USA Swimming Suspends Phelps after Drunk Driving Arrest

FILE - United States' Michael Phelps swims in the men's 4 X 100-meter medley relay at the Aquatics Center in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

The United States governing body for competitive swimming has banned Olympic superstar Michael Phelps from competing for six months after a drunk driving arrest.
Phelps, who has won the most Olympic medals in history, was pulled over in his hometown of Baltimore, in the eastern U.S. state of Maryland, last week, driving 135 kilometers per hour and crossing lanes inside a traffic tunnel.
USA Swimming says Phelps' actions are detrimental to the the sports' image, reputation and code of conduct.
He can still train with the team but cannot swim in any world events until March.
Phelps has apologized for his behavior and says he is seeking help.
This is the second time Phelps has been charged with driving while impaired. He was also banned from competition in 2009 when he was photographed smoking what appeared to be a marijuana pipe.
Phelps has won 22 Olympic swimming medals in the 2008 and 2012 games, including 18 golds - making him the most decorated athlete in modern Olympic history.
He has said he hopes to compete in the  2016 games in Rio de Janeiro.

VOANews : 06 Oct 2014

Austin Man Arrested For DWI After 0.0 Breathalyzer Test

Austin Man Arrested For DWI After 0.0 Breathalyzer Test
Larry Davis was arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI) back in 2013 after a breathalyzer test showed his blood alcohol content (BAC) level to be 0.0%. The incident occurred in Austin, TX, when Davis was pulled over in his Buick on a routine traffic stop. When the police asked Davis if he had been drinking that night, he repeatedly insisted that he only had one beer. Despite his claim of only consuming one beer, Austin police believed Davis displayed signs of alcohol intoxication and placed him under arrest for DWI. Unfortunately for Davis, despite having blown a 0.0% breathalyzer test, he still spent the night in jail.
Davis’ attorney said that he was simply shocked that his client was even arrested for DWI after this circumstances. Davis also agreed to submit a blood test, which also came back negative, in addition to the breathalyzer and field sobriety tests. Davis has been fighting the arrest in court for a year now, however, Austin police have stood by the arrest citing their “take-no-chances” policy. Austin police say that it was the one leg stand test Davis performed that made them suspicious. Austin police say that Davis “needed his arms for balance” during the sobriety test and with regard to the clean blood test, they suggested that marijuana could still have been in his system without showing up on the test. Davis is currently trying to have his arrest record wiped clean and plans to file a grievance against the officer that arrested him.
Do you think the Austin Police Department made the right call? Or should Larry Davis have gone home that night?
If you have been arrested for driving drunk, contact an experienced and skilled Texas DWI attorney for legal assistance.
Posted Friday, February 28, 2014
 

Colts Owner Jim Irsay Arrested For DUI

Colts Owner Jim Irsay Arrested For DUI

Jim Irsay, owner of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, was arrested for DUI on March 16, 2014 in Carmel, Indiana. In addition to his DUI, Irsay was also charged with possession of a controlled substance and faces a total of 4 felony counts. The incident occurred Sunday when police spotted Jim Irsay stopping on the roadway, driving at a slow rate of speed and failing to use a turn signal. In a press release, Lt. Joe Bickel of the Carmel Police Department said that Irsay “failed several roadside field sobriety tests“.
According to Bickel, “multiple prescription drugs were discovered in pill bottles“, however, the drugs found were not associated with any prescription bottles in Irsay’s vehicle. The Colts have officially issued a statement, saying “The Club continues to fully support Mr. Irsay but must refrain from commenting further at least until formal charges have been filed“. Jim Irsay has long since admitted to an addition problem with prescription medicine. In 2002, Irsay said that his dependency on prescription pain medications came after several years of orthopedic procedures and operations, which led to extensive bouts of chronic pain. Upon being released from jail Sunday afternoon, Irsay tweeted a message of thanks to his supporters.
If you have been arrested for driving drunk, contact an experienced and skilled Indiana DUI attorney for legal assistance.
Posted Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Humble ISD Teacher Gets DWI On Her Way To School

Humble ISD Teacher Gets DWI On Her Way To School

Patricia Almond, a 48 year-old middle school teacher with Humble ISD was arrested for DWI while driving to work on May 8, 2014. According to authorities, Almond was seen driving erratically by police, swerving in and out of lanes on Highway 59. Police pulled the Humble ISD teacher over just after she grazed a retaining wall. When police began investigating Almond, they noticed several signs of alcohol intoxication such as having an odor of alcohol, difficulty maintaining balance and red, glassy eyes.
Since her arrest, Humble ISD has released a statement, saying, “The incident is being addressed through the court system, as it happened off campus, outside of school hours, and did not involve students. Human Resources will be reviewing the police report and then meeting with the staff member to discuss options“. Another teacher, Monica Quintero, in the Humble ISD was also arrested just a week before Almond when police caught her dealing drugs out of her apartment. Quintero, along with her felon boyfriend, were found to be in possession of various forms of meth, heroin, syringes and firearms among many other things.
If you have been arrested for driving drunk, contact an experienced and skilled Texas DWI attorney for legal assistance.
Posted Thursday, May 15, 2014

David Cassidy Sentenced To Rehab And Probation For DUI

David Cassidy Sentenced To Rehab And Probation For DUI

David Cassidy, former “Partridge Family” star, has been sentenced to probation and must attend alcohol rehabilitation following his third arrest for DUI in January. Cassidy will have to stay at a live-in rehabilitation center for 90 days and will be on probation for 5 years. An attorney for David Cassidy entered a plea of no contest on Monday, March 24, 2014. In addition to various fines, Cassidy will also have to attend a 9 month alcohol education course. On the night of his arrest, Cassidy blew a .19% alcohol breathalyzer test, more than twice the legal limit.
The Partridge Family star was arrested for DUI after arriving in Los Angeles where he was going to submit a deposition in a lawsuit he had filed against Sony Pictures Television. Cassidy is allegedly suing the company over money he believes he is owed for merchandising baring his image. His manager, Jo-Ann Geffen said that Cassidy had been doing fine avoiding alcohol until a stressful round of questioning pertaining to his lawsuit led to a relapse. Cassidy’s attorney said that his client has already voluntarily spent 102 days in rehab and would even remain in rehab longer than his new sentence required.
If you have been arrested for driving drunk, contact an experienced and skilled California DUI attorney for legal assistance.
Posted Thursday, May 15, 2014

Woman charged in DUI after neighbor catches her ramming husband’s scooter

A California woman has been charged with driving under the influence after she was caught on camera running over her husband’s electric mobility scooter.
ABC 7 News reports that Laura Cox, 47, of Huntington Beach, is seen on a 65-second YouTube clip captured by neighbor Sarah Oliver pushing her unidentified husband off the vehicle before getting behind the wheel of an SUV and backing over it twice.
“Insanity,” Oliver told the station. “I felt really bad for him, so I called the cops.”
Cox, who suffers from mental illness and had apparently stopped taking her medication before starting to drink, was later charged with driving under the influence. Her husband, meanwhile, said the video was misleading and claimed the vehicle was not totaled.
“I wasn’t hit,” he said. “It was a thing of just trying to stop someone from drinking and driving.”
Oliver said the incident is not the first time Cox has shown bizarre behavior.
“This was kind of more serious,” she said. “It was always something I showed to friends to kind of laugh, like ‘Look at my crazy neighbors.’ Now it’s turned to this.”

Published September 09, 2014

FoxNews.com

Are Prosecutor’s Office Policies Legal?

Legislatures, representatives of the people, write the laws NOT prosecutors. Each legal law is a result of a complex process involving everything from public hearings, citizen and lobbyist input to sworn testimony. Penal code statutes have punishment ranges for a reason. Not everyone deserves to be treated the same when it comes to the same offense. Prosecutors are circumventing the laws by substituting their own punishment ranges in the form of “office policies” rather than considering the full range of punishments. District and County Attorney offices nationwide are resorting to cookie cutter approaches when handling cases by making plea bargain offers and trial decisions according to “office policies,” particularly when it comes to prosecuting driving while intoxicated cases. For example, assistant district attorneys are finding themselves hand-tied when handling DWI cases by such policies as:

1. Offering the maximum probation period for misdemeanor DWIsi or
2. No reductions (nonDWIs) on repeat DWIsii, breath or blood test cases allegedly over 0.08.iii
Inherent in an office policy is the disregard for the defendant’s particular circumstances such as lack of criminal history or specific facts mitigating a case (health issues, physical disabilities, etc.). The assistant district attorneys enforcing these office policies established by their superiors do so under direct orders without regard to the facts of a particular case. Yet, they are concerned more about their individual job security. Job security in the form of a paycheck is misguided. DWI Lawyers must first concern themselves with their ability or license to practice law. This is predicated on following ethics and laws.