Popular social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are quickly becoming tools used by the public to avoid DUI checkpoints and quite possibly, drunk driving. Police in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania announced on June 5, 2013 at a press conference that they intend to increase the number of DUI checkpoints and patrols by 15% throughout the summer. While Facebook pages set up to warn drivers of DUI checkpoints may lead to fewer drivers getting caught, police say that it may not be because drivers are taking other routes, but actually that they are avoiding getting behind the wheel all together.

Lackawanna County Assistant D.A. Robert Klein said “Someone may be sitting in a bar and say, ‘Oh, my gosh, I just saw this posting there’s a DUI checkpoint.’ And that’s where we hope they make the right decision“. Klein believes that social media sites warning drivers about DUI checkpoints may ruin the element of surprise but also forces them to make the concious decision to risk driving drunk knowing that they could run into a DUI checkpoint at any moment. William Bilinski, Dickson City Police Chief, also noted that police may choose to use the information posted online to maintain the element of surprise by changing the location of certain checkpoints that drivers have been warned about. Regarding those changes, Bilinski said “The information is out there, we’re not hiding it. We’re going to be out there enforcing it. If you post it out there we’ll take that information, maybe we’ll stay in the same spot, maybe we won’t“.

If you have been arrested for driving drunk, contact an experienced and skilled Pennsylvania DUI attorney for legal assistance.

Nickelodeon actor Cody Longo, famous for “Hollywood Heights” was arrested for DUI on June 6, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. The incident occurred at around 2:30 a.m. when police spotted the actor flashing his headlights at other drivers on the road. According to reports, Longo was driving “aggressively” around Hollywood and “following too close to another car and flashing it with his high beams“.

When police pulled over and began to question the actor, they noticed a strong odor of alcohol coming from him and suspected alcohol intoxication. The police proceeded to conduct a series of field sobriety tests, which Longo reportedly failed. After failing the sobriety tests, police found that the actor’s blood alcohol content (BAC) level registered at .19% and .20%, more than double the legal driving limit. Cody Longo was arrested and taken into custody before being released on $15,000 bail. Cody Longo has also appeared in “Piranha 3D” and “Days of Our Lives”. Since his arrest, neither Longo or his representative have made any public statement.

If you have been arrested for driving drunk, contact an experienced and skilled California DUI attorney for legal assistance.

22 year-old Ricardo Espinoza was sentenced to 18 years in prison by a Johnson County jury on June 3, 2013 after causing a fatal DWI incident that killed an off-duty police officer. The incident occurred on July 21, 2012 when Espinoza crashed into off-duty officer Dustin Dodson, who was riding his motorcycle in Venus, Texas. Espinoza plead guilty to one count of intoxication manslaughter with a deadly weapon as well as leaving the scene of a accident involving serious bodily injury or death.

At his sentencing hearing, Espinoza admitted to the jury that he had snorted methamphetamines, smoked marijuana and consumed several beers less than 24 hours before crashing into officer Dodson in the fatal DWI accident. According to police, Espinoza had a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of .086% a couple of hours after the accident, with medical personnel testifying it was more likely to be .116% at the time of the accident. Dodson, who was the father of 3 young children, had just finished working a 12-hour shift and was on his way home the night he was killed. Since Espinoza had no prior felony convictions to the fatal DWI incident, the maximum prison sentence he could receive was 20 years and will be eligible for parole after only half that sentence. In addition to his prison sentence, Espinoza was also fined $10,000.

If you have been arrested for driving drunk, contact an experienced and skilled Texas DUI attorney for legal assistance.

Retired firefighter Jessie Thornton, 64, was arrested for DUI in Surprise, Arizona with a 0.0% BAC (blood alcohol content) level. Thornton, who said that his wife works 3 12-hour shifts as an ER nurse, has adjusted his schedule to match hers and says that the late night hours put him in the police spotlight. Since making the schedule change, Thornton says “I’ve been stopped 10 times in Surprise and given four tickets, it’s amazing“. It was only when Thornton received his latest ticket for DUI that he finally hired a lawyer and intends to sue the police department.

The incident occurred after Thornton was pulled over for crossing over a white line in his lane. The officer, who may have suspected Thornton was weaving due to alcohol intoxication told Thornton “I can tell you’re driving DUI by looking at your eyes“, which were allegedly bloodshot. Thornton attributes his bloodshot eyes to the fact that he had just finished swimming at his local LA Fitness, which the officer did not believe. Thornton was asked to perform a field sobriety tests, which he agreed to after telling the officer that he already had bad knees and was also scheduled for a hip surgery a few days later, which medical documents have confirmed. Thornton also said that one of the officers shined a light in his face before asking the other officer if he was doing it right.

After being taken back to police headquarters, Thornton took a blood alcohol test, where the drug recognition expert (DRE) found he had a 0.0% BAC level. Upon performing the test, the DRE told Thornton that he “never would have arrested you, you show no signs of impairment“. Thornton has had his drivers license suspended and will also have to complete DUI education classes. Thornton says that the ordeal has already cost him $5,000, while his attorney believes his ethnicity may have played a role in the arrest as well. His attorney said “This is a case of D-W-B, driving while black. This is not the way American citizens ought to be treated by officers or treated by anybody for that matter“. Since finding he had a 0.0% BAC, the DUI charge against Thornton has been dropped, his lawyer says that is not sufficient and has filed a complaint against the City of Surprise.

If you have been arrested for driving drunk, contact an experienced and skilled Arizona DUI attorney for legal assistance.

Farrah Abraham, star of the TV show “Teen Mom”, has avoided jail time in her DUI case by entering a plea of guilty instead of not-guilty. Abraham was arrested for DUI on March 19, 2013 after making a wide turn and almost hitting a police cruiser. When police pulled her over, they suspected the Teen Mom star might be under the influence of alcohol and asked her to perform a field sobriety test, which she failed. Police also conducted a blood alcohol test and found that Farrah Abraham had a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of .147%, almost double the legal limit.

The guilty plea may come as a surprise to some, since Abraham has insisted she was innocent and was not driving at the time of the arrest. According to Abraham, she was already parked when the police found her, because she knew she was drunk and could not drive any further. In exchange for her guilty plea, Abraham will not face jail time but will be placed on probation. Prosecutors are also asking that she have her driving privileges suspended and pay a $500 fine. Also, by entering a guilty plea, Abraham will have charges for refusal to take a sobriety test and disorderly conduct dropped. Farrah Abraham has since admitted she was driving drunk and said ““Life will sort itself out. But you know what? Going through hell and back, I feel like I have learned a lot“.

If you have been arrested for driving drunk, contact an experienced and skilled Nebraska DUI attorney for legal assistance.

Criminal DUI charges against Rhode Island Bishop Robert McManus were officially dropped on June 4, 2013. McManus was arrested for DUI on May 4 after striking another vehicle near his vacation home and fleeing the scene of the accident. After his arrest, McManus refused to submit a chemical blood test and plead not-guilty to the incident. The Rhode Island bishop later admitted to a traffic court that he did refuse to submit the blood alcohol content (BAC) test and in exchange, his charges were dismissed.

As part of the deal, McManus will have to complete 10 hours of community service and mandatory DUI education courses in addition to paying a $945 fine. Since the Rhode Island bishop refused the chemical blood test, he will also have his driver’s license suspended for 6 months. McManus did not appear in court when his charges were dropped. McManus’ attorney conveyed to the court his clients remorse and said “The bishop is sorry. He’s remorseful for what occurred. He’s a fine man, and this is just abhorrent behavior on his part. I think the whole community was saddened when they heard it happened“.

If you have been arrested for driving drunk, contact an experienced and skilled Rhode Island DUI attorney for legal assistance.

Lt. Bruce VonGoerres, a Delaware State Trooper, was arrested and charged with DUI on May 24, 2013. VonGoerres, who is a 30 year veteran with the state police, was pulled over around 1 a.m. Friday while off-duty near Bridgeville. According to the Sgt. Paul Shavack, the Delaware state trooper has since been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of his case, which could lead to an internal affairs investigation. VonGoerres is scheduled to appear in court on June 7 for his arraignment. According to Sgt. Shavak, VonGoerres was arrested after an officer responded to calls about a person driving erratically U.S. 13.

VonGoerres was also charged with failing to remain in a single lane and according to court documents, has been prohibited from driving. In response to VonGoerres’ arrest, Sgt. Shavak said “We hold our troopers to a high standard and are disappointed by the conduct of the trooper involved“. As a 30 year veteran of the department, VonGoerres has worked in a number of different areas including the state police academy and as a deputy commander of Troop 4 in Georgetown. Before his arrest, VonGoerres was assigned to the State Bureau of Identification. Since the DUI incident, VonGoerres has yet to make any public statement regarding the matter.

If you have been arrested for driving drunk, contact an experienced and skilled Delaware DUI attorney for legal assistance.

Actress Amanda Bynes had her DUI hearing pushed back to July 18, 2013 following her misdemeanor DUI arrest in April of 2012. Bynes did not appear in court on Wednesday for the hearing, where she could have entered a plea. Bynes was arrested on April 6, 2012 around three in the morning after she struck a sheriff’s cruiser with her vehicle. During the arrest, she refused to submit a breathalyzer test and blood alcohol test. Shortly after being arrested for the DUI, Bynes took to her twitter account and asked President Obama to fire the sheriff that arrested her.

Since her April 2012 arrest, Amanda Bynes has continued her often bizarre, erratic behavior with more charges being brought against her in the months since. Following her DUI arrest, Bynes was charged with two separate hit-and-run accidents that were dismissed after she reached civil settlements with those involved. In the last month, the troubled actress has been charged with marijuana possession and evidence tampering after police say she threw a bong out of her New York apartment window. Bynes has denied almost every charge brought against her in the last year, blaming each incident on those arresting her. An attorney working for Amanda Bynes recently commented on her most recent charges, saying that his client is “fine” and that the NYPD do not have a case against her.

If you have been arrested for driving drunk, contact an experienced and skilled California DUI attorney for legal assistance.

Joe Morgan, a wide receiver with the New Orleans Saints, was arrested and charged with DUI on May 25, 2013 in Jefferson, Louisiana. The incident occurred around midnight on Saturday when a trooper found Morgan asleep behind the wheel of his vehicle on the Earhart Expressway. The trooper asked Morgan to step out of the vehicle and conducted a series of field sobriety tests, which allegedly failed.

Joe Morgan was arrested after failing the field sobriety tests and taken to the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna where an alcohol blood test was performed. According to police, that test showed Morgans blood alcohol content (BAC) limit to be .218%, which is more that double the legal limit of .08%. In addition to DUI, Morgan was also charged with driving without a license. Morgan was released from jail on Saturday after posting a $1,150 bond. So far, both the New Orleans Saints and Joe Morgan have yet to comment on the incident. Pending the results of his DUI case, Morgan could be penalized by the NFL, which could put his position as the teams No. 3 wideout in jeopardy.

If you have been arrested for driving drunk, contact an experienced and skilled Louisiana DUI attorney for legal assistance.

The phrase “get a room” has never had more meaning after a DUI crash that was the result of a couple having sex while driving in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The bizarre incident occurred May 27, 2013 when police responded to a crash in Albuquerque and found a man, half naked, hiding behind a cactus at the scene of a crash. Luis Briones, 25, had on only one shoe and shorts that were inside out when he was found trying to hide from police. Briones, putting his multitasking skills to the test, was trying to drive and have sex when the accident occurred.

Police found a naked woman on the road, who has yet to be identified, with deep cuts on her face and head. Authorities believe the woman was ejected from Briones’ Ford Explorer as a result of the crash and fortunately, was not killed. Police said that after the accident, Briones attempted to flee the scene but a witness to the accident took the keys from the ignition and would not give them up. It is unclear whether or not police conducted any field sobriety tests on Briones or what his blood alcohol content (BAC) level was after the bizarre DUI crash. Briones was arrested and charged with reckless driving, evading police and aggravated DUI.

If you have been arrested for driving drunk, contact an experienced and skilled New Mexico DUI attorney for legal assistance.