As Chino Hills DUI criminal defense attorneys, we were interested to see a July 30 OC Register article about a man who pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter. Richard Ernest Caselli, 37, pleaded guilty back in May to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, in a case stemming from the death of 52-year-old Brook Boynton of San Clemente. Caselli was accused of driving with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.18, more than twice the legal limit, and also under the influence of cocaine before he rear-ended Boynton's SUV on a toll road. He had no previous DUI record, and his attorney argued for a lower sentence in part by citing Caselli's remorse. At the sentencing, Caselli received a four-year prison sentence, out of a possible range of probation to 10 years in prison.
The accident took place in October of 2009, on the San Joaquin Hills toll road (73). Caselli had allegedly spent five hours drinking cocktails at a bar in Newport Beach before driving south in his Volvo sedan. Witnesses said the Volvo was weaving in and out of traffic and reached speeds over 100 mph at times before rear-ending Boynton's SUV. The resulting crash flipped over the SUV and rolled it over, ejecting Boynton. Boynton died at the scene. Officers saw signs of intoxication from Caselli at the scene and took him into custody. He later entered a residential treatment facility and has expressed interest in working for MADD. He pleaded guilty to the DUI manslaughter charge in May, and his attorney had requested probation and one year in prison.
As Riverside County drunk driving criminal defense lawyers, we believe this is a good example of why some defendants might choose to plead guilty in a serious DUI case. Of course, we never, ever advocate entering a guilty plea if you truly did not drive drunk, and we can help clients in that situation prove their innocence. But in this case, Caselli's guilty plea seems to stem from remorse for his actions. The article does not mention blood test evidence related to the cocaine, but the presence of strong evidene may also have been a factor. The article note that Caselli sought treatment after the crash -- presumably meaning substance abuse treatment -- and wept through the statements given by Boynton's family and friends. By taking those steps and pleading guilty, Caselli may have avoided a much higher sentence than he might have faced if he tried to fight the charge against him. We note, for example, that the story mentioned no cocaine-related criminal charge.
At Howard Law, P.C., we believe the best way to avoid a terrible situation like Caselli's is to avoid driving under the influence. But when clients are wrongly accused or need help sorting out DUI-related legal problems, our Fountain Valley intoxicated driving criminal defense attorneys can defend them from the life-altering consequences of a conviction. Drunk driving cases rely heavily on blood and breath test evidence -- but sometimes, that evidence was improperly obtained, or tainted by poor handling or improper tests. In any case that relies on flawed or suspect BAC evidence, we will challenge that evidence, which can destroy or substantially weaken the case it supports. In some cases, we can negotiate to have the case dismissed before any trial can take place. And if you prefer a guilty plea, we will work our hardest to get you an appropriate, fair and lenient sentence and alternative penalties.
Howard Law, P.C. offers free case evaluations, so you can speak to us about your drunk driving case at no further risk. To set up a meeting, call us toll-free at 1-800-872-5925 or send us a message through the Internet.
