When a Los Angeles DUI charge is coupled with other criminal charges or past convictions, it can complicate any DUI Court process. A Los Angeles DUI charge by itself is a serious matter, and while a qualified Los Angeles DUI defense attorney can help clear such a case, related charges make it that much more difficult. Recently, a former NBA player received a DUI charge related to a January 5th incident.
Former professional basketball standout Jayson Williams was charged with Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) earlier this month after he careened off a highway and into a tree in New York City. According to police reports, Williams veered across four lanes of oncoming traffic around 3:15 in the morning on January 5th. Williams reportedly told police that he had been sitting in the passenger's seat at the time of the accident and that the car's driver had fled the scene. Witnesses, however, refuted the statement, saying they had not seen anyone leave or enter the car. Williams was taken to a nearby hospital where he was treated for a minor fracture in the neck as well as several cuts to his face. Williams refused to undergo breath analysis testing, leaving police in the case to request blood samples from the hospital to later determine his blood alcohol concentration. Williams has yet to enter a plea and is facing up to one year in jail.
It has been a rough decade for Williams. In 2002, he was charged with murder after a shotgun he was showing several friends went off and killed his driver, Costas Christofi. Witnesses to the incident testified that Williams initially placed the shotgun in the victim's hands and told them to lie to the police. Williams' 2004 trial ended in mistrial and another hearing has yet to be scheduled. Last year, his wife filed for divorce, then police had to use a stun gun to subdue him after a friend claimed he was acting suicidal. Williams' father also died last November.
While Williams' DWI incident occurred in New York, Los Angeles laws are very strict in regards to drinking and driving. If, like Williams, a driver refused to submit to chemical testing for blood alcohol content, he or she would automatically have their license suspended and such a refusal can, in some cases, be considered an admission of guilt. Factors such as the speed someone was driving before being pulled over or getting into an accident can also affect the type and length of punishment someone would receive in the case of a conviction. Repeat DUI offenders are also likely to spend significant time in prison and have their driving privileges revoked for longer periods of time.
If you have received a Los Angeles DUI charge, call the attorneys at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP today. Our attorneys have a combined 50 years in courtroom experience in successfully defending against DUI charges and we will fight for you.
