However, law enforcement agencies are beefing up DUI saturation patrols and California DUI sobriety checkpoints to stop, test, and arrest drivers they suspect of being under the influence.

Here are the latest Los Angeles DUI sobriety checkpoints that are scheduled for this weekend. For more information, you can contact the local law enforcement agency a couple of hours before the reported time to learn the exact locations of some of the more general posts.

Thursday 5/3
The Los Angeles Police Department will conduct saturation patrols in Van Nuys from 6pm Thursday night to 2am Friday morning.

Friday 5/4/12
Sobriety checkpoints will be operated at the intersections of Vermont and Sixth Street and at Hollywood Blvd. and Gower St. from 7 pm Friday to 3am Saturday.

Saturday 5/5/12
LAPD will operate sobriety checkpoints at the intersections of Cahuenga Blvd. and Northlawn Drive in North Hollywood from 7pm Saturday to 3am Sunday.

The California State University, Northridge Police Department will conduct a sobriety checkpoint beginning at 9pm Saturday to 3am Sunday at an intersection near the CSUN campus.

Sunday 5/6/12
DUI saturation patrol will be conducted in 77th Street area from 12pm to 8pm.

Sobriety checkpoints will be operated at the intersection of Imperial Highway and Main Street in Southwest area from 7pm Sunday to 3am Monday.

Today the actress was sentenced to 30 days in county jail for failing to fulfill probation conditions imposed in connection with her conviction for misdemeanor grand theft.

When someone is placed on misdemeanor probation in California, it means the judge lets that person serve his or her sentence out of custody so long as that person complies with all of the probation conditions imposed by the judge.

Common probation conditions include performing community service, attending counseling and complying with all laws. People on misdemeanor probation in California have to report back to the judge as instructed to give the judge updates on their progress (called “progress reports”). If probationers violate their probation conditions, the judge can send them to jail.

Today’s progress report at the Los Angeles Airport Courthouse did not go well for Lindsay Lohan. After admitting that she failed to fulfill probation conditions involving volunteering at a downtown Los Angeles women’s center and attending therapy, the judge gave her a wake-up call of 30 days in county jail.

When she gets out, Lohan will get another chance. But if she doesn’t want to get her probation revoked altogether (which means she’ll have to serve out the remainder of her grand theft sentence in jail), Lohan will need to fulfill her community service hours as and when directed by the judge and go to the required therapy sessions.

• drinking in a car,


• possession of an open container in a car,


• storing open containers in a car, and


• storing open containers in a trunk.

Generally, these violations only constitute infractions. That means they are equivalent to traffic tickets, and a conviction does not give someone a criminal record.

A notable exception, however, pertains to California’s law against a minor in possession of alcohol. Vehicle Code 23224 makes it a misdemeanor crime for a minor under 21 to drive or ride in a car with alcohol. Furthermore, Business & Professions Code 25662 makes it a crime for a minor to be in possession of alcohol in any public place.

It goes without saying, also, that if a driver is actually consuming alcohol when he gets stopped by the police, he will also be investigated for possible DUI. A DUI is a misdemeanor crime that carries serious repercussions in terms of driving record, criminal record, social stigma and car insurance costs.

The upshot for California motorists is simple: Never have an open container of alcohol in your car. If you do transport alcohol, keep it sealed and in the trunk. And keep it away from minors.

The California Victim Compensation Program is a state fund program that is designed to provide compensation to victims of violent crimes, including driving under the influence, for unreimbursed physical injuries associated with the crime. This compensation is available for victims and their immediate family members who suffer injury, threat of injury or death from drunk driving. If the victim suffers emotional damage…and requires therapy as a result…those expenses may also be approved. The California Victim Compensation Program does not apply to economic damage – those expenses are reimbursed from the DUI offender.

If you are involved in an accident with a driver who is convicted for DUI…and your car is damaged…the court will order the defendant to reimburse you for your damage. If he/she has car insurance, the insurance will cover the expenses. And if not, the judge will order the defendant to make payments directly to the victim. If the defendant is unable to pay, California has a separate fund to reimburse victims for these types of economic damages as well.

When you are caught driving with a BAC over .15%, L.A. prosecutors will typically impose a minimum 48-hour county jail sentence. In this case, Pressly reportedly had a .22 BAC, yet isn’t going to serve anytime. Why? Because her private DUI defense attorney conducted his own investigation and had the blood that was used to calculate her .22 retested at a private lab. Their result was a .20. Obviously a .20 is still well above the legal limit, but it is enough of a discrepancy to cast doubt on the reliability of Pressly’s blood test. And when there is doubt, jurors tend to vote not guilty, which is why this type of evidence is ripe for a DUI plea bargain.

So remember, there are always ways to beat a California DUI charge. Don’t ever assume that the evidence is too overwhelming to fight – leave that to a skilled California DUI defense attorney.

Here are the latest California DUI sobriety checkpoints that are scheduled for this weekend. For more information, you can contact the local agency a couple of hours before the reported time to learn the exact locations of some of the more generic posts.

Friday 8/18/11
The Los Angeles Police Department will operate two DUI checkpoints tonight: One from 8pm – 2am at Figueroa St. and 33rd St. in the Southwest area and one during the same timeframe in the Foothill Area at Glenoaks Blvd. and Paxton St.

The Oxnard Police Department will be conducting a multi-location sobriety and driver’s license checkpoint from 6pm to 2am.

The San Marcos Sheriff’s Station Traffic Unit will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint at an undisclosed location in the city of San Marcos between the hours of 7:30pm and 3am.

San Diego area law enforcement officers will be running two drunk driving checkpoints tonight beginning at 7pm – one within the San Marcos City Limits and one within the Vista City Limits.

The Rancho Cordova Police Department will be holding a DUI Sobriety and Driver’s License Checkpoint in the City of Rancho Cordova from 8pm to 2am.

California Highway Patrol officers will conduct a sobriety and driver’s license checkpoint somewhere within the unincorporated area of Yolo County tonight from 8pm to midnight.

Saturday 8/20/11
The LAPD will operate two sobriety checkpoints: One from 8pm to 2am at Topanga Canyon Blvd. and San Jose St. in the Devonshire area and one during the same timeframe in the Northeast area at Sunset Blvd. and Sutherland St.

The Albany Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint between 7pm and 3am on San Pablo Avenue within the city limits.

Early yesterday morning, a suspected drunk driver reportedly ran a red light and slammed into an LAPD patrol car, causing the officer who was driving the cruiser to suffer minor cuts that required medical attention. And as if that weren’t enough, the suspect then attempted to run away. Potentially, this individual faces California charges for driving under the influence, hit and run, evading an officer and resisting arrest
.
It’s hard enough to present a California DUI defense when the driver runs a red light. But add in the fact that he crashes into a cop car and runs away…it’s just all bad.

If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of being stopped while driving under the influence…even if you suffer an accident…don’t run away (it’s almost always automatically interpreted as a sign of guilt!), don’t apologize for causing the accident and don’t answer any questions. Do remain on the scene, do act polite, do request to speak with an attorney and do remain silent. Doing anything else will almost always jeopardize a successful California DUI defense.

This type of California DUI probation condition must have been part of a plea bargain or a judge-imposed condition based on Baldwin’s history of alcohol abuse. Another condition of California DUI probation is that you cannot violate any other laws. The reason that Baldwin was arrested is because Daniel called the police after she allegedly threatened to kill him while she was drunk. This type of threat is considered a criminal threat and could have by itself subjected Baldwin to a probation violation.

The judge has ordered Baldwin to wear a SCRAM ankle bracelet which will monitor her alcohol intake. If she consumes any alcohol, the bracelet will transmit that fact to the monitoring agency, setting her up for another DUI probation violation.

King…whose case sparked the L.A. riots in 1992 when the four LAPD officers who were videotaped violently beating him were tried and acquitted…has publically struggled with drug and alcohol addiction for many years.

He was arrested for (but not charged with) DUI in 1992. In 1993, he entered an alcohol rehabilitation program after crashing his car into a block wall in Los Angeles with a blood-alcohol level twice the legal limit. He was tried and acquitted for an out-of-state DUI in 1995. In 2001, King was arrested in Claremont for being under the influence of PCP. And in 2007, Rialto police were called to the scene of an alleged shooting where they discovered a very intoxicated King.

Following these incidents, King appeared on season 2 of “Celebrity Rehab” with Dr. Drew.

So how do these laws apply to DUIs?

Couldn’t it be said that a bartender who pours and serves the drinks is facilitating the crime if he/she knows that the patron will be driving? What if you are too impaired to drive so you give the keys to someone else who you know has been drinking…does this encourage the crime? It certainly aids in its commission…

There are several states that have held that you can be convicted of aiding and abetting a DUI but as of now, California does not appear to be one of them.

It would probably be a fairly difficult case for the prosecution to prove. Bartenders or other servers would have to know that the patron planned on driving. You would have to know that the driver of your car is over the legal limit (which would likely be difficult if you, yourself, were too impaired to drive).

And then there’s the issue of duty. Mere presence at the scene or knowledge that the crime is being committed isn’t enough to sustain an aiding and abetting charge. To violate the law, you would have to have a legal duty to prevent the crime. To date, this legal duty doesn’t exist in California.

When you fight your DUI charge based on an allegation that there was a lack of probable cause, you are claiming that the officer had no right to stop you in the first place and/or that the officer didn’t have the right to place you under arrest.

It will be interesting to see what facts come out of this case to see if there were actually problems with the probable cause or if this is just a defense strategy either to encourage a plea bargain or help with Dedes’ public image, since he’s still very much involved in the sports entertainment industry.

If there were, in fact, problems with the stop or arrest, it is likely that the charge will either be dismissed entirely or, at the very least, significantly reduced.

First, because of the fact that it was a holiday weekend, officers were expecting drivers to be under the influence. This inherent bias can easily lead to incomplete or shoddy investigations…investigations that lead to an illegal or hasty arrest. We will highlight the officer’s bias to prove that…in the officer’s eyes…you were guilty from the word go.

Second, unlike a DUI involving alcohol…where the jury typically sees a blood alcohol reading…allegations of driving under the influence of drugs “DUID” are often more difficult to prove. Even if there was a blood test that revealed drugs in your system, that doesn’t mean that you were under their influence at the time of driving. We know the most persuasive arguments to convince prosecutors, jurors and judges that innocent explanations such as fatigue, anxiety or illness could have been responsible for your alleged impairment.

Third, even if it appears that you were guilty of the offense, if we can present proof that the collection, storage or analysis of your blood test was improper, the prosecutor will likely reduce or even dismiss your charges.

These are just a brief sample of why it is important to fight a California “driving under the influence of drugs” charge. The fact is that there are countless other defenses that…depending on the specific facts of your case…may also be applicable. Don’t assume that just because you were arrested for DUI means that you must be convicted of DUI because it just isn’t the case.

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

Friday, July 1st
The Salinas Police Department will operate a DUI / driver’s license checkpoint Friday night in an undisclosed location within the city of Salinas.

The Riverside Police Department will conduct a drunk driving / driver’s license roadblock from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. in the City of Riverside.

The Los Angeles Police Department will be operating two sobriety checkpoints: one from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. in LAPD’s Devonshire Area on Reseda Boulevard at Nordhoff Street and the other from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. in LAPD’s North Hollywood Area on Lankershim Boulevard at Cumpston Street.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Risk Management Bureau’s Traffic Services Detail, will be conducting a DUI / DL checkpoint from 6 p.m. until approximately 2 a.m. at an undisclosed location in the City of Lancaster.

The Santa Monica Police Department will be conducting a sobriety / driver’s license checkpoint at an undisclosed location within the city of Santa Monica.

The Redlands Police Department will operate a DUI / driver’s license roadblock in the eastbound lanes of Redlands Boulevard, between Sixth and Eighth streets from 10 p.m. until 3 a.m.

Saturday, July 2nd
The Blythe Police Department will conduct a DUI checkpoint from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. in the City of Blythe.

The LAPD will operate a sobriety checkpoint from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. in LAPD’s Southwest Area on Figueroa Street at 40th Place.

The Thousand Oaks Police Department will set up a DUI and driver's license checkpoint at an undisclosed location from 6 p.m. to midnight.

Sunday, July 3rd
Although we couldn’t find any actual DUI / driver’s license checkpoints set up for Sunday, July 3, 2011, there are going to be DUI saturation and roving patrols throughout the state.

Monday, July 4th
The LAPD will be operating a sobriety checkpoint from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. in LAPD’s West Los Angeles Area on Pacific Coast Highway at Temescal Canyon Road.

Be safe and have a great holiday weekend!

If your child is stopped on suspicion of drunk driving, California police are permitted to ask him/her questions in order to determine whether or not he/she has been drinking and driving. If they believe he/she has been…and place him/her under arrest…they may try to trick him/her into confessing to the offense or into making other incriminating statements. Make sure you prepare him/her for this experience in the unfortunate event that he/she finds him/herself in this situation.

Because California laws permit officers to conduct juvenile interrogations outside the presence of the child’s parents, parents should instruct their children to

• remain polite,
• truthfully give their full names,
• ask for a parent and a lawyer (even though neither will be immediately called),
• not apologize under any circumstances or say anything incriminating,
• try to remain calm and, above all else,
• invoke his/her right to remain silent.

Other than providing his/her identifying information, your child is under no obligation to provide any additional information/answers. The biggest mistake that any arrestee makes is believing that he/she can talk his/her way out of the situation…this may especially be the case for a child who has been drinking. Prepare him/her for the worst and hope he/she will never have to utilize this information.

The citations were issued as part of a “distracted driver” sting operation conducted by Glendale police officers.

Texting while driving is prohibited by California Vehicle Code Section 23123.5. Texting is an infraction punishable by a fine of $20 for a first-time offense and $50 for each subsequent offense.

Texting while driving can have consequences beyond a fine, too. It can be used as the basis for a traffic stop that ultimately results in a charge for violating California Vehicle Code 23152(a) drunk driving.

A violation of the related “hands free” law (talking while driving) also can lead to a stop and ultimate arrest for violation of California Vehicle Code 23152(a) drink driving.