San Diego Criminal Lawyer Blog

A Riverside jury has convicted 33-year-old Marisol Garcia of second-degree murder in connection with a DUI accident, which killed her 11-year-old daughter, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reports. The jury also found Garcia guilty of gross vehicular manslaughter, driving under the influence causing great bodily injury and driving with a blood alcohol level greater than 0.08 percent.

The drunk driving accident reportedly occurred on April 23, 2005 when Garcia, who had gone out for drinks after work in Irvine, picked up her teenaged son Steven and daughter, Marissa and drove to Riverside. Garcia hit a parked car at Van Buren Boulevard and Clay Street in Riverside and then crashed into a stop light and pole on Central Avenue. Marissa died at the scene and Steven was severely injured. Prosecutors said Garcia’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 0.18, more than twice the legal limit in California.

This case clearly shows that California has harsh DUI laws and penalties that are intended and designed to stop drivers from operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs. California’s Vehicle Code Section 23152 states that it is a misdemeanor to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs and that it is misdemeanor to drive with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent. However, the charges will become significantly more serious if the DUI accident involves injuries and/or fatalities, as in this Riverside DUI crash. Drivers in such cases could face vehicular manslaughter charges. If they have had prior felony DUI convictions, they could face murder charges.

If you or someone you know has been accused of drunk driving in Riverside County, please call, Stephen R. Brodsky, the top Riverside and San Diego DUI Lawyer for a free consul and case evaluation. You need the best representation you can possibly get in your DUI case because the stakes are extremely high.

Two Murrieta men – Levi Tucker Cowell, 20 and 19-year-old Jon Cody Mader – were arrested on suspicion of attacking a young man in Temecula, leaving him severely injured. According to this news report, police were looking for two more juveniles who they believe were involved in this assault. Murrieta police officials said the victim was walking with friends on Chantemar Way in Temecula when he was attacked by the four individuals.

Mader was booked on suspicion of battery with serious bodily injury and conspiracy to commit a felony. Cowell was arrested on suspicion of using force to inflict injury, drug possession and disobeying a court order.

Violent crimes are often treated as a felony. The severity of the charges in violent crimes depends on the severity of injuries suffered by the alleged victim. If you have been accused of committing a violent crime in Riverside, it is extremely important that you seek the counsel of an expert Riverside criminal defense lawyer who has the experience, knowledge and skill to defend violent crime cases.

If you are convicted of a violent crime, it could mean some serious jail time. At the Law Office of Stephen R. Brodsky, we believe in preparing a winning defense, even in the most serious violent crime cases. We don’t approach a case with the idea of plea bargaining. Our main goal is to keep you out of jail. We work very hard to protect our clients’ legal rights at all times and help them get the justice they deserve. Call us today to find out how we can help.