnerships between the court, probation, Health Care Agency, social services, law enforcement, the district attorney and public defenders.

While the Newport Beach DUI court is the only one in danger of shutting down, the health department will cut workers who offer counseling and rehabilitation services across other community courts. That means they'll serve a total of 225 fewer people in drug, drunk driving and domestic violence courts each year. The agency targeted programs that no longer have grant funding, health officials say. More reason to have an orange county dui attorney.

"We continue to work with the courts to evaluate ways to continue the programs on a temporary basis while we look for a long-term solution that is consistent with HCA's budget," said HCA spokesman Howard Sutter, who said the agency also is looking in the federal stimulus package or state budget for funds to keep the court open.

The cuts come despite county reports that show the combined DUI courts alone have saved $1.73 million in jail bed costs since the program's inception. Of the 201 people who had graduated by the end of 2007, only four have been rearrested, according to the court's 2007 annual report. It has been so successful that now it's a national model training court.

DUI court is a rigorous program that includes frequent court visits, counseling, drug testing, house arrest and volunteering. The more often a participant is late or misses an appointment, the longer the program will take. Some get kicked out for not staying on track.

Biggs brought the DUI court program to Newport Beach in 2004 through a two-year, $1 million state grant -- the first of three across the county. When grant money ran out, all the participating agencies began sharing the financial burden. Defendant contributions also help cover costs to probation and health care. The county's other two DUI courts still receive grant funding, but that will soon dry up.

Biggs is now looking to the courts elsewhere for creative ways to pay for DUI court in Newport Beach, which he believes he'll be able to keep open through the end of the year. The court is also asking the County Board of Supervisors for help.

If you have been arrested for a DUI, don't go it along. Call an orange county dui attorney today!