The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported that a drunk driver, Richard D. Schuldes, received a DWI after his motorcycle caught on fire along Route 104 in Rochester over the weekend. The New York State Police stated that Schuldes, who is 58 years old, tried to put the fire out while he was being stopped. Schuldes was allegedly trying to start his motorcycle, as smoke was still coming from the bike, when he was apprehended by troopers.  It was approximately 7 p.m. when he was spotted on the westbound shoulder lane of Route 104 near Hudson Avenue. A witness driving past the incident reported the situation to some troopers that were directing traffic near the area. Schuldes received legal charges for DWI and driving a vehicle without a driver’s license. In addition, according to City Court records, he was also ticketed for  refusal to take a breath test. He was scheduled for a court hearing on Monday.

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

The Chicago Tribune reported that a drunk driver, Karlos Leath, killed a high school student with his SUV while drinking and driving. Leath was driving a 2003 Ford Explorer near Mack Road and Shaffner Road in Illinois, when he veered off the road and rolled over  killing Stephanie Pickett. Pickett was immediately taken to Central DuPage Hospital and pronounced dead.  The drunk driver, Leath, was also taken to the same hospital for several injuries that he received. Authorities stated that he was charged with two counts of DUI and causing a death. .

It was noted that Pickett was an 18 year old senior student at Wheaton Warrenville South High School. Erica Loiacono, the director of public relations for the school district, told the media, “Stephanie Pickett was an out-going, friendly, and kind-hearted student who will be missed by students and staff alike.  We extend our deepest condolences to Stephanie’s family.” In addition, the school district released a note offering help to any student or faculty member affected by the tragedy. It was noted that Pickett worked part-time at Happy Paws Pet Resort, where she loved caring for the dogs.

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

Johnny Allen Spell, a truck driver in Sampson County, North Carolina, struck and killed a 7 year-old girl in a fatal DWI incident on April 23, 2013. According to police, Spell was driving a logging truck around 3:45 pm when he passed a stopped school bus and struck Alyiah Mckenzie Morgan. Investigators said that Spell continued to drive and fled the scene of the accident before being caught several hours later about 30 miles from the crash site.

As a result of the fatal DWI incident, Spell has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, felony hit and run, felony passing a stopped school bus and DWI while operating a commercial motor vehicle. Police said that Alyiah Morgan, a first grade student at Union Elementary school, died on the way to Sampson Regional Medical Center. Court records state that Spell had been arrested a week prior to the fatal DWI incident for driving without an operators license and he is now being held at Sampson County jail on a $200,000 bond.

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

Texas deputy Chad Christian Key of Grayson County was struck and killed by a drunk driver on April 20, 2013 near Sherman, Texas. Authorities are reporting that the drunk driver, Ricky Trent Stanley, struck the Texas deputy while he was directing traffic near Highway 82 just six miles away from Sherman. According to police, Stanley initially fled the scene after striking Deputy Key but was later caught and arrested. Deputy Key was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Stanley, who is a repeat DUI offender, had been arrested twice before for DUI in 2002, 2004 and was out on a $10,000 bond after another arrest last August. While Stanley’s blood alcohol content (BAC) level has yet to be released, he has been charged with failing to stop and render aid, intoxication manslaughter of a peace officer, unlawfully carrying a weapon and driving with an invalid license. Deputy Key, 42, had been working as a patrol deputy for just over two months before the incident and leaves behind a wife and their three sons. A memorial fund has been established for Deputy Key’s family and donations can be made at any Landmark Bank in Texas or Oklahoma to the “Chad Key Memorial Fund“.

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

The San Antonio Express reported that a drunk driver, Christopher Hughes Lamar, was ordered by jurors on Monday to serve 30 years in prison for each of the deaths he was responsible for when drinking and driving. Lamar crashed into a parked car, killing the two passengers that were in it- a 10 year old girl and her mother. It was noted that Lamar, who is only 27 years old,  became the first person in Bexar County ever convicted of felony murder instead of intoxication manslaughter because of prior DWI convictions. This gave the prosecutors the ability to give him a harsher punishment and extend his jail time 10 years beyond the maximum of 20 years. One of the victim’s family members stated to the courts: “He’s (driven drunk) four times…he can be put away for a long time — it doesn’t matter. He’s an alcoholic. He’s going to always drink and he’s going to always get behind the wheel.” Although, Lamar’s lawyers tried to lower his sentence by stating that the deaths were caused unintentionally, the courts found plenty of evidence to suggest otherwise. Tamara Strauch and David Henderson, prosecutors, considered “drinking two Guinness beers plus an entire bottle of vodka, opting to get behind the wheel of a 4,500-pound SUV and driving 80 mph” as serious intentional acts towards causing the two deaths.

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

San Diego police detective Jeffrey Blackford received 5 years probation on April 22, 2013 after pleading guilty to misdemeanor DUI. Blackford was charged with DUI after losing control of his unmarked police car and crashing into a roadside utility box in Allied Gardens on December 7, 2013. Blackford also faced charges for reckless driving since he was apparently driving 20 mph over the posted speed limit at the time of the incident. The city prosecutor originally asked that the judge sentence Blackford to serve 60 days in jail or an alternative custody program.

In addition to serving 5 years probation, Blackford will also have to complete 25 days in a public works program, attend a Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) victim impact panel and pay standard imposed fines. Court records show that Blackford’s blood alcohol test was delayed for 3 hours after Blackford contacted his friends within the San Diego Police Department. As a result of that delay, another detective and 3 sergeants are being reviewed by the District Attorney’s Office. Blackford’s preliminary blood test showed his blood alcohol content to be .15%, while another taken after the delay showed it to be .09%. After the sentencing, the judge said that the public work service program was something he would do for any defendant in similar situations who believed jail time might result in losing his or her job.

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