Drunk Driving Articles: DUI News and Information

A Palm Bay woman was arrested for driving under the influence in Florida last Wednesday after a minor accident in a school pick-up area. Andrea Vellender reportedly used a loop road at Christa McCauliffe Elementary School that is reserved for school busses. She then bumped into a van ahead of her, damaging the front of her car. School staff felt something was not right and kept Vellender's child from getting into the car.

Investigating police arrived on the scene around 2:30 pm and determined that Vellender was intoxicated. According to the arrest report she had glassy and bloodshot eyes and she failed a series of field sobriety tests. Breath test showed a blood alcohol content of .240-.241% - three times the legal limit for intoxication in Florida. Half of a Xanax pill was found in the vehicle, and Vellender said she did not have a prescription because her husband had given the pill to her.

Vellender was booked at the Brevard County jail on charges of DUI in Florida and drug possession. The child was placed in the father's custody, and the Florida Department of Children and Families is investigating the situation.

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According to Athens-Clarke County Georgia jail records, arrests of students from the University of Georgia are up significantly this year. This revelation comes just two weeks after the school was named the No. 1 party college campus by the Princeton Review.

On Thursday, August 19, campus police and Athens-Clarke County police arrested twenty students on charges including underage possession of alcohol, drug possession and Georgia DUI. The two law enforcement groups planned to conduct sobriety and safety checkpoints the following night. The total number of arrests over a two weeks period stands at 43. In 2009, there were 15 arrests made during the same time frame; and 13 arrests in 2008.

Classes at the University of Georgia began the week of August 16, and the student enrollment is approximately 33,000.

Athens-Clarke County DUI defense attorney Richard Lawson says that impaired driving is never condoned, and information on the dangers of drinking and driving should be extended to incoming students.

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A 61-year old Port Richey woman crashed into the rear of a Pasco County deputy's patrol car while it was stopped in traffic. The impact caused the cruiser to bump the vehicle in front of it. Florida State Patrol Investigators found Lorraine Leverone-Pothier sitting in her Jeep with heavy damage to the front end of the vehicle. She was described as lethargic with a blank stare. Leverone-Pothier did poorly on field sobriety tests.

The deputy was taken to a local medical facility as a precaution for treatment of minor injuries. The driver of the third vehicle declined treatment. Leverone-Pothier was booked on suspicion of driving under the influence in Florida, and DUI with property damage. Her bail was set at $500.

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A 17-year old Auburn, Washington girl was arrested for drunk driving around 7:00 Wednesday morning. The un-named girl hit a guardrail on Interstate 5 with her 1997 BMW, puncturing her right front tire and damaging 15-feet of the barrier. She then drove off allegedly in an effort to reach her home. A witness contacted the Washington State Patrol and followed the suspect until her car became disabled on the exit for South 320th Street.

The girl initially told the police that she had fallen asleep but later confessed to drinking alcohol. A breath test showed her blood alcohol content was .084%. The legal threshold for intoxication is .08% for an adult, and .02% for a minor. The girl was charged with driving under the influence in Washington and leaving the scene of an accident.

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The mayor of southern Minnesota town of Mankato was arrested for DWI in Minneapolis after driving erratically in Interstate 94. John Brady was stopped by Golden Valley police Saturday afternoon, and an open bottle of alcohol was found in the vehicle.

Brady was reportedly in the Twin Cities to catch a flight to China as part of a trade mission. His Minnesota DWI defense lawyer says that Brady apologizes for the inconvenience and wants quick resolution of the case. Brady, 61, has been an elected public official for 14 years, including mayor for the past 4 years. He said, "I'm not worried about anything. I'm just going to get through it."

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The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that alcohol related fatalities in the state have dropped 16%. The totals reflect the change from 2007 and 2008, the last two complete statistical periods.

Transportation officials contribute the drop in highway deaths to law enforcement cracking down on driving under the influence in Illinois and more motorists using their seatbelts.

Currently the IDOT and the Illinois State Police are conducting a two week Labor Day campaign against Illinois DUI. Titled 'You Drink & Drive. You Lose', the initiative includes sobriety checkpoints, roadside safety checks and specialized patrols.

Have you been charged with an Illinois DUI and are needing assistance from a qualified IL DUI attorney?

On Monday, the California General Assembly passed legislation calling for increased penalties for those convicted of multiple CA DUI offenses. Bill AB1601 gives authority to the courts to revoke a driver's license for ten years when the offender has been convicted of three or more times for drunk driving within ten years.

Under current California drunk driving laws, a motorist can lose his/her license for two to five years.

The bill has been passed by the Assembly and now goes to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk for consideration.

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A Bellevue woman was arrested for driving under the influence in Washington just hours before her wedding. The unidentified 31-year old was reportedly returning from a bachelorette party around 6:00 am Saturday morning when she was spotted weaving in and out of her lane and traveling in excess of 90 miles per hour on I-405.

A Washington State Patrol trooper said the woman admitted to a prior Washington DUI arrest and said she knew the routine. She apparently was anxious to get the booking under way because she was to get married in an early-afternoon ceremony. Upon her release, she took a taxi home.

The bride registered a blood alcohol content of .146%. The threshold for intoxication in Washington is .08%. After her honeymoon, she will face charges of drunk driving in King County Washington District Court.

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A 25-year old woman called 911 to report her own drinking and driving. Nancy Murcia of Vallejo contacted the police around 10:35 pm last Saturday night. When officers stopped her, they found, "she had been telling the truth about herself".

Murcia was charged with driving under the influence in California.

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Wadena County Police clocked a Corvette going 178 miles per hour on a county road. They were able to eventually overtake the speeding car after it was slowed by traffic and a stop sign. The Corvette driver, Michael Johnson, was determined to be intoxicated and he was arrested for Minnesota DWI.

When asked why he was speeding, Johnson replied that he and his passenger were just out for a cruise.

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