Our Newport Beach drunk driving criminal defense attorneys were interested to read about a distinction that Huntington beach would probably prefer not to have. According to the Huntington Beach Independent, a statewide report says Surf City leads the state, among cities of its size, in number of drunk driving crashes per capita. The January Report compared Huntington Beach to other California cities of 100,000 to 250,000 people. In 2009, the city saw 195 deaths or injuries in alcohol-related crashes, said the state Office of Traffic Safety. It has been in the top 10 cities of its size in this area every year since 2005, the article said, but this is the first time it was number one.
The ranking was not entirely news among Huntington Beach's city leaders and law enforcement officials. The city has been taking aggressive steps to reduce intoxicated driving arrests in the past few years, some of which have created controversy. Recently, the city council voted 4-3 against adopting a plan by one councilman to put mug shots of drunk drivers on Facebook, which the councilman said was intended to shame them. The city has also used state and federal funding to step up conventional anti-DUI measures like checkpoints and extra patrols. The city has also been asking arrestees where they had their last drink and following up with frequently named establishments. A spokesperson for the state noted that arrests had gone up in Huntington Beach, and its ranking made it eligible for more enforcement funding.
As Chino intoxicated driving criminal defense lawyers, we hope Huntington Beach uses that funding in a way that respect drivers' civil rights. That is unfortunately not always guaranteed when it comes to drunk driving enforcement. The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the use of DUI checkpoints, but admitted that they violate drivers' rights against unreasonable search and seizure. Closer to home, the proposal to put mug shots on Facebook was criticized - correctly, in our view - as misleading and unfair. Mug shots come from a DUI arrest; whether the driver is guilty is up to a court of law, not one police officer's judgment. And some questioned whether humiliating drivers, or their families, would have a measurable effect on public safety.
If you're pulled over for drunk driving in California, Howard Law, P.C. can help. Based in Anaheim, we represent clients from all cities and backgrounds who are facing DUI charges. Some clients come to us feeling as if they might as well plead guilty because they know the police have a blood-alcohol concentration reading of 0.08 or above. But in the experience of our Oceanside DUI criminal defense attorneys, that's not rock-solid proof of guilt at all. Breath test readings can be compromised in a variety of ways, including problems with the test itself, the way police administered it or the way the sample was handled. There can also be problems with the way the sample was obtained - that is, the initial traffic stop may not have been legal. That's why you shouldn't plead guilty without at least talking to us.
Howard Law, P.C. offers free, confidential case evaluations to all potential clients. To set up a meeting, call us toll-free at 1-800-872-5925 or send us a message through our website.
