San Diego DUI Lawyer Blog

A fatal DUI crash in San Ysidro leaves an 18 year old dead and eight others injured, according to San Diego police.

Marcos Ramirez, 18, a college student was killed in a San Ysidro drunk driving accident, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The fatal DUI crash took place about 4:30am Sunday morning when two cars carrying a total of nine passengers collided with each other after a night of partying in Tijuana, at the intersection of Camino de la Plaza and Dairy Mart Road, according Sgt. Ramona Hastings with the San Diego Police.

All were taken to a local hospital where two people were reported to be in critical condition. The others are being treated for minor injuries.

San Diego police authorities are investigating the cause of the fatal DUI crash. The drivers of both vehicles who were suspected of driving under the influence were given tests for their blood alcohol concentration. Results are pending. No arrests have been made.

Driving Under the Influence in San Diego County

In California, it is unlawful for any person to drive a vehicle while under the influence of any kind of alcoholic beverage or drug.

If you have 0.08 percent or more, by weight, blood alcohol concentration, you will be charged with DUI or driving while intoxicated if arrested. You may face a fine and jail time if convicted.

Police investigating fatal drunk-driving crash in San Ysidro, KFMB News 8, August 31,2009

Victim ID'd from San Ysidro Fatal Crash, San Diego 6 The CW, August 31, 2009

Web Related Resources

California DMV on California laws regarding driving while under the influence

California DMV on what happens when you’re arrested for DUI

Continue reading " 18 Year old Killed in San Ysidro DUI Crash " »

A San Diego man suspected of DUI, crashes into an oak tree after losing control of his vehicle killing his passenger in Lakeside.

The alleged San Diego DUI driver, 37 year old Nico Faulk was driving a Volvo 240 DL westbound on El Monte Road in Lakeside around 1:00am when his vehicle started to glide off the road.

The man who was suspected of driving under the influence lost control of his vehicle and slammed into an oak tree, according to California Highway Patrol public affairs officer Brian Pennings.

Patrick Elerding, 34, a passenger of Faulk, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Elerding was from Santee and lived with his parents according to officials with the Medical Examiner’s Office.

Faulk was taken to Sharp memorial Hospital after complaining of back pain. “Upon being released from the hospital, Mr. Faulk will be booked into San Diego County jail on Felony DUI and manslaughter charges, said Officer Pennings.

Santee man ID'd as victim in suspected DUI, Sign on San Diego, August 18, 2009

One Person Dies in Lakeside Crash; Driver & Victim ID'd., San Diego 6 The CW, August 18,2009

Continue reading " A Suspected Drunk Driver Crashes in Lakeside Killing Passenger " »

In San Marcos a suspected DUI driver and passenger who were in a police chase lost control of their car when it veered off Highway 78 crashing into a tree leaving a man injured and another dead.

Both men were ejected from their vehicle. An Escondido man, Guillermo Ceja, 23, died at Palomar Medical Center about 11:30 p.m. The driver of the vehicle was Gumersindo Gutierrez, 19, who sustained injuries was suspected of driving under the influence.

The stolen car the suspects were driving was thought to be involved in several vehicle break-ins in the Costco parking lot in San Marcos. When a sheriff’s deputy tried to pull over the vehicle the suspects sped off on Highway 78 before losing control.

Gutierrez was later taken into custody on suspicion of driving under the influence causing death, vehicular manslaughter, vehicular burglary, possession of stolen property, felony evading and conspiracy, according to officials.

SAN MARCOS: One dead, one injured following pursuit , North County Times, August 7,2009

Continue reading " San Marcos DUI Pursuit Leaves One Man Injured and Another Man Dead " »

Escondido DUI patrol nets 11 arrests from Friday night into Saturday, according to an Escondido police sergeant.

Escondido police, the San Diego police, the Sheriff’s Department and the UCSD Police Department joined together for the weekend DUI operation from 7:00pm on Friday to 2:00 a.m. on Saturday that was funded by a federal grant through the state Office of Traffic Safety.

There were 22 field sobriety tests issued, seven people were arrested for suspected drunk driving and 21 cars were impounded from persons driving without or on a suspended license.

ESCONDIDO: Three agencies assist in DUI patrol,North County Times, August 8,2009

Driving Under the Influence in San Diego County

In California, it is unlawful for any person to drive a vehicle while under the influence of any kind of alcoholic beverage or drug.

If you have 0.08 percent or more, by weight, blood alcohol concentration, you will be charged with DUI or driving while intoxicated if arrested. You may face a fine and jail time if convicted.

Web Related Resources
California DMV guidelines about DUI

Continue reading " Escondido Weekend DUI Patrol Nets 11 Arrests " »

In the United States more women are drunk driving then ever before, and with kids in the car.

Women may be drinking more because of pressures stemming from both work and home. Men still have more DUI cases than women, but women are catching up. They seem to be more careless when getting behind the wheel of a car.

According to Chris Cochran of the California Office of Traffic Safety, “Younger women feel more empowered, more equal to men, and have beginning to exhibit the same uninhibited behaviors as men.”

In 2007, nationwide, women arrested for DUI was 28.8 percent higher than in 1998. The National Highway Safety Administration reported that in 2007 there were 250 kids killed in DUI related crashes, “We realized for the last two to three years, the pattern of more female drivers, particularly mothers with kids in their cars, getting arrested for drunk driving,” said Tom Meier

“Our society has taught us that women have an extra burden to be the perfect mothers and perfect wives and perfect daughters and perfect everything,” said Dr Petros Levounis, director of the Addiction Institute of New York at St Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, “They tend to go to great lengths to keep everything intact from an external viewpoint while internally, they are in ruins.”

With the current economic problems on families, and men losing their incomes, women are feeling the burden.

Women driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs are going to be targeted when the Transportation Department’s annual crackdown happens this month.

Experts: Women Drink More, DUIs Rise, 10news.com, August 7,2009

Continue reading " Women Driving Under The Influence is on the Rise " »

Wednesday morning in Fallbrook a woman who was driving under the influence crashed her vehicle into a building was arrested for DUI.

The woman whose name has not been released was suspected of drunk driving when she drove her car into a structure at 329 N. Mission Road around 5:00 a.m. Wednesday morning, said a North County Fire Protection District dispatcher.

The drunk driver sustained only minor injuries in the San Diego North County DUI crash. Luckily no one else was injured. She was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence.

Driving Under the Influence in San Diego County

In California, it is unlawful for any person to drive a vehicle while under the influence of any kind of alcoholic beverage or drug.

If you have 0.08 percent or more, by weight, blood alcohol concentration, you will be charged with DUI or driving while intoxicated if arrested. You may face a fine and jail time if convicted.

Drunk Driving Suspect Drives into Building, San Diego 6 The CW, August 5, 2009

Web Related Resources
California DMV guidelines about DUI

Continue reading " In Fallbrook A Woman Driving Under The Influence Crashes into Building " »

Along State Route 76 in Oceanside, the California Highway Patrol plans to reduce the number of drunk drivers by implementing more DUI patrols by a grant from the State Office of Highway Safety.

Over the last 3 years there have been 13 deaths and 303 people were hurt because of crashes by individuals driving under the influence or DUI along the 38.3 mile area of SR 76.

The state Office of Highway Safety has given a $266,000 grant to the Oceanside office of the California Highway Patrol to increase the DUI patrols and sobriety checkpoints along SR 76 in hopes of decreasing the number of Oceanside DUI related accidents and fatalities.

“The grant will pay for aggressive DUI enforcement, public education and community outreach to reduce DUI-involved collisions,” according to CHP Captain Deb Schroder. “This is a crime that leads to a lot of deaths and serious injuries every year.”

CHP to Increase DUI Patrols on State Route 76, San Diego 6 The CW, August 4,2009

Driving Under the Influence in San Diego

In California, it is unlawful for any person to drive a vehicle while under the influence of any kind of alcoholic beverage or drug.

Web Related Resouces
California DMV guidelines about DUI

Continue reading " On Oceanside’s SR 76 Corridor CHP Plans to Step Up DUI Patrols " »

An early morning Oceanside DUI crash that closed all lanes of the freeway leaves a 9 year-old girl dead, the DUI driver is arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and drunken driving charges, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The multivehicle accident happened around 1:00am on north Interstate 5 when the alleged drunk driver was traveling in his Lexus SUV about 50 mph in the fast lane when he swerved to pass a slow moving Dodge Caliber but ended up hitting the rear of the Dodge before losing control of his vehicle, said Officer Steven Zelasco of the CHP.

The man who was suspected of driving under the influence then hit a Honda SRV and crashed into a semi-truck before coming to a stop. A nine year-old girl who was a passenger in the Lexus SUV was pronounced dead after she was taken to Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego by helicopter.

Michael Wright, 23, of Commerce was arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter and DUI.

OCEANSIDE: Child dies in multivehicle crash on I-5, North County Times, August 3,2009

Continue reading " Oceanside DUI Crash Ends in Fatality " »