DUI Blogger

Here’s what we know so far about the upcoming California DUI checkpoints for this holiday weekend. You can always call the local law enforcement agency a couple of hours prior to the sobriety checkpoint’s start time to find out more information.

Even if there isn’t a scheduled DUI roadblock in your area, rest assured that the California Highway Patrol, sheriff, and police will be participating in increased DUI saturation patrols throughout the state.

Friday, May 28th

The LAPD will run a sobriety / license checkpoint on Lankershim Boulevard at Vose Street between 8pm and 1:30am in North Hollywood.

The Chino Hills Police Department will conduct a DUI / driver’s license roadblock in the Downtown District from 7pm until 1am.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will operate a DUI sobriety checkpoint at an undisclosed location in the City of Laguna Woods.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department will conduct a DUI / driver’s license checkpoint between 2pm and 12am in the Southern Coachella Valley Community Services District, which encompasses the communities of Mecca, Oasis, Thermal, and Vista Santa Rosa.

The CHP will operate a sobriety checkpoint in Altadena on Lake Avenue between 6pm and 2am.

Police agencies will operate a DUI / driver’s license roadblock at an undisclosed location in Cotati from 4pm until midnight.

The Dessert Hot Springs Police Department will conduct a sobriety checkpoint at Palm Drive and Park Lane between 8pm and 2am.

The Highland Police Department will conduct a DUI roadblock at Baseline and Central Avenue between 6pm and 2am.

The Malibu Sheriff’s Department will run a sobriety checkpoint on Pacific Coast Highway at an undisclosed time.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department will operate a DUI / driver’s license checkpoint between 7pm and 2:30am at an undisclosed location in the City of Poway.

A DUI sobriety checkpoint is scheduled for 6pm at an undisclosed location in the City of Victorville.

Saturday, May 29th

The Kern County Sheriff’s Department will conduct a DUI checkpoint at an undisclosed location in the city of Wasco from 6pm until 12am.

The Glendale Police Department will operate a DUI / driver’s license checkpoint at an undisclosed location in the City of Glendale from 9pm until 2am.

The Oxnard Police Department will join forces with other local law enforcement agencies in Ventura County to conduct multi-location sobriety roadblocks at locations throughout Ventura County.

The Redlands Police Department will operate a DUI sobriety / driver’s license checkpoint on Orange Street south of Pearl Avenue from 10:30pm until 3am.

The Chino Police Department will run its DUI roadblock between 8pm and 4am at an undisclosed location within the city.

The Tracy Police Department will conduct a sobriety checkpoint at an undisclosed location in the city from 7pm until 3am.

Sunday, May 30th

Oceanside Police have scheduled a DUI / driver’s license checkpoint from 8pm until 3am at an undisclosed location in Oceanside.

Have a great holiday weekend - drive safely!

Continuing on from the last post “Why Jail Abuse Affects Us All” there’s even more disturbing news…it’s not only physical abuse that permeates California jails and prisons, but medical and health care neglect as well.

California jails and prisons deprive inmates of adequate medical care on a routine basis. Jail and prison staff callously overlook and deliberately ignore inmates’ physical and mental health concerns. And because our society “looks the other way” when it comes to prisoners’ rights, the problem isn’t getting better.

And if you’re still asking “why should I care?” you need to understand that everyone in jail or prison isn’t a rapist, serial killer, or terrorist. Of course, many are, but many aren’t. They’re our neighbors, friends, and relatives who have been arrested for or convicted of DUI…they’re innocent people who are unjustly paying someone else’s debt…they might even be us at a former or future point in our lives…

The system is broken and needs to be fixed.

When people are arrested in California for a first-time DUI, they usually end up in a holding cell until they “sober up” at which point they’ll be released on their own recognizance. However, if there was an accident or any other aggravating factors, they may be required to post bail. This is especially true for second or subsequent DUIs. And if convicted of a second or subsequent California DUI, a county jail sentence is mandatory.

The fact is that almost all of us know at least one person who has been arrested for and possibly convicted of driving under the influence, a drug offense, or another misdemeanor. This means that we also know people who may have been victimized by the rampant abuse taking place in California’s jails.

The rampant abuse taking place in California jails and prisons is reprehensible. And while you may not think this applies to you…or are indifferent to it, believing that inmates “deserve what they get”…reflect on the fact that we all likely know someone who has been jailed.

A family member, a friend, a coworker, an innocent person, someone arrested for the very common offense of DUI who simply can’t afford to post bail, someone who hasn’t harmed anyone but him/herself…these are the majority of people suffering abuse at the hands of prison guards, staff, and other inmates…and the reason why we should all care about what’s going on inside these horrific institutions.

I recently spoke with someone who told me he was arrested for a Los Angeles DUI on his own street. He had been out drinking with some friends, one of whom was driving. Instead of having his friends drop him off at home, he had them take him to his car because it wasn’t too far from his place. He figured since he didn’t have too far to drive, he could make it home fine.

Not only did he get pulled over and arrested, the cops also impounded his car, instead of simply allowing it to remain parked on his own street.

Make no mistake about it, cops are ruthless, looking for any sign of impaired driving. Even if they pull someone over who isn’t DUI, they can always cite for the alleged driving violation, so they’re more than happy to pull you over to “investigate”.

It doesn’t matter how far you are from your destination. California cops are engaging in increased DUI saturation patrols and are on the lookout, so drive safely.

It doesn’t matter if you’re arrested for DUI, drug possession, carrying a concealed weapon, or even murder…there is almost always at least one legal defense that a California criminal defense attorney can present on your behalf to fight your criminal charges.

Even if you think that you have an “open and shut” case, an attorney might see it differently. This is because of the wide variety of California legal defenses that are available to so many different types of crimes…defenses that you may not even realize are relevant to your case.

Let’s say, for example, that LAPD stops you for speeding as you leave a bar in the San Fernando Valley. The officer conducts a DUI investigation but determines that you are okay to drive. But before he lets you drive away, he searches your car, finds a handgun concealed under your seat, and arrests your for carrying a concealed weapon.

Despite the fact that you are technically guilty of carrying a concealed weapon, a criminal defense attorney would tell you that the weapon was discovered during an illegal search and seizure…a legal defense that would in all likelihood result in the dismissal of your weapons’ charge.

Don’t ever assume you can’t fight your charge, because there are an infinite number of California legal defenses that could absolve you of any criminal liability.

Many California illegal weapons charges, such as Penal Code 12020 PC, California’s law against possessing dangerous weapons, stem from police investigations that have little or nothing to do with weapons. This is because many firearms and other weapons are discovered during searches that are incident to lawful…and sometimes unlawful…arrests.

When the police stop people for DUI or other traffic violations, they typically scan the car, looking for any evidence of contraband…drug paraphernalia, weapons, alcohol, etc. If they ultimately let the individual go, that’s usually the extent of the “search”. But if the cops arrest the individual or detain the individual based on a “reasonable suspicion” that the suspect is or was engaged in criminal activity, they might conduct a full blown search of the car and its contents.

If the cops find an illegal weapon under either scenario, they will likely arrest you for violating one of California’s many gun or weapons laws. Penal Code 12020 PC, California’s law against possessing dangerous weapons is one of the broadest of these laws, making it illegal to possess a weapon or an instrument that is capable of being used as a weapon.

So when this type of situation presents itself, you and your California criminal defense lawyer must ask two questions: 1) was the weapon you possessed illegal, and 2) was it discovered during a legal search and seizure? If either of these answers is no, it is very likely that your weapons charges…and possibly any additional charges…will be dismissed.