By Michael
California state Rep. Roy Ashburn’s DUI arrest earlier this month led the conservative politician to come clean about his sexual orientation.
For the past 14 years Ashburn has been a Republican senator who consistently voted against movements for gay rights, reports the Associated Press. But on a radio in his California district he came out out of the closet, saying: “I am gay… those are the words that have been so difficult for me for so long.”
Ashburn is a 55-year-old father of four who stated he has always tried to keep his personal life separate from his professional life. But his recent drunk driving arrest brought both together under the public spotlight.
The senator was arrested near the Capitol in Sacramento on March 3rd for erratic driving. A breathalyzer test revealed Ashburn’s blood-alcohol level was .14, according to the Associated Press, well above the legal limit of .08.
After his arrest, news outlets reported that Ashburn was driving with an unidentified man in his government-owned car. The pair had allegedly left from Faces, a gay nightclub in the area.
Ashburn has been on leave from work since the arrest, but attended a Senate session where he was warmly received by Republicans and Democrats. The senator has basically tried to avoid the media, the Associated Press reported.
Ashburn has consistently voted against anything offering equality to gays, including a day of recognition for Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to public office in California.
As far as his voting in the Senate is concerned, Ashburn says his votes don’t necessarily reflect his own views, they reflect the way he feels his constituents would want him to vote. He doesn’t believe his work is a place to bring his own “internal conflict.”
The senator asked for support from friends and family, and says he has no plans to run for further public office after his current term ends.
Copyright © 2010 Total DUI, Inc. All rights reserved.
By Michael
An Ohio man was convicted of his twenty-first DUI recently, and with a dramatic statement a judge sentenced him to ten years in prison, representing the maximum term possible in the case.
Forty-five-year old Kevin J. Ante did not comment as the Butler County judge handed him the sentence in Common Pleas Court. According to authorities, they initially knew of 17 of Ante’s DUI offenses. Recently, however, they uncovered four more DUI convictions on his extensive record.
Even Ante’s lawyer, David S. Washington Jr., was surprised at this development. Whatever the final count, Washington agreed, it was far too many DUI convictions.
Ante was only recently released from prison on the same charges of drunk driving. He served a four year sentence, and was picked up for his latest DUI only 90 days after his release.
According to police, Ante even attempted to evade arrest when he was stopped on December 3, 2009. He got about a quarter mile away before they were able to pull him over. Police quickly smelled alcohol and realized that Ante was confused or unresponsive, according to WKRC in Cincinnati, and he was arrested for DUI.
The judge in this latest case, Judge Michael Sage, said that he had never seen such a case in 20 years as a judge and 30 years as a lawyer. Judge Sage made reference to the 2005 DUI that landed Ante the four year sentence.
“You served every day of that,” Sage said as he made his ruling. “I struggle with cases like this,” he continued, “because, in my mind, alcoholism is a disease.” Sage noted, however, that Ante did not use his previous time in prison to address his problems with alcohol.
In making his decision to enforce the maximum sentence, Sage said that he was protecting the public. “You are a ticking time bomb waiting to kill somebody,” he told Ante.
Ante’s 21 drunk driving convictions stem all the way back to his first one in 1982.
Copyright © 2010 Total DUI, Inc. All rights reserved.
By Michael
Another athlete is making a public apology after being arrested for DUI.
The Minnesota Timberwolves NBA team have suspended their star center Al Jefferson for two games without pay after he was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated recently, according to the Associated Press.
Jefferson apologized to his team and to fans after the DWI arrest. He also said that he accepts the punishment that the Timberwolves handed down. In his apology, Jefferson said:
“I want to apologize to the entire Timberwolves organization, owner Glen Taylor, my teammates, coaches and Wolves fans everywhere for my actions last night. I made a very poor decision and I am truly sorry for that. As a leader on this team, I know that more is expected of me, and I am disappointed in myself.”
Jefferson was stopped on Interstate 394 in Minneapolis, near downtown, early on a recent Sunday morning.
According to police, he was speeding and changing lanes without a signal. Jefferson took a field sobriety test, then agreed to be transferred to a nearby hospital for a blood test to determine his blood-alcohol content. His car was towed, and police described him as very cooperative with their efforts.
The results of the blood tests had not come in yet, and are expected in the next several weeks.
Jefferson’s arrest came after a loss to the Portland Trailblazers. Jefferson had scored 19 points in the game, which took place at the Target Center.
“On behalf of the Timberwolves organization, we are disappointed that Al used poor judgment last night,” said Timberwolves president of basketball operations David Kahn. “Thankfully, nobody was injured or hurt.”
Kahn also said that Jefferson felt terrible about the incident, and that he understood how serious an issue it was for himself and for the team.
“He feels terrible,” said Kahn, “and I believe him when he says he will learn from his mistake.” Kahn reiterated also that the suspension was appropriate.
Jefferson is 25-years-old, and has played in the NBA since 2004, where he started out with the Boston Celtics. He was traded to Minnesota in the blockbuster deal that sent star Kevin Garnett to Boston.
Copyright © 2010 Total DUI, Inc. All rights reserved.
By Michael
The charges continue to mount for a man who drove his car into a Carl’s Jr. restaurant in El Cajon, California, killing one unsuspecting driver.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that the driver, Richard Alfred Daus, was recently charged with gross vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence at the time of the deadly accident.
If he is convicted of these crimes, Daus could face a maximum of 15 years to life in prison. His charge falls into a section of the law that calls for a harsher sentence for those who have multiple previous DUI convictions on their record, or a prior vehicular manslaughter conviction.
Daus qualifies for this section of the law because he was convicted of reckless homicide in Cook County, Illinois, in 1952, and he has a drunk driving conviction for 1988, which occurred in Alaska.
Daus had a blood-alcohol content of 0.22 percent two hours after the fatal crash occurred, meaning he was almost three times above the legal limit for blood alcohol content, which is 0.08 percent.
Randy Eugene Smith was the victim in the accident. He was a regular at the Carl’s Jr. restaurant, and he was eating breakfast in a corner booth when the SUV of Daus crashed through the building. The crash was captured on surveillance video from a nearby bank.
Daus had been attempting to pull into an ATM machine at that bank. When he couldn’t get the car into the proper positioning, he finally opened the car door to get himself in position. The car lurched forward with the door open and Daus still in the driver’s seat, traveled 361 feet and collided with the Carl’s Jr. restaurant at 33 miles per hour.
Smith was thrown across the restaurant from the impact, and died before he could be taken to the hospital. According to the Union-Tribune, Daus was wedged between the dashboard and the seat of his car.
Officers on the scene said Daus’ eyes were red and watery, and his speech blurred.
Copyright © 2010 Total DUI, Inc. All rights reserved.
By Michael
Margot Kassmann is the country’s highest Protestant minister, and she is the head of the Evangelical Church in Germany. And as we’ve seen many times, those in high office are not immune to driving under the influence and the impact that it can have on a life and a public image.
Kassman faces DUI charges after she tested for three times the legal blood-alcohol content level, according to USA Today.
Kassmann was stopped after she was seen running a red light in the northern German city of Hanover. Police gathered a sample of her blood for testing, and her BAC came back at 0.154 percent.
The legal blood-alcohol level to drive in Germany is 0.05, meaning that Kassmann had tripled the acceptable levels.
Jurgen Lendeckel, a state prosecutor, said of the blood-alcohol content that “the value of 0.11 is a threshold. Everything beyond that means absolutely unfit to drive and results in prosecution.”
According to police, Kassmann’s driver’s license was confiscated, and legal proceedings were already moving forward.
About the incident, Kassmann was not hesitant to take complete responsibility for her actions, saying, “I am alarmed at myself at having made such a bad mistake. I am aware of how dangerous and irresponsible drunk driving is. I will of course face up to the legal consequences.”
Kassman was selected to lead Germany’s Protestant church, which comprises some 25 million members, last October. She has faced scrutiny in the past for her position on military issues, with the message, to quote Spiegel Online, “that the military mission in Afghanistan can’t be justified, and calling for withdrawal of German troops.”
She was also a lightning rod choice for the post because she was the first German bishop to file for divorce. However, she had a reputation as a modernizer who supported the improvement of relations with the Catholic church.
In addition to leading the Evangelical Church in Germany, she is still the bishop of the Evangelical Church in Hanover, Germany. She is an experienced theologian, having studied at numerous universities in Germany.
The Protestant church had no additional comments on the situation, other than what Kassmann told the media.
Copyright © 2010 Total DUI, Inc. All rights reserved.
By Michael
Drunk driving and poor decisions continue to go hand in hand. This week offered several more strange stories, about two DUI suspects who were foolish enough to drink and get behind the wheel.
The first story is that of a Florida woman who was driven by a lusty urge to visit her imprisoned with a man who happened to be an inmate at the local jail.
The Associated Press reports that the woman was allegedly under the influence of alcohol when she drove to the Flagler County Jail in Bunnell, Florida. When she arrived, she demanded to see a particular inmate. Her specific request? A conjugal visit.
According to the sheriff’s office, the woman did have an appointment to visit the jail. She was late, however, so she was turned away from the appointment. She drove off and returned not long after. The guards at the jail called the police, because they suspected that she was driving under the influence of alcohol.
Police found her sitting in her car, and she failed a field sobriety test. When police later tested her blood, they determined that her blood alcohol content was 0.256 percent. The legal limit for driving is 0.08 percent.
The woman had little chance of success in having her request filled as conjugal visits are not allowed at the jail.
In Pittsburgh, another story that seems improbable was reported by WTAE. A Pennsylvania firefighter was accused of stealing a casino security truck, driving it while intoxicated, and attempting to run over a woman with it.
William White was found by Rivers Casino security guards urinating in the casino’s parking garage. They stopped him, and he was too drunk to provide his name, according to the guards. Then White stole their security truck and drove off.
Later, White was seen by police driving on the wrong side of the road, observing that he almost hit a patrol car.
When the police attempted to arrest White, he fled on foot, then spit in an officer’s face.
White’s attorney expressed regret on his behalf, and apologized. White has been in a rehab program for alcohol addiction, and is on unpaid suspension from the fire department.
Copyright © 2010 Total DUI, Inc. All rights reserved.
By Michael
Washington State Trooper Scott Johnson is lucky to be alive after he was shot in the head early on a recent Saturday morning. After all, the bullet was still in his head when he was released from the hospital.
As officials work to solve the case, a recent turn has thrown some light on who may be responsible. The latest suspect in the shooting, court papers revealed, is the husband of a woman that Trooper Johnson was investigating for DUI.
That suspect, Martin A. Jones, is in jail facing attempted murder and assault charges.
At midnight, just before the shooting, trooper Jesse Greene stopped a black van driving over the speed limit on a state road. He pulled over the woman and gave her a battery of field sobriety tests. She failed the tests, and was arrested for DUI. She was by herself in the van.
Scott Johnson arrived on the scene following the arrest, to help process the vehicle in question and to wait for a tow truck while Greene took the woman to the station.
At that point, Martin Jones approached the scene and asked a tow truck driver what he was doing. The driver replied that he was taking the vehicle to an impound lot. Jones then disappeared.
A short time later, Jones returned, walking up behind Scott Johnson, who was taking inventory of things inside the van. Jones shot Johnson twice in the head, took a step back, and chuckled, according to the tow truck driver.
The driver thought it was a toy gun, and only realized the severity of the situation when Jones fired several rounds at him, breaking out a window in the van. “I’ve been shot!” yelled Johnson, who was able to fire off several rounds at Jones as he fled the scene.
Police dogs tracked Jones’ scent back to his house. Johnson identified a sketch of Jones, who was then placed under arrest. When police arrived to arrest him, he had several suitcases packed.
Police then discovered that the van’s driver was Jones’ wife, which seemed to provide a motive in the shooting.
Jones is now in jail on $5 million bail.
Copyright © 2010 Total DUI, Inc. All rights reserved.
By Michael
A Canadian man has been arrested for drunk driving so many times the courts didn’t just suspend his license: They banned him from driving for life.
According to an article in the Canadian Press, Nova Scotia resident Terry Naugle has racked up a total of 68 convictions in past 32 years. Of these, 22 were DUI related and 14 charges were for driving on a revoked license.
So far he has served 22 years in prison for all his separate convictions, with no sentence lasting more than three years. His driving privileges have also been revoked many times, but he continues to ignore these sentences. Thus, it’s unclear if the lifetime driving ban will have much impact.
Naulge never stayed in jail too long because he never seriously injured or killed someone while drinking and driving.
His latest arrest occurred in March 2009 when he hit a parked vehicle on an off ramp. The McMillan family had pulled over their car because they ran out of gas.
Mr. McMillan walked to the gas station leaving behind his wife and teenage daughter. Naugle drove his car onto the off ramp and side swiped their vehicle, and then proceeded to leave the scene.
David McMillan was walking back when he saw Naugle hit the car. He jumped into the driver’s seat and the family followed Naugle into a gas station.
They claimed that Naugle reeked of alcohol while staggering and slurring his words. He then fled again, but was later arrested by RCPM officers who were at the gas station.
Naugle pleaded guilty to driving with a restricted license, refusing to take a breathalyzer, and fleeing the scene of the accident. He was sentenced to eight and half years for driving under the influence.
Most sentences for DUI charges in Nova Scotia are short term, but when viewed in light of his prior convictions the judge thought a longer sentence was necessary.
Judge Frank Hoskins, who oversaw the court case, said “Mr. Naugle’s record for impaired driving is one of the worst I’ve ever seen.”
Julia McMillan and MADD (Mothers against Drunk Driving) hoped that the judge was going to classify Naugle as a dangerous offender with his long history of DUI convictions. Instead, he received only the longer sentence and lifetime ban.
Copyright © 2010 Total DUI, Inc. All rights reserved.
By Michael
Do you feel you were pulled over for DUI for no reason whatsoever? It’s possible that is the case, at least in Illinois, where lawsuits and internal investigations are looking widespread charges of false DUI arrests.
According to Chicago’s ABC7 news site, around 40 lawsuits were filed against Richard Fiorito for alleged false DUI charges. They claimed that he targeted the gay and lesbian community after they left from gay bars.
The lawsuits also claim that Fiorito stopped drivers for “bogus” traffic violations. The plaintiffs say he then made up false reports claiming they were intoxicated.
But recently the charges against Fiorito were dropped by Cook County’s State Attorney Anita Alvarez. She said there was not enough evidence to convict him, even with the surveillance video.
The surveillance video was put in Fiorito’s police car in March 2009 because he had several complaints about him making false arrests.
According to the lawsuits, these videos contradicted Fiorito’s arrest reports. Alvarez still said it was not enough evidence to present a case against the police officer.
The plaintiffs disagreed and claimed that the video tape proves the officer made false DUI reports.
A spokeswoman for the state attorney claimed Alvarez dropped the charges because the allegations were inconsistent and most of the drivers refused to give bloods samples to determine their BAC.
Alvarez’s chief of staff said that “based upon that investigation, it was determined that there were a number of inconsistencies. And it was ultimately determined we wouldn’t be able to meet our burden which in a criminal case is beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Since the investigation, Fiorito no longer patrols the streets but works behind a desk. He will continue to do so until Internal Affairs completes their investigation. Also, Fiorito will no longer be a witness in DUI cases.
But Fiorito was not the first Chicago police officer to be accused of making false DUI arrests. Two officers were previously accused of the same offense. One officer even retired early instead of face criminal charges and an investigation for allegedly making these false claims.
Copyright © 2010 Total DUI, Inc. All rights reserved.
By Michael
While millions of Americans were enjoying the excitement of a thrilling Super Bowl, Ryan Larson of Elkhart, Indiana, was allegedly enjoying a different kind of excitement.
The roller coaster ride of the game between the Saints and the Colts was quite different from the cop car joyride Larson experienced.
According to the Elkhart eTruth, Larson was arrested on preliminary charges of stealing a police car and ramming it into a barrier, as well as DUI, resisting law enforcement and leaving the scene of an accident. The Elkhart County Sherriff’s Department released the statement outlining the charges.
The original call came in for a domestic disturbance at around 7:30 p.m. Larson’s parents were there to respond to officers. They claimed to believe that their son was under the influence of alcohol and prescription medication.
According to the press release, as police were talking to his parents, Larson jumped into Elkhart County Patrolman Brandon Denesuk’s patrol car and drove off down the street.
Police used GPS locators in the car to find it almost immediately. They were attempting to intercept the stolen vehicle when Larson allegedly crashed it into a construction area near the Johnson Street bridge. The crash caused minor damage when the police car ran into barricades that were set up around the construction site.
Larson fled the scene of the patrol car accident on foot, though police were able to locate and apprehend him fairly quickly. The ordeal lasted about fifteen minutes from the time police approached Larson’s parents to the time he was apprehended on foot.
Larson was checked for injuries at a nearby hospital, and then he was taken to jail.
According to police, all of the weapons that were in the car were secure, so a thief could not have gotten to them. Police are investigating whether the officers procedures and policies were effective.
Larson’s blood-alcohol level was .10 percent — .02 percent over the legal limit for DUI – at the time of his alleged escapade through the streets of Elkhart. Since he was driving – albeit a stolen cop car – he was still charged with DUI.
There is no word on whether Larson was allowed to watch the end of the game from jail, though the Colts loss may have been tough for the Indiana resident to watch anyhow.
Copyright © 2010 Total DUI, Inc. All rights reserved.
