When a DUI accident hurts someone — a passenger in the car, another driver, a pedestrian, a cyclist — the case is treated under a different law than a regular DUI. California Vehicle Code § 23153 applies, and the same drunk driving that would otherwise be a misdemeanor can now be filed as a felony…
If you’ve been arrested for a drug DUI in Murrieta, Temecula, or anywhere in Southwest Riverside County, your case will be handled at the Southwest Justice Center and prosecuted by the Riverside County District Attorney’s office — and the most important thing to understand is something that works in your favor: California has no legal…
If you were pulled over and arrested for DUI anywhere in Murrieta, Temecula, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Winchester, Canyon Lake, or French Valley, there is a good chance the police report describes you as having displayed the “objective symptoms of intoxication.” It is one of the most common phrases in a California DUI report —…
Temecula, Murrieta & Riverside DUI Attorney In California, Driving Under the Influence (DUI) is generally prosecuted as a misdemeanor; it’s still a serious crime that goes on your record and results in various penalties, but in most cases it doesn’t count as a felony. However, there are some situations where you can get charged with…
A California assemblyman recently introduced a bill in the State legislature that calls for the use of the state’s emergency alert system after a serious hit-and-run accident. According to news coverage of this bill, the emergency system is the one often used to issue Amber Alerts after child kidnappings; if the bill becomes law, the…
Being charged with a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) can be very serious. A conviction can lead to a license suspension or revocation, heavy fines, and even jail time. But according to the NOLO Law for All website, there are a number of defenses against the charge. You could claim that you were not driving…
California state law describes involuntary manslaughter as the unintentional killing that occurs while committing a non-violent crime or reckless behavior that resulted in the death of another human being. In the latter case, the reckless conduct takes place during legal activities. In California, the crimes of vehicular homicide and involuntary manslaughter are separate matters that…
Driving under the influence is against the law in all 50 states, but the punishments are not federally mandated. DUI is a crime, and if your blood alcohol concentration is .08 or higher, you are considered intoxicated. Each state is mandated to have an open container law, as well as laws that determine how to…
Authorities issued 26 citations at a checkpoint in Jurupa Valley last month. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department set up the sobriety checkpoint at the intersection of 34th Street and Rubidoux Boulevard. It ran from 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 21 until 3 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 22. Fifteen of those citations went to unlicensed drivers. Four…
A simple DUI conviction has sparked one of the biggest political scandals of a year, according to the Washington Post. It all began when Travis County, Texas District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg was caught driving drunk in April 2013 with an open container of vodka. She had three times the legal limit of alcohol in her…
Throughout California, and in other parts of the country, law enforcement officers can set up DUI checkpoints on the road. At these checkpoints, officers stop drivers, ask to see their license and registration and possibly test them for intoxication. The purpose of the checkpoints is to reduce the number of DUI accidents and deter DUI…
If you are arrested for DUI and have a passenger under the age of 14 in your car with you offense, you may wind up facing a charge of child endangerment. One example that came up in the news recently, involved a woman who was involved in a police chase after the police attempted to…
If you or a loved one is facing criminal charges in Southwest Riverside County, time is critical. Contact the Law Office of Nic Cocis today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.
