‘No Refusal’ weekend here in Austin, Texas this past Labor Day weekend resulted in the arrest of 94 people for Driving Under the Influence(DUI) of alcohol. Austin police were out in force as part of the national campaign led by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Early reports state that of the 94 people arrested, 61 had their blood drawn and 33 submitted breath samples. Only eleven people consented to having their blood drawn during the no refusal crackdown while 11 blood samples were mandatory.

Local authorities have said that 53% of those arrested refused to submit a blood or breath sample and that a whopping 65% of all breath samples were .15% or higher, which is almost double the states legal limit of .08%. Police also say that one minor was arrested for DUI. Those found with a BAC level of .15% or higher were charged with a Class A Misdemeanor and could face up to one year in jail as well as a fine of $4,000. During the No Refusal weekend, drivers who refuse to submit a blood test will have their blood drawn anyway, since Texas drivers technically give their “implied consent” to these tests upon receiving their driver’s license. This no refusal policy has been used by authorities during Labor Day weekend primarily because of the holiday’s high rate of crashes involving alcohol abuse.

If you or someone you know has been arrested for driving drunk, contact a skilled Texas DWI attorney for legal assistance.

Arizona Police kept busy this past Labor Day weekend with a reported 382 DUI arrests made throughout the state. About one third of the arrests involved extreme DUI, which is having a Blood Alcohol Content(BAC) level of .15% or higher. The legal limit in most states is .08%. 40 of the arrests were classified as aggravated DUI while approximately two dozen of those arrested had prior DUI arrests. According to the Governors Office of Highway Safety, those numbers are all down from last year’s Labor Day when authorities arrested 617 people.

The Labor Day crackdown on DUI by law enforcement is actually part of a larger effort led and funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. All over the country, police departments have put forth an extra effort through DUI checkpoints, anti-drinking campaigns as well as countless overtime hours to prevent drunk driving.

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

Driving Drunk with Kids Strapped to Car

On August 3, 2012 Aaron Stefanski, 29, was sentenced to 18 months of home detention for strapping four young kids to the hood of his car while driving drunk. Three of the four children were his own while the other was his neighbor’s child. Police arrested Stefanski after a liquor store manager spotted him driving away with the four kids strapped to the hood. Stefanski later pleaded guilty to 3 counts of neglect of a dependent and one count of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). Prosecutors dropped four misdemeanor charges for criminal recklessness, an infraction for driving without insurance as well as four child restraint infractions in return for his plea of guilty.

Stefanski stated that he “let the alcohol make the decision for me”. Stefanski’s ex-wife has been very vocal about his lack of a criminal history and strong efforts to be a better father to their kids and asked Judge Wendy Davis for leniency. Stefanski has also taken steps toward sobriety and enrolled in parenting classes. However, Prosecutor Tasha Lee reminded the judge that Stefanski was already driving drunk when he picked the kids up and going to the liquor store to get even more alcohol. Judge Davis reiterated to Stefanski how dangerous the situation could have gotten and that she considered the facts in the case “incredibly aggravating”.

Teen Killed By Drunk Driver

At around 12:30 a.m. on July 5, 2012, a Floyd County teen was struck on his motorcycle by a drunk driver and died shortly after. Investigators say that 18 year-old Alex Mullins was driving his sports bike on Ky. 122 when the suspected drunk driver crashed into him and fled the scene. Police discovered that the drunk driver was Chester Hunter, 26, of Melvin was driving his 2004 Saturn SUV at the time of the accident.

Mullins was taken to be treated at Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport, Tenn. and pronounced dead shortly thereafter. Hunter has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident, failing to render aid after an accident and driving under the influence(DUI). If convicted, Hunter could face large fines, suspension of driver’s license and jail time. Unfortunately, Kentucky residents have seen little decline in the rate of alcohol related fatalities in the last several years and the annual number of alcohol related traffic deaths averages around 200-300 people.

Drunk Driver Hits Conway Man With His Car

On July 21, 2012 at around 8 a.m., Allan Shirley was on his morning walk when he was struck by a vehicle being driven by an intoxicated Damon Trey Warbritton. Faulkner County Sheriff’s Department Major Andy Shock said that Shirley tried to jump out of the trucks way into a ditch, although Warbritton swerved toward the ditch striking Shirley anyway. After striking Shirley with his truck, Warbritton apparently continued to drive about 300 feet until he crashed into Shirley’s house.

Authorities have stated that Warbrittons’ Blood Alcohol Level was .15%, which is almost twice the legal limit in Arkansas. The damage to Shirley’s home was estimated at about $15,000. Shirley is in stable condition for now although the extent of his injuries are unknown. Warbritton has been charged with Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) as well as reckless driving. If convicted, Warbritton could face thousands of dollars in fines, suspension of driver’s license and jail time.

If you have been arrested for drunk driving, call a skilled Arkansas DWI attorney for legal assistance.

Oregon Drunk Driver Flees Scene After Crash

On June 19, 2012 at around 10 p.m., Michelle Richards, 44, was driving southbound on Highway 97 when she rear ended another vehicle, causing it to skid off the road and into some nearby pine trees. The car she rear ended was a Toyota Tacoma driven by 25 year old Casey Howland. Police say that after the initial impact, Richards’ Hyundai Sonata spun off the northbound shoulder and into some pine trees before she got out of the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.

Apparently, Richards was intoxicated at the time of the accident and later caught in a nearby forest with injuries she suffered as a result of the crash. After being taken by ambulance to the Sky Lakes Medical Center and cleared, she was arrested and transferred to the Klamath County jail. Richards has been charged with Driving Under the Influence(DUI), assault in the 4th degree, recklessly endangering another person, failure to perform the duties of a driver involved in an injury traffic crash(felony) and reckless driving.

Casey Howland, who was driving the Toyota, was taken by ambulance to Sky Lakes Medical center and only suffered minor injuries.

If you have been arrested for DUI, contact a skilled Oregon DUI attorney for legal assistance.

After one family was killed on I-94 near Jamestown and 2 children were killed after a drunk driver ran over their tent, one man in Fargo, North Dakota has taken it upon himself to combat drunk driving with a radical new idea. Wayne Stautz, who is not at all affiliated with the local government in North Dakota, said he sat down one night and “thought of ideas on how to control this“. He did think of something and it’s getting a lot of attention, both positive and negative.

With the assistance of lawmakers, Wayne Stautz has suggested a law that if a person in the state receives a DUI, even for a first offense, they shouldn’t be allowed to purchase alcohol at any establishment that sells it. The law would require those convicted of DUI to have a unique mark or emblem placed on their driver’s license barring them from purchasing alcohol for a set period depending on the number and severity of DUI offenses. The success of the law would also hinge on establishments actually verifying ID’s for anyone buying alcohol whether they’re 21 or 91.

The law would require DUI offenders to carry the emblem on their license for one year or even 5 years for DUI cases involving crashes. Some people say that the law would be too harsh for first time offenders, and the law has received mixed reviews. But Wayne Stautz maintains, “If we can save more lives than it’s a good law”.

If you have been arrested for driving drunk, contact a skilled North Dakota DUI attorney for legal assistance.