DUI Representation

Suspected DUI Causes Fiery Scene – Local Police Officer Comes to The Rescue

Published on: April 30, 2014 | by Leslie Legal Group

A man supposedly driving under the influence caused an accident resulting in his vehicle, a grey Nissan Altima, to burst into flames. The accident took place at approximately 1:30am in Escondido, a division of San Diego county. Lt. Murphy of the Escondido police department announced that the driver of the Nissan Altima ran a red light while driving north-bound on Broadway at West Valley Parkway, colliding with a west-bound Lincoln Navigator. After the two vehicles pummeled into each other, they came to demolished halt near City hall. The Nissan Altima caught fire with the driver still inside, causing a crisis situation – and that’s when a hero stepped in. The police officer assigned to check out the scene noticed the driver of the Altima was unconscious, surrounded by flames. He immediately ran to aid the man, first attempting to use a fire extinguisher to get it under control. After this proved futile, the police officer did what no one saw coming; he got in the car. He climbed into the flaming car and removed the driver, who was suspected to have suffered a concussion.

Not only was the driver at fault in need of saving, but the driver of the affected vehicle was also trapped. The driver of the Navigator had to be set free using the Jaws of Life, but the passenger was somehow able to get out on his/her own. By a miracle, all three people involved survived the crash, only sustaining minor injuries. They were immediately taken to a nearby hospital after they left the scene – but the driver at fault was later arrested. Based on certain data taken from the event, law enforcement had suspicion enough to detain him for drunken driving. They have not yet released the man’s name as the facts are still under investigation. Currently, the police are still looking for information regarding the accident and those involved. If this sounds like it involves someone you may know, please don’t hesitate to call Officer Bruce “Tony” Masten of the Traffic Division.

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DUI in San Diego Resulting in Fatal Crash, Killing Two Young Adults

Published on: April 23, 2014 | by Leslie Legal Group

On April 19, in San Diego, 26-year-old Mario Castaneda-Carranza made a horrible decision that cost him the lives of his friends. He chose to operate his vehicle, a ’97 Nissan Sentra, under the influence of alcohol. It’s surprising he chose to drive inebriated, considering he has a previous DUI from 2007 on his lengthy criminal record.

Carranza was driving too fast – 70mph – on I-8 at 7:30am, when he swayed to the center divider, only to lose control of his vehicle when he tried to swerve back to the road. His ’97 Nissan plowed through a chain link fence and smashed into a concrete culvert, killing both of his friends; two 20 year olds, Carlos Kristopher Vargas and Monica Lupercio. The two had met recently and kindled a relationship – only to meet a tragic end due to the poor decision making skills of their friend behind the wheel.

Carranza will have plenty of time to mull over his actions, as he miraculously survived the crash. He was hurt during the impact, sustaining major injuries, and was taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital. CHP officials have announced that Carranza is faced with multiple charges – felony DUI resulting in deaths, vehicular homicide involving alcohol, murder and his previous DUI conviction – which doesn’t help his case, either.

San Diego Cab Driver Dies, Victim of Two Consecutive Hit-and-Runs

Published on: April 19, 2014 | by Leslie Legal Group

Early this morning around 2am, tragedy struck as a San Diego cab driver’s taxi was impaled by another driver going the wrong way in southbound lanes on interstate 5. The reckless driver did not stop and successfully fled the scene in an extreme hit-and-run. The cab driver was able to get out of his mangled car, but was devastatingly hit by another driver – who also fled the scene of a second hit-and-run. The cab driver sustained severe injuries that he later died from; a heartbreaking result to horrible circumstances. The cab driver’s vehicle, a green and yellow taxi, was smashed into a retaining wall off of the freeway; interstate 5 in Old Town, as mentioned earlier.

Authorities commenced the search for the two MIA hit-and-run drivers, and were thankfully able to locate the driver who was driving the opposite direction on the freeway. The suspect is a 42 year old woman from Pheonix, AZ, who was apparently operating her vehicle under the influence of alcohol. When authorities located her, she was arrested and detained on felony drunk driving charges. The motorist who hit the cab driver as he stepped out of his vehicle, however, has not been located as of today. Authorities are still vigorously searching for this driver – who is essentially responsible for vehicular manslaughter – to bring closure to this case.

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A San Diego Architect Killed Outside His Home by Employee

Published on: April 14, 2014 | by Leslie Legal Group

A neighbor called 911 after she heard the sounds of a dangerous altercation outside of the home of Graham Downes, a San Diego architect. When police arrived, they found a bloody scene of violence – Downes laying unresponsive on the ground with his assailant drunkenly resting on his dead body.

The attacker was Higinio Salgado, one of Downes’ employees. Earlier that evening, Downes and some of his employees met up at a bar – including Salgado – where trouble was already starting to brew. According to the others present at the bar, Salgado was beginning to become ‘loud’ and ‘obnoxious,’ even insulting one of the female employees with them. Somehow, the party continued on to Downes’ San Diego home. As told by one of the individuals present, an argument started when a man’s name, another employee not at the gathering, came up in conversation. Salgado began raging at his boss, expressing his discontent and hatred for the man mentioned, asserting that he “better not take his job.” The others present were able to diffuse the situation and change the subject, but stated that Salgado “couldn’t let it go.”

Later that night, when the women had gone home, Salgado continued yelling and soon became violent. He was heavily intoxicated and began beating on his boss, inflicting blunt force trauma up to 21 times. Salgado’s blood alcohol level was around 2.0 at the time of the incident, over twice the legal driving limit for the state of California.

Seven Arrested for DUI in San Diego

Published on: April 14, 2014 | by Leslie Legal Group

In Pacific Beach, a neighborhood of San Diego, seven drivers were arrested for drunk driving. The arrests were made at a routine overnight sobriety checkpoint, which started around 11:00 pm on April 12 and lasted until 3:00 am April 13. During the process, law enforcement’s attempt to ascertain whether there were possible DUI‘s proved successful. Along with the seven drivers taken into custody, eight vehicles were impounded.The total number of vehicles that drove through the checkpoint reached 746, with 585 being stopped for further examination. The sobriety checkpoint occurred on the 2600 block, a division of Ingraham St.

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“7 Arrested for DUI in Pacific Beach” – CBS8.com, April 13, 2014

San Diego Prosecutor Arrested for DUI

Published on: January 26, 2014 | by Leslie Legal Group

A San Diego prosecutor from the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office has pleaded guilty to DUI charges. The prosecutor of 37 years of age, Rebecca Ocain, admitted to the misdemeanor charge of drinking while under the influence of alcohol and testified at the East County courthouse that she was indeed driving with a blood-alcohol content exceeding 0.15 percent, almost twice the legal limit. To prevent a possible conflict of interest, the case was prosecuted by the Attorney General’s office, which declined to comment on the case. On the night of October 19th at around 11:20 p.m., Ocain was pulled over and arrested near Alpine Boulevard. Officers transported her to Las Colinas Detention Facility and was booked on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. Ocain is currently still employed and has also refused to comment on her arrest or her plea. Despite her infamous arrest, Ocain has an honorable educational background and a successful career in the field. She attended and earned her degree at California Western School of Law and became a member of the California State Bar Association in 2001. In 2006, she was hired by the San Diego District Attorney’s Office and has since handled multiple high-profile cases. These cases include filing charges in 2007 in opposition of a former Imperial Beach fire inspector who was accused of sending death threats to city officials while intoxicated, as well as prosecuting a man in 2013 who was charged for stabbing his wife to death. What people can take away most from Ocain’s case is that even the best of us can make poor decisions and have to suffer the consequences of doing so. Ocain’s best move for a successful outcome of her case is to retain a criminal defense attorney with extensive experience handling DUI cases.

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“Prosecutor pleads guilty in DUI”– UT San Diego, January 24, 2014

Celebrity Music Artist Justin Bieber Arrested for DUI

Published on: January 26, 2014 | by Leslie Legal Group

Celebrity music artist Justin Bieber has been arrested for DUI, resisting arrest, and driving without a valid license in Miami Beach, Florida. Police officers witnessed the young starlet racing a yellow Lamborghini against a red Ferrari at 4 a.m. on residential streets and proceeded to pull him over. Both cars were driving at a speed of 60 mph in a designated 30 mph speed limit zone. According to reports, Bieber made inappropriate remarks to the police officer including, “What the f*** did I do? Why did you stop me?” and ignored the officer’s request to keep his hands on the vehicle during a routine pat down for weapons. He was also described in reports as having a “flushed face, bloodshot eyes, and the odor of alcohol on his breath.” Miami Beach Police Chief Raymond Martinez told the press that 19-year-old Bieber was booked into a Miami Jail for failing a sobriety test and stated Bieber had “made some statements that he had consumed some alcohol, and that he had been smoking marijuana and consumed some prescription medication.” Martinez also stated that Bieber “was not cooperating with the officer’s instructions. At first, he was a little belligerent, using some choice words questioning why he was being stopped and why the officer was even questioning him.” The arresting officer quoted Bieber revealing the words that were used as, “I ain’t got no f***ing weapons. Why do you have to search me? What the f*** is this about?” Also arrested on suspicion of drunk driving was the driver of the red Ferrari racing Bieber, who has yet to be publicly identified. This is not the first time Bieber has been accused of street racing expensive sports cars either, as previous investigations have been made on reports that Bieber would race in the prestigious Oaks neighborhood where he lives in Calabasas, California. However, those reports never resulted in legal charges.

Although Bieber is currently under investigation for accusations that he egged his neighbor’s house and caused an estimated $20,000 worth of damages, this is the first time he has been arrested. Using a felony search warrant, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department raided Bieber’s Calabasas home for the vandalism investigation and seized both Bieber’s iPhone and his home security cameras as evidence. Sheriff’s Lt. David Thompson spoke on behalf of the raid stating, “We didn’t do this search warrant to send a message. That’s not what we do, but we hope maybe understanding the gravity of this will change some of the behavior.” In March of 2013, another neighbor of the child star came out with accusations against Bieber stating that he spat on his face during a heated confrontation between the two. Local authorities have also responded to handfuls of loud noise complaints coming from Bieber’s residence in the recent past. Other Miami police departments are on Bieber’s tail as well. One department is currently investigating a report that some of its own officers proceeded to escort Bieber and his crew to and from popular Miami strip clubs without authorization to do so. “At some point, the escort took them at least to two locations that we know of. The police administration had no knowledge of this escort, and it is not the norm for those things to occur without the chief and his administration authorizing such escorts” Opa-Locka Assistant City Manager David Chiverton told reporters. It is obvious the young entertainer has demonstrated questionable behavior and seems to be heading in a downward spiral of legal trouble. Not only does Bieber need an aggressive and experienced attorney to handle his case, it seems the child star turned teenage delinquent needs some emotional and behavioral guidance as well if he wants to save his career.

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Drunk Driving Accident in San Diego Leaves One Dead, One Injured

Published on: January 13, 2014 | by Leslie Legal Group

A deadly crash involving a drunk driver is under investigation in San Diego. The accident took place south of Old Highway 80 on Church Road at around 4:10 p.m., which left the supposed drunk driver dead and the other victim with severe life threatening injuries. According to CHP Officer Kevin Pearlstein, the driver, a 21-year-old Woman from El Cajon, was driving her Cadillac Escalade on the wrong side of the highway and hit both the right and left side metal guardrails. The victim, a 41-year-old Woman from Humboldt, was driving her 1998 Acura Integra heading northbound when the Escalade collided with her head-on, slamming the car on top of the guardrail and causing itself to roll completely over onto its side. Both drivers were immediately flown to Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego by paramedics. Unfortunately the driver of the Escalade was not wearing her seat belt at the time of the accident and was thrown from the vehicle while rolling from the collision, resulting in her untimely death. The victim endured serious life-threatening injuries and was admitted at the hospital for immediate treatment. Officer Pearlstein stated, “It appears alcohol was a factor.” Drinking and driving remains a pressing issue for our California legal system. While many new provisions and safety measures have been put into action in recent months by local law enforcement, some drivers are still making the wrong decision to consume alcohol and operate their vehicle. The Leslie Legal Team encourages drivers to not make that decision and withhold from drinking and driving, however we understand that these circumstances do arise and we strongly advise retaining an experienced DUI attorney when they do. Hiring the right attorney to handle your DUI charges can make an enormous impact on the outcome of your case and your life.

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“DUI suspected in East County head-on fatality”– SD 6 News, January 10, 2014

Deadly DUI Crash in San Diego Kills 3 Victims

Published on: January 13, 2014 | by Leslie Legal Group

A DUI related crash in San Diego has left three killed and five injured. 25-year-old William Cady was driving five passengers in a 2000 Cadillac Escalade around 11:15 p.m. when he lost control of his vehicle. He was heading North from Interstate 805 onto the Westbound Route 52 ramp when he swerved off the road and rolled several times over the dirt embankment. The car then hit a pillar and tumbled back into traffic causing an oncoming Acura to crash into the Escalade and another car coming from behind to hit the Acura. Shockingly, the Escalade still managed to roll across both the westbound and eastbound lanes of the highway and landed in an eastbound side ditch as its final resting point. Cady and his four passengers were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident and were ejected from the SUV, resulting in the death of three passengers who were 23, 29, and 35 years of age. CHP officers arrested Cady on suspicion of drunk driving at the scene though he was sent directly to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla to be treated for his injuries. The one surviving passenger from the SUV, of 25 years of age, was rushed to Sharp Memorial Hospital. Two of the motorists from the other vehicles involved in the accident were also hospitalized with minor injuries. Names of the victims have yet to be released due to pending notification from family members. CHP Officer Art Platero said that witnesses of the accident noticed that the Escalade had been moving at a noticeably high speed immediately prior to the crash. At this point in time, the multitude of possible charges Cady is facing makes retaining an experienced criminal defense attorney crucial to the handling and outcome of his case. If convicted of DUI manslaughter, Cady will face very serious criminal charges as punishment for his negligent decisions.

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“3 Killed, 5 Hurt in DUI Crash” – CBS 8 News, January 12th, 2014

San Diego Law Enforcement Holiday DUI Task Force Receives High Praise

Published on: November 28, 2013 | by Leslie Legal Group

A new DUI awareness campaign was launched in San Diego right before the Thanksgiving holiday. The launch, titled “RADD-OTS SD Hospitality DUI Task Force”, was put together by the entertainment industry’s leader in road safety, RADD, as well as the California Office of Traffic Safety, OTS. Both RADD and the OTS announced their team up during a holiday media event in the Gaslamp Quarter at famous restaurant Dick’s Last Resort, encouraging San Diegans to plan ahead before celebrating the holidays by designating a driver or calling a cab. The DUI task force has partnered up with local government, law enforcement, the military, area colleges, and road safety experts, in a commitment to reduce the number of DUIs and enhance public safety. In doing so, the task force is promoting responsible beverage service, alternate transportation options, designated drivers, and is focused on providing more overnight parking options. Deputy Administrator of the US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Bill Kootsikas, cited a troubling 4.6 percent national increase for alcohol-related deaths and a 3.6 percent increase in California, in the past year alone. The new alliance between OTS and RADD however, has successfully designed immediate DUI prevention strategies in the region and many officials, including OTS Assistant Director of Operations David Doucette and President of RADD International Erin Meluso, are praising the task force for its powerful influence. Meluso, who lead RADD’s “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk” campaign, encouraged San Diegans to pledge, ‘from now on, I won’t let my friends drive drunk.’

San Diego’s Supervising Agent in Charge for The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Jennifer Hill, has stressed the need for San Diegans to start taking responsibility, including for Licensees to practice responsible alcohol service, ID checks, and employee training on the issue. She also suggested that families should make it a priority to communicate with one another and with friends on how to make responsible choices regarding withholding from driving while drinking. Overall, the holiday task force is being commended with high praise for its aggressive approach to road safety. Law enforcement will be conducting many traffic checkpoints and DUI patrols, starting Thanksgiving and continuing through New Year’s Eve, all throughout San Diego and San Diego County. Even other non-law enforcement agencies are making an effort to support the task force, including the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, Gaslamp Quarter Association, North Park Main Street, and Discover Pacific Beach. The SDMTS has added several new transportation options people can choose over driving, those being expanded taxicab service and extended trolley and bus service hours to accommodate late night partiers. As a criminal defense legal team, we have years of experience dealing with DUI violations. Our advice to everyone planning to celebrate the Holidays with alcoholic beverages this year is to take advantage of the preventative measures being offered, and make prior arrangements before heading out. However, if you or a loved one do in fact find yourselves facing DUI charges, hiring an experienced legal team to handle your case is absolutely essential to achieve favorable results and lessen the consequences DUI citations pose.

Wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday season!