By guest-writer
A Brazilian race car driver was recently arrested for a DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide after allegedly causing an accident that killed a pedestrian in Miami Beach last week, according to a report from NBC Miami.
The South American race car driver, 20-year-old Joao Paulo Escudero Mauro, made his first appearance this Friday in Miami-Dade courtroom, where the judge set his bond at a lofty sum of $250,000.
Despite this high price tag, though, Mauro soon posted bond later that afternoon, but the court will follow his movements with an ankle monitor and the Brazilian driver had to surrender his passport.
According to a report from Miami Beach police, Mauro was driving his Mercedes-Benz SUV on Collins Avenue at a speedy clip of 60 miles per hour in a 30 miles per hour zone. While he was speeding north on Collins, Mauro allegedly swerved to the left and drove onto a nearby sidewalk.
At the same time, which was roughly 1:30 a.m. last Thursday night, 45-year-old Russell Knudson was trying to squeeze his bicycle into a rear door of his Toyota SUV when he was hit and killed by the speeding Mercedes, according to police.
After the accident, Mauro allegedly drove the Mercedes further along the sidewalk until he eventually stopped several yards later.
When police made first contact with Mauro, he reportedly had bloodshot eyes and a flushed face, and his breath apparently smelled like alcohol. Mauro admitted to police that he had been drinking earlier, and he claimed that he swerved his car to avoid another vehicle that had stopped in traffic in front of him.
While the presence of another car in the road could support Mauro’s claim that he is not guilty, Mauro’s felony DUI charge could be enhanced by the possible presence of drugs, as well as his admitted alcohol use.
When police arrested him, they noted that Mauro’s left nostril contained a “white powdery substance” and the arresting officers found a small bag of a substance that looked a lot like cocaine. The bag was found close to the area where Mauro was standing.
So, in addition to the charges of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide, the Brazilian national will also have to defend himself against a charge of cocaine possession.
Police also noted that Mauro had “a white powdery substance in his left nostril,” and that they found a small baggie of what appeared to be cocaine near where he was standing. He was later charged with cocaine possession in addition to the DUI and vehicular homicide charges.
Mauro, however, remains undaunted, and his attorney said that he and the defendant “believe that the evidence will show that Mr. Mauro was not driving under the influence or involved in vehicular homicide.”
In addition to this claim of innocence, Mauro’s attorney also acknowledged that the defendant felt “very badly for the Knudson family.”
Mauro has competed for a few years in Brazilian stock car racing and recently made his American appearance last June at the Road America 200 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge in Wisconsin.
By guest-writer
Against her wishes, former Miss USA Rima Fakih will have to soon face trial for her alleged DUI after a Michigan judge refused to give the beauty queen more time to prepare her defense, according to a report from The Detroit News.
District Judge Brigette Officer told Fakih that legal proceedings had dragged on long enough after her December DUI arrest, and that Fakih would soon have to stand trial for her drunk driving charges.
Fakih, a 26-year-old from Dearborn, Michigan, had been charged with misdemeanor drunk driving after her arrest on December 3. The police report from the incident claims that Fakih has been driving erratically at high speeds, and had failed to use a turn signal.
Perhaps more troubling for the Dearborn native than her alleged erratic driving, though, was the presence of a half-empty bottle of Moet & Chandon Champagne behind the driver’s seat of her flashy 2011 Jaguar.
After her arrest, Fakih’s blood alcohol content was measured at 0.19 and 0.20, both of which are far above the state limit of 0.08.
Unfortunately for the former Miss USA, Fakih’s high blood alcohol level qualified her for conviction under Michigan’s ridiculously named “Super Drunk Law,” which allows judges to impose stricter penalties on first-time offenders.
Many states have enacted similar laws in recent years in an effort to deter more young drivers without prior DUI convictions to keep their records clean.
Prosecutors in this case, however, have chosen not to charge Fakih under the “Super Drunk Law” and instead are looking to impose a more routine sentence for a lesser charge, driving while impaired.
In the latest hearing, the judge apparently lost her patience with Fakih’s delay tactics. The first proceeding, scheduled for December 21, had been delayed because Fakih’s lawyer was unable to attend.
After Fakih made her latest request for a delay, the judge politely declined, and ordered Fakih to face trial on March 14. If she is convicted, Miss USA 2010 could face up to 93 days in jail, as well as potential fines or the loss of her driver’s license.
In many first-time DUI trials, defendants are often forced to serve some jail time, pay a fine, or perform community service, but judges typically do not impose the maximum possible sentence.
And, in many cases, defendants simply negotiate with the judge or prosecutors to enter a plea bargain, which typically involves an admission of guilt in exchange for a lighter sentence. This option still remains open to Fakih.
States like entering plea bargains with criminal defendants because it saves the time and hassle of a trial, while still holding the drunk driver responsible for his or her actions. This reality might help Fakih escape a harsh sentence.
By guest-writer
An Idaho politician who was involved in a DUI arrest last Father’s Day claims that he cannot remember many details about his arrest, which has troubled skeptical voters and members of his own party in the Idaho Senate.
According to a recent report from the Idaho Press-Tribune, which recently interviewed Rep. John McGee about his DUI arrest, McGee’s arrest came after his erratic driving caused him to jackknife an SUV and its cargo trailer.
After McGee was arrest, police discovered that his blood alcohol level was almost twice the legal limit, although the politician still contends that he remembers nothing from that night. McGee said he remembers having a few “celebratory drinks” after winning a golf tournament, but that the rest of the night was a blur.
For his actions, McGee pleaded guilty to the charge of a DUI, but police later dropped their charge that he was driving the car without the owner’s consent.
After his guilty plea, McGee spent 36 hours in jail (which was a far cry from the possible 180 days he could have spent behind bars), and performed 24 hours of community service. He was also fined $1,000 and, because it was his first offense, under Idaho DUI law, the arrest may be removed from his record if he follows the terms of his probation.
Of course, while his criminal record may eventually be clear, his record in the court of public opinion may have suffered long-term damage.
This week, the senator will learn whether he will retain his position as the Republican Senate Caucus chairman, or if his party will remove him from the position for fear of a public outcry.
Too be fair, McGee certainly isn’t the first politician who has recovered his position after a DUI accident, but the Idaho public remains skeptical about his ability to serve as a senator.
Nevertheless, McGee continues to fight for his position in the senate, and pictures he showed the Idaho Press-Tribune seem to support his claim that the injuries he suffered in the accident have fogged his memory of the events that led up to the crash.
Sources indicate that these photos reveal discoloration and a wide scab on the top of his head, as well bruises and deep abrasions on his waist, left knee, and torso.
And, despite McGee’s poor decision—which he readily admits was wrong—he may offer a good example of an otherwise responsible person who made one terrible decision.
Many DUI arrests, in fact, involve responsible members of the community who don’t know their own limits. In order to avoid making a similar mistake, other drivers should remember that getting behind the wheel after a few drinks is never worth the risk to one’s reputation.
By guest-writer
A few weeks ago, James Loney, the star first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers, was involved in a bizarre DUI accident, but his employers did not find out about the incident until recently, thanks to an anonymous phone call to the team’s executive office.
According to a recent post from the Los Angeles Times, Loney was driving his 2009 Maserati on California’s famed 101 Freeway when his car allegedly sideswiped three other cars, and eventually came to a complete stop in the fast lane of a busy highway.
Sources indicate that the incident took place in the early evening in Sherman Oaks, California. The 27-year-old Loney was arrested on the scene by police officers, but not before he engaged in some reportedly bizarre behavior.
After Loney struck the three vehicles—a Mini Cooper, a Toyota Prius, and a Mercedes Benz—the three drivers of the other cars attempted to speak with Loney, who had parked his car in the fast lane of the freeway after the collisions.
Their efforts, however, were futile, as Loney appeared to be unconscious, or at the very least, unresponsive to the requests of the other drivers.
Once he awoke, though, the police report claims that Loney attempted to flee the scene, although he did not get very far, given his arrest shortly after the collisions.
After he was arrested, sources indicate that Loney’s unusual behavior at the scene of the accident prompted paramedics to transport him to a nearby hospital, where he eventually recovered his senses without further incident.
An arresting officer remarked that Loney displayed “objective symptoms of being intoxicated or under the influence of something,” although one source told the Los Angeles Times that a breathalyzer test and a blood test both came back negative for signs of intoxication.
However, in response to this claim, a California Highway Patrol officer claimed that an investigation into the results of Loney’s blood test had not yet been completed.
Of course, while this news means that Loney will have to battle possible DUI charges in court, it seems that the Dodgers do not intend to punish Loney by revoking their contract offer, despite the fact that they only recently learned of the incident.
The Dodgers’ general manager, Ned Colleti, said that the team still planned to tender a new contract to Loney, who is up for a new deal, unless an internal investigation reveals new details about the arrest.
In the absence of new information, though, Colleti seems willing to maintain the team’s ties with James Loney, who has been a revelation in recent years as an upcoming young star for a disappointing team.
For his part, Loney is likely eager to start making headlines for his play on the baseball diamond, not his reckless driving.
By guest-writer
According to the tireless celebrity watchdogs at TMZ, the 2010 winner of the Miss USA pageant was recently arrested for a DUI, which added an exclamation point to a scandal-ridden year for the beauty queen, Rima Fakih.
Sources indicate the Fakih was arrested last week in Highland Park, Michigan when the police suspected her of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Despite the official police report, and the fact that criminal arrests are part of the public record, Fakih bizarrely denied the initial report. This weekend, she tweeted, “let’s clear things up now… I’m NOT in Michigan and I’m NOT in jail! Wrong Fakih.”
Alas, cooler heads eventually prevailed, as her DUI attorney later told the Detroit Free-Press that his famous client was, in fact, the Rima Fakih who had been arrested for a DUI in Highland Park, Michigan.
Since her attorney admitted that she had been arrested for a DUI, Fakih removed the false tweet from her Twitter account and expressed remorse, through her attorney, for the “situation that she is in right now.”
The alleged DUI incident adds another scandal to an increasingly large list of public transgressions for the Miss USA winner.
Sources indicate that Fakih was exposed as a former stripper by a Michigan radio show just one day after she won the 2010 Miss USA contest.
While the news that she had been a pole dancer didn’t immediately disqualify her from serving as Miss USA, the image-conscious competition certainly lamented the fact that there were pictures floating around the Internet of the contest winner engaging in pole-dancing competitions.
In addition to the rumors and innuendos surrounding her past career, Fakih was also targeted by critics for allegedly partying too much after she won the Miss USA crown.
While Fakih now faces real legal trouble, which is potentially more damaging than rumors about partying and dancing, she entered the Miss USA pageant as a hero to many young girls, particularly those of Arab descent.
Sources indicate that Fakih was probably the first woman of Muslim and Arab descent to win the Miss USA competition. Fakih’s family had immigrated from to the United States from Lebanon when she was a baby and eventually settled in Michigan.
Even more interestingly, Fakih’s family celebrates both the Muslim and Christian faiths, which made her a particularly appealing candidate in the Miss USA contest.
Fakih was also the first Miss Michigan to win the competition since 1993. After she was crowned Miss USA, she participated in the Miss Universe contest but did not win.
Needless to say, Fakih has seen better days, but her DUI arrest does not necessarily mean that she will have to lose her car. Punishment for first-time offenders often involves some jail time, fines, or the possibility of a temporarily suspended license.
By guest-writer
The typical DUI arrest takes place in a car, as police officers try to prevent land-bound drivers from hurting themselves or passengers in other cars. Arrests for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, though, rarely happen in the sky.
Such an incident, however, occurred a few years ago when a United Airlines pilot was arrested for flying while drunk. And the consequences of that poor decision recently came home to roost.
According to a report from CNN.com, a federal judge sentenced 33-year-old Aaron Jason Cope to six months of prison and six months of home detention for flying a commercial plane while intoxicated in 2009.
Cope should consider himself lucky, as the judge levied a sentence that was much lower than the possible maximum term. Sources indicate that Cope faced a possible maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, with a maximum fine of $250,000.
The relatively innocent language of the charge, which convicted Cope of “operating a common carrier under the influence of alcohol,” belies the serious nature of the offense.
Cope was arrested on December 8, 2009, after a co-pilot noticed the smell of alcohol on his breath. Despite the smell, though, the co-pilot admitted that Cope “appeared to be speaking and thinking clearly.”
Fortunately for the passengers, Cope had spent the flight monitoring various systems on the airplane, and did not play a direct role in the steering of the aircraft.
When the United Express flight touched down in Denver after departing from Austin, Texas, the co-pilot, who had grown suspicious due to Cope’s odor, told Cope that he should probably go home sick.
However, after speaking with company officials, the co-pilot told Cope that the airline wanted him to take a breathalyzer test at an alcohol testing facility in Denver International Airport’s main terminal.
At that facility, Cope showed a blood alcohol content of .094, which is more than twice the legal limit for pilots of .04, as established by the Federal Aviation Administration. For comparison’s sake, the legal limit for people operating motor vehicles in most U.S. states is .08.
After he was caught with a high BAC, Cope admitted to officials that he had gone to a bar with a friend and bought beer from a convenience store the night before his flight.
Once the news struck the media, it naturally caused a firestorm of public criticism. Cope’s co-pilot, however, was praised for potentially saving the lives of several passengers.
After Cope left the flight from Austin, he had been scheduled to lead a flight full of 70 to 80 passengers later that morning. His co-pilot wisely convinced him to stay off that flight, and ultimately led him to the alcohol testing facility in the airport.
Cases of drunk flying are relatively rare, so, when they do occur, they naturally become large events. Nevertheless, despite their rarity, incidents of flying while intoxicated are taken very seriously, as evidence by the court’s decision to levy a six-month prison sentence.
By guest-writer
Rodney King, once the victim of an infamous incident of police brutality, was arrested for a DUI offense this summer, and this week he entered a plea of not guilty during an initial court appearance.
King, who is African-American, was the subject of a brutal beating by four white police officers after a seemingly routine traffic stop in southern California in 1991.
Graphic footage of the beating was soon released to the public, and people across the country expressed outrage over his treatment. The officers, however, who were involved in the beating of King were acquitted a year later.
The officers’ acquittal sparked an intense race riot in Los Angeles in 1992, which led to the deaths of 55 people and untold amounts of property damage to houses and storefronts in Los Angeles.
Since the 1991 arrest was precipitated by a traffic arrest, King’s arrest this July in southern California for driving under the influence of alcohol struck a painful chord in Los Angeles.
According to the Washington Post, prosecutors are alleging that King was impaired by alcohol and marijuana when he was driving this summer through Moreno Valley, California.
In a court filing this month, King denied the charges, entering a plea of not guilty to misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence and driving with a blood alcohol level above the legal limit. King filed his plea in Riverside Superior Court.
King’s DUI lawyer did not return phone calls from the Washington Post seeking more information, but sources indicate that the next step in King’s legal battle will take place at a hearing in late November.
For his part, King may be nervous about the potential consequences of his arrest, because he has had a prior DUI conviction.
While judges are guided by mandatory sentencing laws, they do have some discretion with DUI sentences, and tend to deliver harsher verdicts for offenders who have committed more than one DUI violation.
In addition, repeat DUI offenders are often required to install interlock ignition devices in their cars. These devices prevent drunk drivers from being able to turn on the ignition when they are intoxicated.
And, in addition to possible interlock ignition devices and longer sentences, repeat DUI drivers may also face large fines, mandatory community service, or the loss of their licenses.
So, the results of King’s trial will likely play a major role on his future freedom.
By guest-writer
After amassing a fortune by creating the Wal-Mart retailing juggernaut, Sam Walton left billions of dollars in inheritance money for his descendants. As a result of this massive inheritance, Walton’s relatives still remain in the spotlight, whether they like it or not.
One Walton heiress who recently captured the public’s attention is 62-year-old Alice Walton, who recently spent her birthday in a Texas jail after being arrested for driving while intoxicated.
According to the Mineral Wells Index, a Texas newspaper, Walton was stopped by police after committing a traffic violation while driving through a construction zone at night. Police arrested Walton for a DUI after she failed a field sobriety test.
During the incident, Walton had refused to take a breathalyzer test to determine her blood alcohol content, but the officers still arrested her based on her subpar performance in the sobriety test.
Local police told the newspaper that they intended to treat the billionaire heiress just like any other DUI offender, but critics noted that the police initially failed to put her mug shot on the police department’s website, which is the usual protocol.
After inquiries from local media sources, the police did post Walton’s mug shot, which shows a disappointed Walton in blue jailhouse garb.
In a statement released by her attorney, Walton admitted to driving 16 miles per hour over the speed limit while driving home from a birthday dinner at a restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas. The statement said Walton accepted “full responsibility” for the incident and that she “deeply regrets it.”
While a DUI arrest doesn’t usually receive much public attention, Walton’s arrest was noteworthy due to her fame and her prior criminal record.
Sources indicate that Walton had previously been arrested for a DUI in 1998 in Springdale, Arkansas. She was also involved in an accident in 1989 that resulted in the death of another driver.
Both of these driving incidents, however, did not result in a criminal conviction. In the DUI case, she simply paid a few hundred dollars in fines.
Walton undoubtedly regrets the attention she received for her arrest, but she is certainly a public figure given her estimated $21 billion net worth.
This healthy sum places her among the top 10 richest people in America, according to a study in Forbes magazine. The top 10 list also includes a few of her relatives. The Walton fortune is so large, it still creates obscenely wealthy individuals when divided in several parcels.
Members of the Walton family are considered royalty in their native Arkansas, where Walton founded the first Wal-Mart store decades ago.
The Waltons have donated millions of dollars to American and international charities, and still maintain some control over the business operations of the retailing giant.
By guest-writer
In a sign that gossip magazines’ obsession with celebrity drunk driving arrests may have gone too far, Radar Online recently reported on a celebrity DUI that occurred more than half a decade ago.
Ryan Gosling, the unwitting victim of a media with a long memory, managed to keep a 2005 DUI arrest out of the public eye until last week.
According to Radar Online, the popular star of films such as “The Notebook” and “Lars and the Real Girl” was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol way back in March of 2005.
Sources indicate that he was arrested by California Highway Patrol officers from the force’s central Los Angeles location.
Fortunately for Gosling, he and his DUI lawyer were able to lower his punishment. While Gosling was initially charged with a DUI, and his breathalyzer test allegedly revealed a blood alcohol level well above the legal limit of .08, both these charges were eventually dropped.
Instead, Gosling pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of “exhibiting speed.” According to sources, he was sentenced to two years of probation and had to pay roughly $800 in fines.
Cases like these, in which a celebrity escapes a DUI arrest with relatively minor charges, sometimes raises the public’s ire. If a celebrity is perceived to escape the consequences of his actions, people may view the end result as unjust.
However, while celebrities often see DUI charges dropped or reduced, average Joes are often just as capable of fighting their drunk driving arrests.
There are hundreds of things that can go wrong during a DUI arrest. If the police make a procedural error, or a mistake in judgment, the DUI charge may not hold as much weight in court.
In addition, courts often treat first-time offenders with more leniency than they handle people who have habitually violated the law.
Of course, even if the charges are reduced, most people do not face the challenge of having news of their arrest appear in a grocery store checkout line six years after the event occurred.
While DUI convictions are technically part of the public record, they do not have to end careers or lead to financial disaster.
By taking aggressive steps immediately after a DUI arrest, many people have a better chance of defending their legal rights in court.
For what it’s worth, Ryan Gosling’s career certainly seems to have survived his brush with the law in 2005.
The Canadian actor is currently starring as a stunt driver in the film “Drive,” which may have prompted the excursion through his driving record, and has had a leading role in at least half a dozen major movies in the last few years.
So, whether you are a big-time actor or just a regular non-famous civilian, remember that a DUI arrest is not always the end of the world. As Gosling can attest, regaining the freedom to drive again may be quite simple.
By Topher
Former WWE and TNA wrestler Matt Hardy was arrested at North Carolina’s Raleigh-Durham International Airport Monday on charges of DWI. The incident marked Hardy’s second DWI arrest in a matter of weeks.
Yesterday, TMZ.com published the police report from Hardy’s arrest this week, detailing the former wrestler’s allegedly disturbing behavior.
According to the report, police received several phone calls from concerned drivers Monday afternoon who claimed a car “almost hit two drivers three separate times.” When Hardy was spotted by an airport police officer, his car reportedly “swerved into the curb and then back onto the road.”
After Hardy was pulled over and asked to step out of his vehicle, the wrestler allegedly did so without putting the car in park. The officer reported, “The vehicle rolled forward and I yelled for him to put the vehicle in park.”
Observed to have “slow and slurred speech, sleepy eyes and a very lackadaisical demeanor,” Hardy proceeded to fail multiple field sobriety tests administered by the officer.
When asked to walk a straight line, he lost his balance and fell after taking only two steps. Given a second chance, Hardy made it “two or three steps” before failing to continue “heel-to-toe,” and again lost his balance.
Hardy was asked to stand on one leg. According to the report, he was unable to hold his leg up longer than one second.
A breathalyzer test showed that there was no alcohol in Hardy’s system, and a “Drug Recognition Officer” was called in to perform additional tests. The officer concluded that Hardy was under the influence of “Central Nervous System depressants,” and he was arrested on the spot.
The Monday arrest comes after Hardy received a previous DWI charge in late August. At the time, he was arrested when a trooper of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol discovered Hardy to be impaired after the former wrestler ran off the road and struck a tree.
Hardy is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 30 for this week’s arrest.
By guest-writer
While celebrities are no more likely to get arrested for a DUI than others, their brushes with the law always receive extensive media coverage.
Recently, Jamie Pressly, best known from the popular sitcom “My Name is Earl,” was able to escape a jail sentence after reaching a plea deal in her DUI case.
According to Fox News, Pressly was arrested for driving with a blood alcohol content of .22, which is almost three times the legal limit of .08.
Her arrest happened in January, when police officers noticed her car driving recklessly through the hills of Santa Monica, California.
Despite the severity of the crime, Pressly and her attorneys were able to spare her jail time, as the actress agreed to a sentence requiring probation for a period of three years.
Had she been convicted on her two charges, Pressly was potentially facing a maximum punishment of six months in prison.
Pressly’s legal tale is not uncommon. In fact, first-time offenders, as well as people who have been previously arrested for a DUI, often attempt to strike a deal with the court to avoid jail time.
The maximum sentences for certain crimes, including driving under the influence, are not always enforced. If people who are arrested have a firm grasp on their legal rights, they may be able to reduce their sentence.
In many instances, people arrested for a DUI are required to pay a fine or serve a probationary sentence. Jail time is often reserved for repeat offenders, or people who commit particularly egregious offense.
The avoidance of a jail sentence was important to Pressly so that she could continue filming for her new sitcom, “I Hate My Teenage Daughter,” which premieres later this fall.
Pressly, who started her career as a gymnast and then a model, is perhaps best known for her comedic work in movies. She has starred in movies such as “Not Another Teen Movie,” “Joe Dirt,” and “I Love You, Man.” Pressly has managed to carve a successful career playing high-strung, strong-willed characters.
Unfortunately, Pressly’s brush with the law is not uncommon. DUI arrests happen every day, but they do not have to spell financial doom for the people who are arrested.
Consulting with a DUI attorney may help you gather more information about your state’s DUI laws, as every state has a unique set of regulations related to drunk driving arrests.
If you are facing DUI charges, contact a local DUI lawyer today for more information about defending your legal rights.
By Topher
In the week leading up to their season opener, San Francisco 49ers receiver Braylon Edwards received word from the NFL that he will not be suspended for DUI charges brought against him more than a year ago when he was a member of the New York Jets.
The wide receiver, who pled guilty to the charges in July, will be fined $50,000 for violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy. The fine comes in place of a possible suspension and totals roughly two percent of Edwards’ salary.
The San Jose Mercury News reported on the NFL’s formal statement regarding the wide receiver’s case.
“Braylon Edwards was fined $50,000 for violating the NFL policy on Substances of Abuse. The fine is for the DUI only,” the league explained. “Any other matters will be addressed at the appropriate time.”
While the final sentence of the statement suggests room for further discipline, the NFL allegedly assured 49ers General Manager Trent Baalke that Edwards would not face suspension.
The disciplinary action against the 49ers receiver stems from Edwards’ September 2010 arrest on charges of driving while intoxicated.
The night of the arrest, NYPD officers stopped Edwards on Manhattan’s West Side for excessive tinting on the windows of his SUV and noticed a strong smell of alcohol. When given a breath test, Edwards’ blood alcohol content was .16, twice the legal limit.
At the time, Edwards was on probation for aggravated disorderly conduct stemming from accusations that he punched a man outside a Cleveland nightclub in 2009.
News of his league fine comes as a relief to the 49ers, who knew Edwards may be facing possible suspension when they signed him to a one-year, $2.1 million contract.
Edwards is currently listed as a co-starting receiver for the team’s Sunday opener against the Seattle Seahawks.
By Topher
A presidential relative was arrested last week in Framingham, Mass., on charges of drunk driving and now faces deportation.
When Onyango Obama, the half-brother of President Obama’s father, was given the chance to make a phone call following the arrest, he was sure to make his family ties known.
“I think I’d like to call the White House,” said Obama, according to the police report.
If expecting his nephew, Obama failed to remember that President Barack Obama is currently vacationing with his family on Martha’s Vineyard.
The law firm representing Onyango Obama told the Boston Globe that he is now in the custody of immigration officials and facing a possible deportation to Kenya.
The White House would not comment on the incident this week and, instead, directed all requests to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. According to the ICE press office, the agency does not report on individual cases.
Onyango Obama, 67, was stopped by police around 7 p.m. on Wednesday outside the Chicken Bone Saloon after he made a sharp turn and caused a police cruiser and another driver to slam on their brakes.
Officer Val J. Krishtal noted in his report that Obama appeared to be slurring his speech when the officer approached the vehicle.
“The male would not allow me to speak and continued to interrupt me,” Krishtal recorded in his arrest report. “I explained to him that I narrowly avoided striking his vehicle, and he told me that he did not hear my tires screeching, so I was not being accurate.”
After telling the officer he had not been drinking, Obama confessed to having one beer. He then revised his confession and claimed to have had two beers.
When a field sobriety test was performed, Obama allegedly kept starting the tests too early and spoke over the officer’s instructions.
“Every time I got a sentence out, Obama would say, ‘You are correct,’” Krishtal reported. “He also attempted to start the [one-legged stand] test approximately seven times without being told to do so.”
Obama was arrested on drunken driving charges after failing three sobriety tests. He later registered a blood alcohol level of 0.14 percent at the station. The legal limit in Massachusetts is 0.08.
Framingham police Lieutenant Ronald Brandolini told the Boston Globe the department did not look into the presidential connection despite Obama’s name and his request to contact the White House.
Obama was arraigned Thursday on charges of DUI, failure to yield at an intersection, and negligent operation. A spokeswoman for the Middlesex district attorney told the Boston Globe the judge released Obama on personal recognizance, but that he was held on an immigration detainer.
By Topher
Quick: What do rocker-turned-actor Rick Springfield and rapper Flo Rida have in common? If you answered “an affinity for catchy music,” you would be partially correct.
But the most accurate answer is that both celebrities were recently arrested for driving under the influence. Their stories serve as warnings for other drivers that state authorities take drunk driving very seriously.
According to the vigilant celebrity-stalking website TMZ, Rick Springfield faces two misdemeanor DUI charges after an arrest this May in Malibu for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.
The rocker, famous for his hit single “Jessie’s Girl,” allegedly had a blood alcohol content of .10 after he was pulled over by Los Angeles County sheriffs. If accurate, this would be over the legal BAC limit of .08.
According to the police report, Springfield was less than a gentleman during the encounter, as he reportedly told cops that he would “kill you and your family” if they towed his car.
Springfield’s concerns about the car were somewhat understandable, as the vehicle in question was a 1963 Corvette Stingray that cost roughly $200,000.
The police took this threat in good spirits, as a department spokesperson admitted that it is “rare” for drunk driving suspects to not say something “outlandish” to police when they are arrested.
If he is convicted on the two misdemeanor DUI charges, Springfield faces a maximum of 6 months in jail and a fine of $1,000.
In other celebrity DUI news, rapper Flo Rida was also arrested this summer after police found him swerving across lanes at 3:30 in the morning in, of all places, Florida.
After police pulled him over, the rapper failed field sobriety tests, at one point asking the officers to try something else because he couldn’t do their prescribed tests.
He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and later he allegedly blew a .183 during his BAC test at the police station – more than double the legal limit. In addition, police found that he was driving with a suspended license.
Flo Rida, however, gets some credit for driving a more expensive car than his California celebrity counterpart. The rapper was driving a 2008 Bugatti, which is reportedly worth at least $1.7 million.
The lesson here is that swerving across traffic lanes in cars worth more than nice houses is likely to draw the attention of police.
Future wealthy celebrities would be well advised to use their ample funds to call a cab rather than run the risk of being caught behind the wheel with blood alcohol contents that mock the legal limit.
By Topher
From 2006-2010 Hollywood’s brightest stars also found themselves shining under the lights of the police. This interactive timeline looks at the actors, actresses, musicians and celebrities who were arrested for drunk driving.
What kind of charges were these stars facing? It depends whether the DUI is a misdemeanor or felony. It may also depend on the laws in the state where they were arrested. For example, stars if “Lost” arrested on location in Hawaii may face different charges than Paris Hilton arrested in California.
Other celebrities facing DUI charges include Mel Gibson, Mike Tyson, Keifer Sutherland and Shia LaBeouf.
.
Shining Some Light on Celebrity DUIs: 2006-2010
Timeline of DUI Mugshots
- Michelle Rodriguez (The Fast and the Furious): Dec. 1, 2005. 2nd DUI. 5 days in jail. $500 in fines.
- Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense): Jul. 20, 2006. 0.16 B.A.C. 3 years probation. $1,500 in fines. Other drugs involved.
- Mel Gibson (Passion of the Christ): Jul. 28, 2006. 0.12 B.A.C. 3 years probation. $1,300 in fines. Expunged in ‘09.
- Paris Hilton (Reality TV): Sep. 6, 2006. 0.08 B.A.C. 3 years probation. $1,500 in fines.
- Nicole Richie (Reality TV): Dec. 11, 2006. 96 hours in jail.
- Mike Tyson (Boxer): Dec. 29, 2006. 24 hours in jail. 3 years probation.
- Khloe Kardashian (Reality TV): Mar. 4, 2007. 30 days in jail.
- Lindsay Lohan (Mean Girls): May 31 and Jul. 24, 2007. 96 hours in jail. 180 days electronic monitoring. Other drugs involved.
- Nick Bollea (son on Hulk Hogan): Aug. 26, 2007. 0.20 B.A.C. 8 months in jail. 5 years probation.
- Keifer Sutherland (24): Sep. 25, 2007. 4th DUI. 48 days in jail. 5 years probation.
- Daniel Dae Kim (Lost): Oct. 25, 2007. 0.168 B.A.C. $712 in fines.
- Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots): Nov. 21, 2007. 192 hours in jail. $2,000 in fines.
- Mischa Barton (The O.C.): Dec. 27, 2007. 0.12 B.A.C. 3 years probation.
- Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi): Mar. 25, 2008. 3 years probation.
- Carmelo Anthony (NBA player): Apr. 14, 2008. 0.148 B.A.C. $1,049 in fines.
- Craig Robinson (Pineapple Express): Jun. 29, 2008. 2nd DUI. 3 years probation.
- Shia LaBeouf (Transformers): Jul. 27, 2008. 1 year suspended license.
- Heather Locklear (Spin City): Sep. 28, 2008. 3 years probation. $700 in fines.
- Charles Barkley (Former NBA player): Dec. 31, 2008. 0.149 B.A.C. 10 days in jail.
- Stephanie Pratt (Reality TV): Oct. 18, 2009. 0.09 B.A.C. 3 years probation.
- Chris Klein (American Pie): Jun 16, 2010. 2nd DUI. 0.20 B.A.C. $1,800 in fines.
