Suzanne Carlson, 27 of Mission Viejo went to trial in Westminster for second-degree murder. Ms. Carlson who has three prior drunk driving charges is on trial with her fourth DUI after rear ending a semi which killed her passenger in January 2007. Ms. Carlson and Scott Turner were seen drinking for over 2 hours in a Rancho Santa Margarita restaurant when Ms. Carlson drove Turner's Infinite on the 91 freeway and crashed it into a Fed-Ex truck. Allegedly, her BAC was a .22% which is three times the legal limit according to prosecutors. Deadly car accidents are shocking and devastating, especially if someone was driving while intoxicated. Gross vehicular manslaughter is a serious crime and it will affect your life forever and the families involved. It is important that you hire an attorney that dedicates his practice to DUI defense. If you or someone you know has been charged with felony DUI in Orange County, please contact us at 888-444-7210 for a free consultation.

Posted by Thomas Wallin at 1:39 PM | Permalink

The California Highway Patrol has released information regarding the fatal accident that occurred early Sunday morning on the I-10 freeway. A 42 year old woman was rear-ended by Thomas Vanauken from Anaheim while he was allegedly driving drunk. A witness to the accident indicated that Vanauken was travelling at more than 120 miles per hour when he collided with the 1995 Mitsubishi. Vanauken faces a number of charges including gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving while intoxicated and causing injury or death. The 42 year old Ontario woman driving the Mitsubishi was pronounced dead shortly after being taken to the hospital. One of her passengers also suffered moderate injuries. Fatal car accidents can affect your entire life. Especially if you are found to be under the influence of alcohol, the penalties can be devastating. The most important thing you can do if you are facing California DUI charges is hire a qualified Orange County Drunk Driving Defense Attorney.

Posted by Thomas Wallin at 6:53 AM | Permalink

Orange County, home to picturesque coast line and perfect weather for Labor Day weekend Barbeques is also home to a number of DUI Checkpoints. Orange County DUI Checkpoints are scheduled to be set up in Dana Point, Newport Beach and La Habra. Due to the high number of travelers and drinking associated with this holiday, all available California Highway Patrol Officers will be on heightened awareness for those driving under the influence in Orange County. To learn more about the planned Orange County DUI Checkpoints during Labor Day Weekend visit CHP Cracking Down on Drunk Drivers During Holiday Weekend. California arresting officers are required to follow a number of strict guidelines in order to secure a Constitutional DUI Checkpoint. First, the public must be given advance notice of when and where a checkpoint is going to be set up. Next, the arresting agency must follow a "neutral mathematical formula" when pulling over the vehicles. Finally a legal out must be provided for all drivers prior to arriving at the California DUI Checkpoint. An experienced California DUI Defense Attorney will know the laws associated with sobriety checkpoints and will tell you what defenses arise in your case. It is important to hire a dedicated Orange County Drunk Driving Defense Lawyer immediately after being arrested for a California DUI so that the DMV can be contacted to protect your driving privileges and a strong defense can be built in your case.

Posted by Thomas Wallin at 6:05 AM | Permalink