Reckless Driving

May 13, 2014

UCF Police Department Announces 160 Percent Increase in DUI Arrests

The University of Central Florida has become the No. 1 area in Orange County for DUI reports.

Police believe DUI reports are becoming more of a problem due to the recent developments of new restaurants and popular bars around UCF campus.

In 2013, a total of 209 underage drivers were arrested and charged with DUIs by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. This is a whopping 48 percent increase from 2012. Of these arrests, 91 were made by OCSO within 2 miles of UCF, which accounts for more than 40 percent of the total arrests in Orange County. Moreover, more than 50 percent of these arrests involved UCF students.

In zone 22, which is where UCF is located, between Oct. 1, 2012 and April 30, 2013, a total of 168 arrests were made by state deputies and troopers. Another 15 arrests were made by the UCF Police Department.

During this same six-month period in 2013 to 2014, 244 arrests were made by state deputies and troopers, and 39 arrests were made by UCFPD. For Orange County, this is a 45 percent increase from last year. For UCFPD, this is a 160 percent increase.

The UCFPD made 63 DUI arrests in 2013, and 38 administrative suspensions were given to people under the age of 21 who were stopped and had more than a .02 breath alcohol content. Current reports indicate that UCFPD has made 17 DUI arrests this year.

Even when comparing these numbers to other counties and college areas in Florida such as Alachua County, where the University of Florida is located, Orange County and UCF still take first place.

According to the records bureau chief for the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office has 199 offense reports associated with impaired or reckless driver related incidents in 2013. Of these 199, nine occurred within 2 miles of the University of Florida, 82 reports less than UCF. At Florida State University in Tallahassee, from May 2013 to May 2014 there were only three reports within 2 miles of the college, 88 less than UCF.

A recent study conducted by the Center on Young Adult Health and Development at the University of Maryland School of Public Health reported that one out of every five college students has admitted to getting behind the wheel of a car while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Unfortunately, when you are arrested for DUI as a student, there are many serious ramifications that accompany a DUI conviction that could follow you around for the rest of your life.

Just like anyone else arrested for DUI, college students facing these charges could possibly serve jail time, have their driver’s licenses suspended, be placed on probation, ordered to partake in community service and pay large fines. However, you could be looking at additional penalties as a college student, including having your student loans or grants revoked or possibly getting kicked out of school. Due to the serious consequences associated with a DUI, you must get legal help as soon as possible. A Florida DUI Attorney at Whittel & Melton can help you achieve the best possible outcome following a DUI arrest.

January 24, 2014

Miami DUI Defense Attorney :: Justin Bieber Charged with Drunk Driving in Miami

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Justin Bieber was arrested and charged with DUI, resisting arrest and driving without a valid license after police allegedly witnessed the 19-year-old pop star street racing early Thursday morning in Miami Beach.

According to the arrest report, when stopped by a Miami Beach police officer just after 4 a.m. Bieber asked “What the f*** did I do? Why did you stop me?”

Bieber was released from a Miami jail an hour after he made a short appearance through a video link before a Miami judge. His bail was set at $2,500 Thursday afternoon.

Bieber was apparently booked into a Miami jail after failing a sobriety test, according to the Miami Beach Police chief.

The chief said that Bieber “made some statements that he had consumed some alcohol, and that he had been smoking marijuana and consumed some prescription medication.”

A Miami Beach officer alleges he saw Bieber driving a yellow Lamborghini in a race against a red Ferrari in a residential area of Miami Beach. Reports indicate the cars were speeding at about 55 to 60 mph in a 30 mph zone.

Justin Bieber Charged with Drunk Driving in Miami Thursday.

Bieber allegedly ignored a police officer’s request to keep his hands on the car while he did “a cursory patdown for weapons,” according to the report.

The arrest report goes on to describe Bieber as having a “flushed face, bloodshot eyes, and the odor of alcohol on his breath.”

The Ferrari’s driver, identified as 19-year-old Def Jam recording artist Khalil Sharieff, was also arrested for DUI, according to police.

Bieber arrived in Miami on Monday.

While most people are aware that the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) legal limits in Florida and throughout the rest of the country are .08, many do not realize that drivers under the age of 21 must meet different requirements. Florida’s “zero tolerance” policy states that a driver under the age of 21 must have a BAC of less than .02. If a young driver is pulled over after being suspected of driving under the influence, the officer can request for the person to submit to a field sobriety test. If the test confirms the officer’s suspicions, the driver could then be asked to submit to a breath, blood or urine test. If the BAC results are .02 percent or higher, then the officer can arrest a young driver for DUI.

May 8, 2012

Florida DUI Defense Lawyers Whittel & Melton :: Lost Star Matthew Fox Arrested for DUI

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Matthew Fox was apparently arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in Oregon on Friday.

The Lost star was cited at 3:23 a.m. and had a passenger in the vehicle with him, according to TMZ.

Fox was apparently pulled over for failing to maintain a lane and failure to signal. He was arrested on the scene after the officer allegedly determined he was intoxicated.

TMZ claims Fox was on his way to a fast food restaurant at the time of his arrest.

He was taken into custody and released later that day.

Fox is apparently due back in court in June.

All DUI arrests begin with a suspicion, or a reason to stop your vehicle. A police officer must have a reason to pull you over, and common causes may include the following:

• Broken Vehicle Lights
• Suspicious Behavior such as Weaving, Swerving, Failure to Maintain a Single Lane, etc.

• Unreadable License Plate or Tag
• Reckless Driving such as Failure to stop at Stop Signs, Speeding, etc.

It is important to understand that police stop drivers all the time, even those who are within the legal limit to drive. Regardless of guilt, this can place you in a stressful situation and may result in an arrest that will cost you money, time and frustration. In order to decrease your risk for being stopped by law enforcement in the first place, it is best to make sure that you are able to operate your vehicle safely. Always make sure you signal properly, your lights are on and avoid speeding or executing quick turns. In addition, limit the number of distractions in your vehicle. If you are stopped for a suspected DUI, try and remain calm and have appropriate documents ready for the police officer.

Under Florida Statutes, courts are generally required to impose a driver’s license suspension, a large fine, at least six months of probation as well as DUI school as part of the sentence for a first DUI. It is for these reasons that it is crucial to take a DUI arrest seriously and hire an experienced DUI attorney to protect you.

October 21, 2011

Central Florida – Volusia DUI Lawyers Whittel & Melton :: City Official Pleads Down DUI Charge

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

The DeBary, Florida assistant city manager arrested for DUI on June 3 pleaded no contest to Reckless Driving in court on Thursday.

The 36-year-old was charged with DUI, but through an agreement with prosecutors a plea to a less-serious charge of Reckless Driving was offered.

According to the Daytona Beach News-Journal, the woman was waived from additional sanctions like 50 hours of community service and probation because she is heavily involved in community projects and completed an alcohol safety course on her own.

The woman will keep her position with the city, according to the city manager of DeBary.

According to a Florida Highway Patrol report, the woman passed a trooper around midnight
traveling at 90 mph when she changed lanes and ran off the road. When she was stopped she allegedly admitted to the officer she had a good amount to drink and supposedly fell during her sobriety tests.

A plea bargain for a DUI, like in this case, is a deal made with the prosecution where a defendant pleads either guilty or no contest to a lesser offense in exchange for a less severe punishment. When the defendant accepts the plea, he or she gives up the right to trial for the original crime. For those who do not wish to gamble with the outcome of a trail, a DUI plea bargain for a lesser offense may be an attractive alternative to the possible consequences associated with a DUI conviction.

Depending upon the circumstances, sometimes prosecutors in Florida will accept a plea bargain of “wet reckless.” “Wet Reckless,” also known as Reckless Driving involving alcohol, is usually the negotiated result of a DUI charge reduced to a case of Reckless Driving. A plea bargain of this kind can often be arranged when the amount of alcohol in the person’s system is borderline illegal, there was no accident or property damage and the accused has no previous record.

DUI charges that are amended by the prosecution to Reckless Driving often carry DUI type penalties, including attendance of DUI School, fines, alcohol evaluations and community service. However, the accused does not suffer the social ramifications and stigmas of a DUI conviction.

Every DUI case is unique. The Florida DUI Defense Attorneys at Whittel & Melton can review your case and determine if your case could be a good candidate for reduced charges, like Reckless Driving. After a free consultation our attorneys can examine the following aspects:

• Whether your vehicle was stopped based on signs indicating impairment
• If an accident occurred resulting in property damage or personal injury
• Field sobriety test performance
• Whether alcoholic beverage containers were found in the vehicle
• Whether or not law enforcement requested a blood, breath or urine test and if the accused refused or complied
• The results of any blood, breath or urine test
• The amount of time elapsed from the time of driving to the time of testing
The above factors can all be key indicators of whether or not you may be able to plead down your DUI charge. By contacting Whittel & Melton immediately following your DUI arrest, we can investigate all aspects of your case and uncover any evidence that could be useful in getting your charges reduced or dismissed entirely.