North Carolina recently enacted new legislation that will require DWI defendants to be photographed and fingerprinted. The law stems from an endemic problem with drunk driving suspects giving false names when arrested. Law enforcement authorities throughout the state will have access to the data in an effort to identify repeat offenders.

The state has found numerous instances of drivers charged with misdemeanor DWI providing different names and personal information when arrested. The drunk driving suspects then simply did not show up for their court dates. Previously only those charged with a felony were photographed and fingerprinted.

The identification program puts together photographs and any additional information on DWI suspects who fail to appear in court and provides them to law enforcement agencies. District Attorney Ron Moore said “We have a lot of people on our highways who are not properly licensed and driving drunk, and we have not had the system in place to try to identify them.” He felt the new law will provide a “powerful tool for law enforcement.”

The new North Carolina DWI law will go into effect October 1, 2007.

Legless man and friend team up for DUI in Wisconsin – Two men from Dorchester, Wisconsin were charged with Wisconsin DUI for operating a 1985 Chevrolet truck at the same time. Harvey J. Miller, 43, has no legs so he steered the pick-up truck while Edwin H. Marzinske, 55, worked the brake and gas pedals. It was Miller’s third drunk driving arrest, and Marzinske’s second offense. Both were also cited for driving without a license. A third man in the truck, who was also drunk, was allowed to walk home.

Showing up drunk in court in Pennsylvania – Charles Shirey arrived at the Lebanon County Courthouse to be sentenced for his second Pennsylvania DUI conviction when a court official smelled alcohol. Shirey registered a blood-alcohol content of .154, nearly twice the legal limit. He is now due back in court to face charges of drinking while on probation.

Leaving signs for the police in Connecticut – Besides being passed out behind the wheel of his running car, Marco P. Leon, 24, left other clues about his lack of sobriety. Connecticut State troopers found a trail of vomit down the driver’s side door. There was also an open bottle of beer in the cup holder. Leon failed a breath test and was charged with misdemeanor driving while intoxicated.

Austin Nichols was arrested for suspicion of drunk driving in Jackson, Michigan after being spotted around 2:40 in the morning driving the wrong direction on a local street. A breath test showed the 27-year old actor had a blood alcohol content of 0.10. the legal limit for intoxication in Michigan is 0.08. Nichols was booked at the Jackson County Jail and released shortly before 9:00 am.

Nichols was the star of the recently cancelled HBO show ‘John from Cincinnati’. Developed by David Milch, the show was a dark comedy about surfers and mysticism. Nichols also appeared in television series ‘Deadwood’, as well as the films ‘Wimbledon’ with Kirsten Dunst and ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ with Jake Gyllenhaal.

Nichols has been spending the summer in Clark Lake, Michigan with extended family. No court arraignment date has been set for the Michigan DUI case.

Reality television star Nicole Richie completed her jail sentence by spending just 82 minutes behind bars. The 25-year old actress had been sentenced to four days in jail for her second California DUI. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said that prison population levels lead to Richie

Two drivers, one collision, two arrests in New York – Around 5:45 pm, Marco J. Sarchioto, 35, hit the rear end of a car driven by Donald Jacobs, 50. Sarchioto smelled of alcohol, failed a field sobriety test and registered a blood alcohol content above the legal limit of .08%. He was also cited for driving with a suspended license. Jacobs also had an odor of alcohol, had a BAC above the legal limit of .08% and was driving with a suspended license. Both were charged with New York DWI.

One driver, one day, two drunk driving charges in Wisconsin – Gerald Barbian, 53, of West Allis was spotted asleep behind the wheel of his car at 8:30 am. Because the keys were in the ignition he was arrested for Wisconsin DUI, booked and released. That afternoon, Barbian led police on a high-speed chase. Police had to smash in his window to apprehend him and charge him with his second DUI of the day.

One husband, one wife, two DUI arrests in Australia – Driving home after a barbeque only a half mile from his house, Dean Woodham, 35, failed a breath test administered during a random traffic stop. He then indicated that his wife was following him and would soon be there. Three minutes later Natalie Woodham, 36, was also stopped and subjected to a breath test. Both were charged with DUI after having a BAC above the legal limit. Both acknowledged seeing the police traffic check point as they left the party.

One driver, one hour, two crashes in New York – David Kneeland, 37, of Jefferson County crashed his wife’s minivan into a guardrail and was cited for New York DWI. Just 45 minutes later he wrecked his own car by driving into several trees, resulting in a second DWI charge.

Lindsay Lohan and her California DUI defense attorneys reached a plea deal with prosecutors on her recent dunk driving and cocaine possession charges. She received a 96 hour jail sentence that was reduced to one day for time already served and the 21-year old actress

Mel Gibson is continuing to put his notable California DUI arrest behind him. His attorney presented documents to a judge showing that Gibson has been successfully meeting the terms of his probation.

The 51-year old actor is required to regularly submit information to the court during his three-year probation period. The judge determined that Gibson may now be allowed to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings voluntarily.

Leon County, Florida Judge Augustus Aikens Jr. ordered breath test evidence in four DUI cases be thrown out. All of the cases date from 2006 and each test result showed the suspects were over the 0.08% legal limit for blood alcohol content.

The judge ruled after finding that the results of a breath test can vary depending on how long a person breathes into the device. Aikens cited a Florida circuit court ruling in his decision. It states,

May 26, 2012