In Los Angeles, celebrities are arrested and/or charged with driving under the influence all the time. Unfortunately, without a highly skilled Los Angeles DUI defense attorney, even celebrities face serious consequences stemming from any DUI conviction. If charged with driving under the influence, you need a skilled Los Angeles DUI defense attorney who understands the DUI court proceess as well as the best defenses for DUI.
While so many people feel that celebrities can get away with murder and policemen are looking for people to arrest, a recent event proves that celebrities and policemen are people, too. Actor Dennis Quaid recently very narrowly avoided being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol when a Los Angeles policeman suggested he call a taxi instead of driving himself home. The "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," star was leaving a Beverly Hills restaurant in the early hours of the morning on October 22nd when he hopped into the driver's seat to drive himself, his wife and a friend home. Before he could pull away, however, a police cruiser pulled alongside him and asked him to step out of his vehicle. Video footage from website TMZ.com shows Quaid repeatedly being asked to step out of his vehicle before going back inside the restaurant to call a cab, saving himself from a possible arrest.
Driving under the influence of alcohol is a criminal offense that Los Angeles policemen take very seriously. As many as 30% of traffic fatalities in 2008 occurred as a result of someone driving under the influence of alcohol. Driving under the influence is a serious threat to the safety of the many drivers that share the road with you, and legislation in Los Angeles is increasingly strict in dealing with DUI offenders. A new pilot program signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will require the installation and maintenance of an ignition interlock device in the vehicles of every Angeleno convicted of DUI. The new pilot program is scheduled to go into effect in 2010 with installation and maintenance fees to be paid by the vehicle's owner. Aside from the ignition interlock device, jail or prison sentences, alcohol counseling or rehabilitation or extensive fines are all common punishments for those convicted of DUI. The length and severity of each punishment can vary depending on the offense itself. Repeat DUI offenders would be subjected to ever harsher punishments while some first-time offenders may land themselves in jail if they cause enough damage or injury.
If you or someone you know has been charged with driving under the influence, call the attorneys at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP right away. Our attorneys have decades of combined experience in defending against DUI charges and we know that tiny details can make a big difference in your defense. Call us today and let us fight for you.
