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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Delino DeShields Jr. is a youngster on the verge of his pro career, while Ozzie Canseco is the twin brother of major league star and steroid poster boy Jose Canseco, who only played a few games at the highest level.

DeShields, an infielder in the Houston Astros organization who is not even old enough to drink alcohol legally, was stopped on suspicion of drunk driving while headed the wrong way on a one-way street in Georgia.

DeShields Jr., the son of former major league baseball player Delino DeShields, admitted to having consumed some alcohol at a University of Georgia fraternity party, according to the Houston Chronicle.

The police suspected that he had drunk more than he admitted to, and in fact he registered a .076 blood alcohol content at the scene of the police stop. The legal limit for those under the age of 21 is .02 percent. DeShields recently turned 18.

Also in DeShields’ SUV were four open bottles of alcohol. With that, he logged three charges related to the stop: underage possession of alcohol, DUI and the driving violation for driving the wrong way on a one-way street.

DeShields took responsibility for the incident via a statement on his Facebook page, which stated “I take the responsibility of being a role model seriously and apologize to my fans, my community and the Astros organization, who continue to support my family and I during this unfortunate incident. I look forward to putting this matter behind me.”

The DUI charge and hearing will not impact DeShields’ trip to spring training in February, the first of his young career after being selected by the Astros in the first round of the 2010 draft.

Ozzie Canseco, who is in a far different stage of his career, faces DUI concerns of his own, after being pulled over at 2 in the morning in Hillsborough, Florida, according to ABC News.

The twin brother of slugger and steroid user Jose Canseco registered a .108 and .109 blood alcohol content when tested. He is currently the baseball director at a local sporting goods center in Florida.

He had a long career in the minor leagues and the independent leagues, starting in 1983 and continuing into the early 2000s.

Ozzie has been charged with DUI. In 2003, he pleaded guilty to possession of anabolic steroids after a traffic stop.

One is a Grammy winning songwriter, producer and actress best known for her soul-pop music, and the other is a one-time teen heartthrob slated to appear in a film about Liberace.

Singer and Grammy-winner Faith Evans pleaded no contest to DUI charges in a Los Angeles courtroom recently, following a DUI arrest back in August. The Grammy Award-winner was stopped at a DUI checkpoint in Marina del Rey on August 21 at around 10:40 p.m.

Evans was subsequently arrested for suspicion of misdemeanor drunk driving. As a part of the no contest plea, Evans will serve three years of probation, pay $300 in fines, agree not to drive with any alcohol in her system and undergo a 3-month alcohol treatment program, according to the Baltimore Sun.

She pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor count of reckless driving.

Evans, well-known after she arrived on the pop music scene in the mid-90s, tweeted to her fans following the DUI arrest, telling them that “After completing a full day of wardrobe prep I was stopped at a random checkpoint. I’m fine and well, and thank you for your prayers, kind words and concerns.” She signed the tweet “- Fizzy.”

Evans and her husband were arrested for drug possession charges in 2004, for which she entered a drug abuse treatment program.

Teen idol David Cassidy also faced DUI trouble recently, when he was arrested for drunk driving in Florida, according to the LA Times.

Cassidy has a court date in mid January for charges that he failed a field sobriety test at around 6 in the evening. Police reportedly witnessed Cassidy weaving on the road and making an erratic lane change.

A Breathalyzer test came back having registered a .141 and a .139 blood alcohol content for the singer and actor.

Cassidy pleaded not-guilty to the charge. He admitted that he was tired, and that he had a glass of wine with lunch and took a hydrocodine pill for back pain.

According to police, there was a bottle of bourbon in the back seat that was half empty.

Cassidy faces a misdemeanor charge of DUI, failure to maintain a single lane and driving with an open container.