The San Diego DUI Attorney Center Announces New Web Site Design and Comprehensive Internet Resources for DUI Defense in San Diego, California.
Leading San Diego DUI Attorney G. Cole Casey announces the web site redesign of the Law Firm's web site, http://www.duisandiego.com, in addition to the recently launched newer site, http://www.sandiegomarijuanadui.com, a resource that addresses the changes in California Marijuana DUI Laws. The Law Firm also sponsors and maintains the popular web site http://www.sandiegolawyerdui.com .
Attorney Casey, who dedicates 100% of his Law Practice to the defense of DUI and drunk driving related charges in San Diego, is the California State Delegate to the exclusive National College of DUI Defense. In addition, he is the Head State Delegate who oversees the delegation of the 49 other states in the U.S.
The new design for the San Diego DUI Lawyer web site provides many valuable defense resources, such as San Diego DUI/DMV hearing information, California Drunk Driving and DMV penalties, DUID (Driving Under the Influence of Drugs) information, and helpful tips on hiring a DUI Lawyer.
DUISanDiego.com addresses the newest legal DUI trends in California, as well as important DUI news and San Diego Sobriety Checkpoint information.
Attorney Casey is known nationwide as a successful and pioneering DUI Lawyer who is asked to speak at numerous seminars on the topic of DUI Law. He is a Specialist Member and also the only San Diego Board Member of the California DUI Lawyers Association.
The San Diego DUI Lawyer Firm is exclusively dedicated to defending DUI and Drugged / Drunk Driving related cases.
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Monday, February 15, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
San Diego DUI fatality leads to 20 year sentence
After killing a pedestrian in Pacific Beach earlier this year, a San Diego man will face 20 years to life for second-degree murder.
46-year-old ALan Lester Mabrey was convicted of a second-degree murder charge along with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and hit-and-run in a February 7 accident. The accident took the life of 24-year-old Emily Cathleen Dowdy.
Dowdy was attempting to cross the street when she was struck; she died in the hospital the following day from injuries sustained in the accident. While Mabrey admitted fault, he also held firm that he had committed an accident and not a murder. He asked for mercy from the court, but Judge Charles Rogers handed down the maximum sentence.
Mabrey was driving a Dodge Ram that evening and admitted to drinking beer all night with a friend. Mabrey left the site of the collision after he struck Dowdy, but he did return about an hour later. Reports say he went to Burger King to eat in the meantime.
When tested after returning, Mabrey's blood alcohol level was .22%. This was about an hour and a half after the collision, but it is difficult to say if it would have been higher immediately following or had actually gone up in the lapsed time. This depends on when Mabrey had his last drink.
Adding to the sentencing, Mabrey has been convicted of DUI twice in the past, once in Texas and once in Colorado. His most recent arrest was only 1 year before the accident. The Texas arrest was a felony, and Mabrey did serve time in jail. Though murder charges are a relatively new way to prosecute DUIs, they have become increasingly common in extenuating circumstances.
Source
46-year-old ALan Lester Mabrey was convicted of a second-degree murder charge along with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and hit-and-run in a February 7 accident. The accident took the life of 24-year-old Emily Cathleen Dowdy.
Dowdy was attempting to cross the street when she was struck; she died in the hospital the following day from injuries sustained in the accident. While Mabrey admitted fault, he also held firm that he had committed an accident and not a murder. He asked for mercy from the court, but Judge Charles Rogers handed down the maximum sentence.
Mabrey was driving a Dodge Ram that evening and admitted to drinking beer all night with a friend. Mabrey left the site of the collision after he struck Dowdy, but he did return about an hour later. Reports say he went to Burger King to eat in the meantime.
When tested after returning, Mabrey's blood alcohol level was .22%. This was about an hour and a half after the collision, but it is difficult to say if it would have been higher immediately following or had actually gone up in the lapsed time. This depends on when Mabrey had his last drink.
Adding to the sentencing, Mabrey has been convicted of DUI twice in the past, once in Texas and once in Colorado. His most recent arrest was only 1 year before the accident. The Texas arrest was a felony, and Mabrey did serve time in jail. Though murder charges are a relatively new way to prosecute DUIs, they have become increasingly common in extenuating circumstances.
Source
Friday, January 15, 2010
Abandoned quarry site of party for teen DUI driver
Vacant buildings located at an abandoned granite quarry in Harmony Grove, near San Diego, have been declared a public nuisance since teens admitted to throwing underage drinking parties at the location.
Local teens refer to the area as the "hideout." The hideout was the site of a party that was held prior to the death of one teen last week. 18-year-old David Hodson died at the hands of a 17-year-old driver when they were leaving the party. The driver is facing manslaughter charges. As a result of the incident, the vacant buildings will be boarded up or destroyed. Counties surrounding San Diego have been shocked by the deaths of a number of teens due to suspected drunken driving in the past few months.
The owner of the property, according to a report from News 8, is New Urban West. This property developer plans on using the area to build a residential neighborhood. In part due to a slow in new home construction, the area has remained vacant for an extended period.
Though New Urban West says the property is gated and secured, eyewitnesses testify the buildings are littered with beer cans, bottles and other evidence of trespassing. County code enforcement officers visited the site and then declared it a public nuisance. This declaration means the owner will have a short time to properly secure the buildings or they will be torn down and the developer could be fined.
Source
Local teens refer to the area as the "hideout." The hideout was the site of a party that was held prior to the death of one teen last week. 18-year-old David Hodson died at the hands of a 17-year-old driver when they were leaving the party. The driver is facing manslaughter charges. As a result of the incident, the vacant buildings will be boarded up or destroyed. Counties surrounding San Diego have been shocked by the deaths of a number of teens due to suspected drunken driving in the past few months.
The owner of the property, according to a report from News 8, is New Urban West. This property developer plans on using the area to build a residential neighborhood. In part due to a slow in new home construction, the area has remained vacant for an extended period.
Though New Urban West says the property is gated and secured, eyewitnesses testify the buildings are littered with beer cans, bottles and other evidence of trespassing. County code enforcement officers visited the site and then declared it a public nuisance. This declaration means the owner will have a short time to properly secure the buildings or they will be torn down and the developer could be fined.
Source
Monday, December 28, 2009
Former Pittsburgh News Anchor Arrested On DUI Charges
PITTSBURGH -- Former Pittsburgh news anchor, Donald Clark, who worked under the name of Don Cannon, was arrested in California Tuesday night.
Clark, 69, was wanted on bench warrants for failure to report for sentence on two separate driving under the influence cases. Both of these cases occurred in late 2007 and Clark had pleaded guilty in both cases, according to police.
Sometime after his guilty plea, Clark had moved to Carlsbad, Calif. He was supposed to report to start serving his sentence on or around Oct. 21, 2009 and failed to do so. Subsequently, two bench warrants were issued for his arrest.
Tuesday night, sheriff's deputies made contact with police in Carlsbad and provided them with an address for Clark and asked for their assistance in apprehending him.
When deputies spoke to these officers, they learned that one the officers they were speaking with had arrested Clark there recently on another DUI and was in court with Clark earlier that day, according to police.
After making several attempts at Clark's residence in Carlsbad, police were able to apprehend him without incident.
Clark is being held in the San Diego County Jail without bond until he is extradited to Pittsburgh.
Source
Clark, 69, was wanted on bench warrants for failure to report for sentence on two separate driving under the influence cases. Both of these cases occurred in late 2007 and Clark had pleaded guilty in both cases, according to police.
Sometime after his guilty plea, Clark had moved to Carlsbad, Calif. He was supposed to report to start serving his sentence on or around Oct. 21, 2009 and failed to do so. Subsequently, two bench warrants were issued for his arrest.
Tuesday night, sheriff's deputies made contact with police in Carlsbad and provided them with an address for Clark and asked for their assistance in apprehending him.
When deputies spoke to these officers, they learned that one the officers they were speaking with had arrested Clark there recently on another DUI and was in court with Clark earlier that day, according to police.
After making several attempts at Clark's residence in Carlsbad, police were able to apprehend him without incident.
Clark is being held in the San Diego County Jail without bond until he is extradited to Pittsburgh.
Source
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Pro Surfer Sentenced For Fatal DUI Crash
SAN DIEGO -- A professional surfer who was drunk when he crashed his speeding car in Del Mar last year, killing his 24-year-old passenger, was sentenced Wednesday to four years in state prison.
Milton Willis, 53, pleaded guilty on June 18 to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and an allegation that his actions on June 6, 2008, caused great bodily injury to Bradley Dillahunty of Laguna Niguel.
Vista Judge Daniel Goldstein could have sentenced Willis to a maximum 10 years in prison.Willis was critically injured in the 1:40 a.m. crash at Coast Boulevard and 20th Street and had to be hospitalized.
Authorities said Willis, who had borrowed Dillahunty's car, lost control of the Toyota Avalon while driving about 65 mph in a 25-mph zone. The sedan hit a parked car and smashed into a palm tree.
Sheriff's officials said evidence at the scene -- including a strong odor of alcohol -- suggested that drinking was a "major" causative factor in the wreck.
Just prior to the accident, Dillahunty, who worked as a musician, had been at Jimmy O's, a sports bar-restaurant on West 15th in Del Mar, sheriff's Sgt. Randy Webb said at the time. It was not clear where Willis had been in the hours leading up to the accident.
Willis, who ran a North County surf school with his identical twin, Michael, is famed for plying some of the world's largest waves and credited as a developer of "tow-in surfing," in which a surfer is pulled onto a very large breaker by a cord attached to a personal watercraft or helicopter.
The Willis brothers also established the first surfing class in a U.S. public high school in 1972 and co-authored a book of philosophical essays inspired by their surfing careers.
Source
Milton Willis, 53, pleaded guilty on June 18 to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and an allegation that his actions on June 6, 2008, caused great bodily injury to Bradley Dillahunty of Laguna Niguel.
Vista Judge Daniel Goldstein could have sentenced Willis to a maximum 10 years in prison.Willis was critically injured in the 1:40 a.m. crash at Coast Boulevard and 20th Street and had to be hospitalized.
Authorities said Willis, who had borrowed Dillahunty's car, lost control of the Toyota Avalon while driving about 65 mph in a 25-mph zone. The sedan hit a parked car and smashed into a palm tree.
Sheriff's officials said evidence at the scene -- including a strong odor of alcohol -- suggested that drinking was a "major" causative factor in the wreck.
Just prior to the accident, Dillahunty, who worked as a musician, had been at Jimmy O's, a sports bar-restaurant on West 15th in Del Mar, sheriff's Sgt. Randy Webb said at the time. It was not clear where Willis had been in the hours leading up to the accident.
Willis, who ran a North County surf school with his identical twin, Michael, is famed for plying some of the world's largest waves and credited as a developer of "tow-in surfing," in which a surfer is pulled onto a very large breaker by a cord attached to a personal watercraft or helicopter.
The Willis brothers also established the first surfing class in a U.S. public high school in 1972 and co-authored a book of philosophical essays inspired by their surfing careers.
Source
Saturday, November 28, 2009
LOS ANGELES DUI ATTORNEY CLAIMS DIABETICS OFTEN FALSELY CONVICTED OF DRUNK DRIVING
Los Angeles DUI lawyer Lawrence Taylor, known nationally as the "Dean of DUI Attorneys", claims that many citizens accused - and convicted - of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) are actually innocent. Their crime: diabetes.
Taylor, the author of the best-selling legal treatise Drunk Driving Defense, claims that the symptoms of a diabetic with hypoglycemia (low sugar level) resemble those of alcohol intoxication. Further, he claims, diabetics have a chemical in their breath which causes breathalyzers to register high blood-alcohol levels.
The Los Angeles DUI attorney refers to the phenomenon as the "counterfeit DUI".
The symptoms of hypoglycemia are well-known: slow and slurred speech, poor balance, impaired motor control, staggering, drowsiness, flushed face, disorientation - in other words, the classic symptoms of alcohol intoxication. This individual will look and act like a drunk driver to the officer, Taylor says, and will certainly fail any DUI field sobriety tests.
As one medical expert has observed, "Hypoglycemia is frequently seen in connection with driving error on this nation's roads and highways ... Even more frequent are unjustified DUIs or DWIs, stemming from hypoglycemic symptoms that can closely mimic those of a drunk driver." From "Hypoglycemia: Driving Under the Influence" in 8(1) Medical and Toxicological Information Review.
Nor will a DUI breath test clear him, Taylor claims. The Los Angeles DUI lawyer points out that breathalyzers don't actually measure alcohol on the breath. Rather, they use beams of infrared light which are absorbed by any chemical compound in the breath that contains the methyl group in its molecular structure. The machine is programmed to assume that the compound is "probably" alcohol.
Unfortunately, thousands of compounds contain the methyl group and can register as alcohol. One of these is acetone. And a well-documented by-product of hypoglycemia is a state called ketoacidosis, which causes the production of acetones in the breath. In other words, the DUI attorney says, the breathalyzer will read significant blood alcohol levels where there may be little or none. This has been repeatedly documented in scientific studies such as Brick, "Diabetes, Breath Acetone and Breathalyzer Accuracy: A Case Study", 9(1) Alcohol, Drugs and Driving.
How often innocent diabetics falsely convicted of DUI? Taylor points out that roughly one in seven sober drivers on the road suffers from diabetes.
For more information, visit the law firm's website at http://losangeles.duicentral.com/ . Inquiries may be directed to the firm's main Los Angeles office: 562.989.4774.
About THE LAW OFFICES OF LAWRENCE TAYLOR
With a national reputation and the highest professional ratings, The Law Offices of Lawrence Taylor has specialized in DUI defense exclusively for 29 years. The firm's California DUI defense attorneys serve clients statewide from offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, Riverside and San Francisco.
Source
Taylor, the author of the best-selling legal treatise Drunk Driving Defense, claims that the symptoms of a diabetic with hypoglycemia (low sugar level) resemble those of alcohol intoxication. Further, he claims, diabetics have a chemical in their breath which causes breathalyzers to register high blood-alcohol levels.
The Los Angeles DUI attorney refers to the phenomenon as the "counterfeit DUI".
The symptoms of hypoglycemia are well-known: slow and slurred speech, poor balance, impaired motor control, staggering, drowsiness, flushed face, disorientation - in other words, the classic symptoms of alcohol intoxication. This individual will look and act like a drunk driver to the officer, Taylor says, and will certainly fail any DUI field sobriety tests.
As one medical expert has observed, "Hypoglycemia is frequently seen in connection with driving error on this nation's roads and highways ... Even more frequent are unjustified DUIs or DWIs, stemming from hypoglycemic symptoms that can closely mimic those of a drunk driver." From "Hypoglycemia: Driving Under the Influence" in 8(1) Medical and Toxicological Information Review.
Nor will a DUI breath test clear him, Taylor claims. The Los Angeles DUI lawyer points out that breathalyzers don't actually measure alcohol on the breath. Rather, they use beams of infrared light which are absorbed by any chemical compound in the breath that contains the methyl group in its molecular structure. The machine is programmed to assume that the compound is "probably" alcohol.
Unfortunately, thousands of compounds contain the methyl group and can register as alcohol. One of these is acetone. And a well-documented by-product of hypoglycemia is a state called ketoacidosis, which causes the production of acetones in the breath. In other words, the DUI attorney says, the breathalyzer will read significant blood alcohol levels where there may be little or none. This has been repeatedly documented in scientific studies such as Brick, "Diabetes, Breath Acetone and Breathalyzer Accuracy: A Case Study", 9(1) Alcohol, Drugs and Driving.
How often innocent diabetics falsely convicted of DUI? Taylor points out that roughly one in seven sober drivers on the road suffers from diabetes.
For more information, visit the law firm's website at http://losangeles.duicentral.com/ . Inquiries may be directed to the firm's main Los Angeles office: 562.989.4774.
About THE LAW OFFICES OF LAWRENCE TAYLOR
With a national reputation and the highest professional ratings, The Law Offices of Lawrence Taylor has specialized in DUI defense exclusively for 29 years. The firm's California DUI defense attorneys serve clients statewide from offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, Riverside and San Francisco.
Source
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Pro surfer sentenced to 4 years for California DUI fatality
Professional surfer Milton Willis was officially sentenced to 4 years as a result of a 2008 DUI accident that took the life of his passenger.
Bradley James Dillahunty, a 24-year-old California surfer, was killed during the June 6 accident. Dillahunty was finishing his degree at Cal State Long Beach when his life was cut short. Willis, 53, pleaded guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter and DUI in connection with the accident.
In pre-hearing meetings, the defense and prosecution could not agree on a sentence. Judge Daniel Goldstein handed down the 4-year sentence at the Vista Courthouse - a possible 10-year sentence could have been handed down. Adding to the sentencing was Willis's history of DUI arrest in 2000 for misdemeanor drunk driving.
Willis has made his reputation as a wise surf guru. He co-authored a book with his twin brother, Michael, called "Discover the Greatness in You." The book was about finding happiness and success on the waves. Passages from this book were read by angry Family members of the victim. They testified against Willis as they viewed a picture of the deceased Dillahunty that hung over the hearing.
Willis was driving Dillahunty's car the night of the accident. He ran a stop sign while speeding. Willis lost control, hitting cars and trees. Willis broke his back and neck but has recovered for the most part. Dillahunty died on impact.
Family members specifically believe defense attorneys placed some blame on the victim. Both Dillahunty and Willis were drinking the night of the accident in Solana Beach, near San Diego. Attorney Tom Warwick said that Dillahunty asked Willis to drive him home. This argument was supplemented by the fact that Dillahunty had a DUI on his record. Post-mortally, Dillahunty was found to have a BAC of only .03 % compared to Willis's .18%.
Dillahunty's mother, Suzan, accused Willis of not showing remorse or accepting responsibility. She said the increased speed and reckless driving was Willis's choice alone and his responsibility. This aggressive approach was in sharp contrast to the image Warwick painted of the defendant. He gave information on Willis's record of public service as evidence to his character.
Willis gave free surf lessons to Iraq veterans and needy children. He was famous for partially pioneering "tow-in surfing," meaning he is towed into waves too large for a person alone to catch. During his time in Hawaii, Willis had a reputation of saving lives through his bravado in the water. He received a merit in 1997 for rescuing another person.
These factors were not enough to mitigate the sentence according to Judge Goldstein. He said he considered the information, but based the sentence mostly on Willis's behavior the night of the accident. He additionally said Willis did not appear sufficiently remorseful.
Source
Bradley James Dillahunty, a 24-year-old California surfer, was killed during the June 6 accident. Dillahunty was finishing his degree at Cal State Long Beach when his life was cut short. Willis, 53, pleaded guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter and DUI in connection with the accident.
In pre-hearing meetings, the defense and prosecution could not agree on a sentence. Judge Daniel Goldstein handed down the 4-year sentence at the Vista Courthouse - a possible 10-year sentence could have been handed down. Adding to the sentencing was Willis's history of DUI arrest in 2000 for misdemeanor drunk driving.
Willis has made his reputation as a wise surf guru. He co-authored a book with his twin brother, Michael, called "Discover the Greatness in You." The book was about finding happiness and success on the waves. Passages from this book were read by angry Family members of the victim. They testified against Willis as they viewed a picture of the deceased Dillahunty that hung over the hearing.
Willis was driving Dillahunty's car the night of the accident. He ran a stop sign while speeding. Willis lost control, hitting cars and trees. Willis broke his back and neck but has recovered for the most part. Dillahunty died on impact.
Family members specifically believe defense attorneys placed some blame on the victim. Both Dillahunty and Willis were drinking the night of the accident in Solana Beach, near San Diego. Attorney Tom Warwick said that Dillahunty asked Willis to drive him home. This argument was supplemented by the fact that Dillahunty had a DUI on his record. Post-mortally, Dillahunty was found to have a BAC of only .03 % compared to Willis's .18%.
Dillahunty's mother, Suzan, accused Willis of not showing remorse or accepting responsibility. She said the increased speed and reckless driving was Willis's choice alone and his responsibility. This aggressive approach was in sharp contrast to the image Warwick painted of the defendant. He gave information on Willis's record of public service as evidence to his character.
Willis gave free surf lessons to Iraq veterans and needy children. He was famous for partially pioneering "tow-in surfing," meaning he is towed into waves too large for a person alone to catch. During his time in Hawaii, Willis had a reputation of saving lives through his bravado in the water. He received a merit in 1997 for rescuing another person.
These factors were not enough to mitigate the sentence according to Judge Goldstein. He said he considered the information, but based the sentence mostly on Willis's behavior the night of the accident. He additionally said Willis did not appear sufficiently remorseful.
Source
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