San Diego Criminal Lawyer Blog

A Vista woman pleaded not guilty to drunken driving in connection with a crash that killed a San Clemente man, the North County News reported. California Highway Patrol officers said 24-year-old Tatiana Magruder of Oceanside was driving a 2002 Pontiac Grand Am on the Interstate 5 when she crossed all four lanes of traffic and rear-ended a 1998 Lincoln Navigator driven by 68-year-old Vaughn Leslie Powell near the Cockleburr Overcrossing.

Prosecutors allege Magruder tried to keep driving, but only made it a mile past the scene of the accident. Powell was ejected from the Lincoln and died at the scene. Magruder has been charged with drunken driving, fleeing the scene of an accident and manslaughter.

In the state of California, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher. The result of the breath or blood test performed on the suspected drunken driver along with his or her prior criminal record and whether there were any injuries or fatalities involved in the alleged DUI accident, will determine the seriousness of the charges. It is very important for any DUI defendant to remember that while you may have been determined to have a BAC of 0.08 or higher, you can still be successfully defended against DUI charges.

Find out how we do it. If you or someone you know has been accused of drunken driving, call the Law Office of Stephen Brodsky to discuss your case and build your DUI defense.

A 34-year-old female driver in Inglewood has been arrested on suspicion of felony drunken driving after police say she struck a pedestrian who was crossing the street in Lennox, the Los Angeles Daily News reports. The pedestrian was hit by the 2006 Nissan Altima when she was reportedly walking east on the crosswalk at Hawthorne and Lennox boulevards. She suffered head injuries and internal trauma.

According to California Highway Patrol reports, the driver “displayed objective signs and symptoms of alcohol intoxication.” She was arrested and booked at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s station in Lennox soon after the incident.

Whether it’s a misdemeanor or felony DUI, punishments for a DUI offense in Southern California including San Diego, can be very serious. Penalties may include loss of driver’s license, probation, jail time, hefty fines, mandatory court imposed alcohol programs and much higher auto insurance rates. It can also become increasingly difficult to get a job with a DUI conviction and no driver’s license.

If you have been arrested on suspicion of a DUI, contact experienced California DUI lawyer Stephen Brodsky today. He has the experience and knowledge to defend you aggressively and obtain the best possible result in your case. Call us right away to discuss your case and build your defense.

A 15-year-old boy in Rancho Penasquitos has been arrested on suspicion of stabbing two men after an argument, the North County Times reports. The boy, whom police did not identify because of his age, was reportedly arguing at an apartment complex when the boy went into one of the apartment units, brought out a knife and stabbed both men, officials say.

Both the men, said to be in their 20s, were taken to an area hospital. One of the men got stabbed in the leg while another got a wound to his arm. Both of the alleged victims are expected to survive. The teenager was reportedly arrested on juvenile crime charges and taken to Juvenile Hall.

“Juvenile” is a legal term used to describe minors under 18 years of age. Juvenile defendants may be prosecuted for any of the same crimes for which adults can be prosecuted. The goal of the juvenile justice system in the state of California is to rehabilitate youthful offenders, but prosecutors are as aggressive in their prosecution of minors as they are of adults. Under a new California law, minors who are charged with certain violent crimes may be tried as adults without a hearing before a juvenile judge.

If your son or daughter has been charged with a serious juvenile crime in San Diego, please call the Law Office of Stephen Brodsky for a free consultation.

A 58-year-old Indio man, who police say molested young girls, has been arrested on child sex charges. Richard Robert Frescas has pleaded not guilty to committing lewd acts on a child under 14 and penetration by force, according to an article in the Riverside Press-Enterprise. Frescas allegedly molested at least two girls several times between 2006 and 2007 when they were at his home. Prosecutors also allege that he used force to molest the girls, who attempted to get away.

Riverside district attorney’s investigators reportedly arrested Frescas in the Mexican state of Sonora. Frescas was one of several to be placed on Riverside County’s “most wanted list.”

Next to serious violent crimes, child molestation carries the greatest risk for state prison sentences – be it first-time offenders or repeat offenders. A child molestation conviction also means registering as a sex offender for the rest of your life. Child sexual abuse also carries a greater risk for false accusations, which result in criminal prosecutions.

If you or someone you know has been accused of a sexual crime involving children, your first order of business should be to find an experienced, competent and skilled criminal defense attorney who can thoroughly investigate the case, listen to your side of the story and poke holes in the prosecution’s case. If you have been charged with child molestation in San Diego call the Law Office of Stephen R. Brodsky for a free consultation. We will help you get an acquittal or get your charges reduced. Our goal is to keep you out of jail. Call us today.

Police are seeking an arrest warrant for a former professional surfer in connection with a DUI car accident June 6 in Del Mar, which killed his passenger. According to an article in the North County Times, 51-year-old Milton Willis of Solano Beach survived the crash that killed Bradley Dillahunty, 24, of Laguna Niguel. Willis was injured as well, but is recovering from the crash.

Police officials say alcohol is a “major factor” in this DUI accident, but refused to tell the media the result of the toxicology tests. Investigators will submit that report, the accident report, crime report and request for an arrest warrant to the county district attorney’s office, which will then decide whether or not to file criminal charges against Willis, who is expected to turn himself in after he has recovered from his injuries. The accident occurred on Coast Boulevard when police say Willis slammed his Toyota sedan into several parked cars and then into a large palm tree.

Continue reading " DUI Charges Could Be Filed Against Former Pro Surfer " »

California Highway Patrol arrested a man on suspicion of DUI in National City after the suspect tried to run away from the scene of an accident on the northbound Interstate 805. According to this news report, the solo crash involving a Cadillac occurred just south of Plaza Boulevard.

Eyewitnesses told CHP officers that the man tried to get his friend out of the damaged Cadillac, but fled before officers arrived on scene. The man, who has not been identified, was arrested shortly afterward on Palm Avenue by CHP officers and National City police officers. Both the driver, who was arrested on suspicion of DUI, and his passenger suffered minor injuries in the accident and were taken to an area hospital.

When you are arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs in San Diego, it could be charged as either a misdemeanor or felony DUI depending on your prior criminal record and the seriousness of the injuries caused by the DUI accident.

If you have been accused of drunken driving in San Diego, you need an experienced and knowledgeable San Diego DUI criminal defense attorney on your side. A DUI conviction can have serious consequences such as suspension of driving privileges, costly fines or even jail time. If you or someone you know has been arrested on suspicion of a DUI in San Diego, contact us at Law Office of Stephen Brodsky for a free and confidential consultation, toll free, at (877) 878-3435 or from our criminal defense website. We have the experience it takes to defend your DUI, keep you out of jail and get you the help you need.

A man suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol reportedly caused a rollover accident that killed his female passenger. According to an article in the San Diego Union Tribune, Steve Red, 39, of Riverside, was booked into county jail on suspicion of murder, gross vehicular manslaughter and DUI causing an injury.

Officials say Red was traveling north on Washington Street when his vehicle hit a curb, a mailbox, a wooden fence and a fire hydrant before flipping over at least once. His passenger, 38-year-old Lisa Moreno, died after being ejected from the vehicle. Red, who police said was under the influence of alcohol, suffered minor injuries.

This is an example of how a DUI case can turn into something extremely serious. If convicted, the defendant in this case faces 25 years to life in prison. That is why, whether your DUI case is a misdemeanor or a felony, you need a competent DUI defense attorney on your side who has years of experience not only handling these types of cases, but winning them.

An experienced Riverside DUI defense attorney will listen to your side of the story and conduct an independent investigation to build your defense and find discrepancies in the prosecution’s case. If you or someone you know has been accused of a felony DUI or vehicular manslaughter, please contact us at the Law Office of Stephen Brodsky for a free, comprehensive and completely confidential consultation. Don’t assume automatically that you are guilty. We will evaluate your case honestly and give you the best course of action for your defense.

An Oceanside police officer got a little taste of what it was like to be on the other side of the fence after he was arrested by California Highway Patrol officers on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol in San Diego. According to this news report, Oceanside Police Officer Dwight Carwell, has been placed on administrative duty following the DUI arrest. He is a 15-year veteran at the department.

One of the worst effects of a DUI conviction is the adverse effect it can have on your employment or future job prospects. A DUI conviction could mean jail time, especially if it involves a felony drunken driving incident. A DUI conviction in San Diego could also mean a suspension of your driver’s license or even a revocation of your driving privilege if the defendant is a repeat offender.

If you or someone you know has been arrested on suspicion of a DUI, you need a solid criminal defense attorney who has experience dealing in DUI cases and has a thorough knowledge of San Diego drunk driving laws.

Your San Diego criminal defense lawyer needs to understand how to attack breath test results, how to use special experts to attack test results, how to use eyewitnesses to build your defense and how to cross-examine the arresting officer and prosecution expert witnesses at the trial. Your DUI defense attorney should also have a thorough knowledge about Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) hearings. California law required the DMV to suspend your license if your blood alcohol level is 0.08 or more. Remember that you only have 10 days to request a San Diego DMV hearing after your arrest.

If you or a loved one is facing DUI charges, you have limited time to schedule and prepare for a DMV hearing. Contact us immediately at the Law Office of Stephen Brodsky to speak with an experienced DUI defense and DMV hearing attorney and begin planning your defense.

Police arrested a man on suspicion of DUI and hit-and-run in Lake Elsinore, according to a San Diego News Services report. Kenneth Allen Hodgson, 31, was arrested and booked on suspicion of drunken driving, aggravated mayhem and hit-and-run causing injury.

The incident reportedly occurred, eyewitnesses said, when Hodgson struck a motorcycle and fled. Patricia Hogan, 47, of Corona, the injured passenger was taken to the hospital. She is listed in critical condition. Police were able to arrest Hodgson based on eyewitness reports that he was driving a green truck, the news report said. Initial investigations also showed Hodgson ran a red light, officials said. Police officers who arrested him also detected evidence of alcohol intoxication, the report said.

How police officers determine a driver is drunk or intoxicated plays a significant role in how a DUI case plays out. If you are arrested on suspicion of a DUI in San Diego, you have the right to refuse field sobriety tests and the portable breath test that the police want you to take in their field investigation. California law requires that you take a blood or breath test after you are arrested and brought down to the police station.

Don’t take a chance with a DUI case. If you or someone you know has been accused of a DUI, get help from the best and most experienced San Diego DUI defense attorney. At the Law Office of Stephen Brodsky, we have that experience, successful track record and reputation of providing the best service to our clients. Contact us today, toll free, at (877) 878-3435 or via our criminal defense website to discuss your DUI case.