DeKalb County Commissioner Denies Driving Drunk in Georgia

On the night of July 12, 2012, Stan Winston, a DeKalb County Commissioner denies driving drunk, but his questionable behavior has resulted in quite the tangled web of accusations and even an internal affairs investigation. On that night, another off duty police officer, O.B. Parker witnessed Winston getting upset with a woman at the bar because he thought she stole his wallet. Parker could tell by Watson’s behavior that he was intoxicated and suggested he find someone to drive him home, but Watson apparently got in his car and left anyway.

However, only moments later, Watson returned to the parking lot, got out of his vehicle and said he would find someone to drive him home. According to reports, there were two Dekalb County officers on duty at the scene when the incident occurred who did not arrest Watson for DUI, which Internal Affairs is investigating. In response to why Watson was allowed to leave in the first place Officer Parker stated, “Due to circumstances beyond my control, Mr. Watson was allowed to have someone take him home and leave his vehicle parked in the parking lot of the club.” Dekalb County Commissioner Watson initially denied being drunk on that night, saying, “I wasn’t drunk. I wasn’t charged with anything. Have a great day.” Watson has not responded for comment since then.

If you or someone you know has been arrested for driving drunk, contact a skilled Georgia DUI lawyer for legal assistance.

Walking Dead Actor Scott Wilson Arrested for DUI in Georgia

Walking Dead actor Scott Wilson, 70, was arrested on August 18, 2012 in Peachtree City, Georgia. Apparently, officers received a call about a Chrysler PT Cruiser that was weaving in and out of lanes at approximately two in the morning. When they pulled the vehicle over, they found that actor Scott Wilson was intoxicated and placed him under arrest. Ironically, Scott plays a recovering alcoholic on the Walking Dead, who leads a group of weary survivors through the zombie apocalypse.

Police Reports state that Wilson admitted to drinking some wine and scotch earlier that night at a restaurant. When Police asked Wilson to do a few field sobriety tests, he requested instead that he be allowed to do a few yoga poses. Wilson also told police that he was driving erratically because the road was “slanted”. Wilson’s blood alcohol content was .143% at the scene of his arrest and later recorded to be .151% after being taken to the Fayette County Jail.

If you or someone you know has been arrested for drunk driving, contact a skilled and experienced Georgia DUI attorney for legal assistance.

Archbishop elect of San Francisco, Salvatore Cordileone, was arrested on August 25 for DUI. Apparently, the archbishop was driving home in San Diego after having dinner with his mother and fellow priest when he came upon a DUI checkpoint. When officers tested the archbishop through a sobriety test, they found that his blood alcohol content level was beyond the legal limit but did not say by how much. The soon to be archbishop in San Francisco immediately apologized for his decision to drive drunk and stated “I apologize for my error in judgment and feel shame for the disgrace I have brought upon the Church and myself“.

Archbishop Cordileone was stopped at the checkpoint around 12:30 in the morning on Saturday and released around noon the following morning after posting a $2,500 bond. The arresting officer noted that the archbishop was not at all a belligerent drunk but actually very cooperative and polite. Officer McCullough stated that, “He was a driver that was obviously impaired but he was quite cordial and polite throughout.” It is unclear as of now if Cordileone will be disciplined by the Vatican, however, many people involved in the church believe that this incident will not have much of an effect on his duties in San Francisco and he is not expected to resign. Although, if the archbishop had a history of alcohol abuse or this was not his first DUI incident, the response from the Vatican could be a lot more harsh.

If you or someone you know has been arrested for drinking and driving, call an experienced California DUI attorney for legal assistance.

Iowa Police Arrest Drunk Driver with
High Blood Alcohol Content of .627%

On July 29, 2012, a man in North Liberty, Iowa with a high BAC was arrested for drunk driving and had police officers stunned at what they’d found. They were responding to  call’s of a motorist driving erratically, hitting curbs and eventually coming to a rest in someone’s front yard. That’s when officers found 24 year-old Justin Clark slumped over in his drivers seat hardly able to walk or speak clearly at all. Police asked Clark if he knew what day it was, to which he replied, “Three, but now it is four”.

Police were stunned when they administered a breath test on Clark and found that his blood alcohol content was .486%. Police Chief Jim Warkentin said it was “just amazing” and that most people with a high BAC “don’t make it above .3% – they end up passing out”. That’s because, according to the Chief Warkentin, officers are taught that a blood alcohol level of .4% is considered clinically dead. While Clark was being treated at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, they found through blood tests that his BAC was actually .627%. Chief Warkentin also commented that he’d never seen such a high BAC in his two decades with law enforcement.

If convicted, Clark could face large fines, suspension of his driver’s license, probation and jail time. Generally, in cases where the offender has a high BAC, the penalties could be even more severe.

If you or someone you know has been arrested for drunk driving, contact an experienced and skilled Iowa DUI attorney for legal assistance.

Labor Day No Refusal Weekend DWI Crackdown In Austin

Labor Day No Refusal weekend last year could be considered a great success in the eyes of local authorities because for the first time since 2003, Texas saw the fewest number of people killed in crashes involving alcohol. Unfortunately, 7 people still lost their lives to alcohol related crashes last year during the Labor Day weekend, however, the number of deaths in the 7 years before that were all in the double digits. Law enforcement officials can attribute that lower number to the amount of work and the thousands of overtime hours police officers dedicated to preventing drivers from getting behind the wheel drunk.

The effort here in Austin is actually part of a larger effort led and funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Austin police have also used a “no refusal” policy in years past which involves driver’s having their blood tested at one central facility where a search warrant is also issued. Since Texas drivers have already implied consent to submit a blood sample upon receiving their driver’s license, law enforcement created the no-refusal system as a way to quickly and legally obtain blood samples from suspected drunk drivers without wasting hours on lengthy processes. The most important task for Austin police during Labor Day weekend is not only to prevent drunk driving through campaigns such as “Drink. Drive. Go to Jail”, but also to intercept and stop drunk drivers already on the roads  before a night of celebration turns fatal.

Randy Travis Drunk And In Trouble Again

Randy Travis has had yet another run in with authorities after apparently intervening in an argument between a couple at a church parking lot in Plano, Texas. According to authorities, Travis was heavily intoxicated when he interrupted a couple arguing and got into a physical altercation with the husband. Travis was charged with simple assault, a class C misdemeanor and treated at a local hospital.

This is the third alcohol related incident for Randy Travis in 6 months. Earlier this year, he pleaded no contest to an arrest for public intoxication at a different church’s parking lot. Earlier this month, Travis was found completely naked and heavily intoxicated after crashing his car. Police arrested him after he failed several field sobriety tests and also charged him for threatening police officers.

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

Update on Bobby Brown’s DUI

Whitney Houston’s ex-husband Bobby Brown, 43, has checked himself into rehab according to his rep, as part of a plea deal involving the DUI he received this last March. Bobby Brown, an R&B singer checked into an unknown rehabilitation center as part of the plea agreement requiring a 90 day treatment for alcohol abuse.

Brown was pulled over on March 26, 2012 in Reseda for talking on his cell phone while driving. When officers suspected that Brown might be driving under the influence of alcohol, they requested that he take a series of field sobriety tests, which he failed. Spokesman Christopher Brown commented on the singers admittance to a rehab facility saying, “Mr. Brown takes his agreement very seriously and admitted himself three weeks after concluding his honeymoon in Mexico during a break from the New Edition tour”. Brown has also been sentenced to 3 years probation and had a one-day jail sentence, satisfied with time already served.

Bobby Brown has seen his fair share of legal trouble in the past. In 1995, he was arrested on charges of under age prostitution and rape, although, he settled out of court and never spent any time in jail. He also famously wrecked Whitney Houston’s Porsche in 1996 after police found his blood alcohol level to be twice the legal limit. Brown has also been in and out of rehabilitation centers before battling alcohol and drug problems.

If you or someone you know has been arrested for drunk driving, contact a skilled and experienced California DUI attorney for legal assistance.

Michael Pineda DUI: Yankees Pitcher Arrested In Tampa

Pitcher Michael Pineda has had a rough year with the New York Yankees after suffering an injury that ended his season early in addition to a slew of other problems. Now, he is facing charges for DUI after being pulled over in Tampa, Florida when officers noticed he was swerving in and out of lanes and driving without his headlights on.

His arrest has only fueled the fire regarding his ability or lack thereof, to step up and rise to the expectations that have been set for him on the Yankees team. Many people in the sports arena wonder if maybe too much has been thrust on Pineda, who is only 23 years-old and is clearly not a fan of the spotlight. A Michael Pineda DUI charge also highlights his lack of focus when it comes to preparing himself for the coming season. He arrived at spring training out of shape and was apparently overweight.

His discomfort around the New York media was also made apparent when he promised reporters five minutes of time to answer questions and then skipped out after his training. Pineda has a lot to focus on in preparation for next season and the thought of having to face the media once again with this DUI charge could get in the way.

If you have been arrested for drunk driving, contact a skill and experienced Florida DUI attorney for legal assistance.