Celebrity DUI Arrests

August 6, 2014

Breaking Justin Bieber DUI News: Pop Icon’s Hearing Has Been Rescheduled

Our Los Angeles DUI blog — as well as practically every media organ that covers popular culture — has been keenly attuned to the saga of Justin Bieber’s DUI case.

The latest development is something of a “pass” – prosecuting attorneys requested to reschedule a hearing to determine whether Bieber should be put on trial for DUI and resisting arrest. The judge agreed to this request but didn’t put matters off for long. The hearing will go forward on August 13. Rumors of a plea deal are floating.

As you might recall from following the seemingly endless barrage of news footage about Bieber’s arrest, the “Baby” singer allegedly was drag racing illegally on Miami streets in a rented Lamborghini. Police said he had alcohol on his breath, although he apparently tested below the 0.02% BAC cut-off for underage drivers. However, some evidence suggests that he had been on Xanax (an anti-anxiety medication) and that authorities found marijuana in his system. The arresting officer noted: “I immediately smelled an odor of alcohol emanating from the driver’s breath… the driver had slow, deliberate movements and a stupor look on his face. These are all indicators of an impaired driver.”

In addition to dealing with the fallout of his January 23 arrest, Bieber has faced other legal problems this summer. In July, for instance, he plead no contest to misdemeanor vandalism charges and paid over $80,000 in restitution to his next door neighbors in Malibu, after he egged their house and damaged their wood exterior.

If you’re an under-aged driver, and you police catch you beyond the wheel with even a trace amount of alcohol in your system, you can lose your license and face other penalties that make it much more difficult for you to drive to school, keep your job and build your life and career. Call the team here at the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers today for a free and confidential consultation about your potential Los Angeles DUI defense.
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August 4, 2014

In Denial After Your Los Angeles DUI Arrest?

by Michael Kraut

Ever since your arrest for DUI in Los Angeles, you’ve been (outwardly, at least) in denial about the seriousness of the implications of your charges.

Or perhaps you’re the spouse or significant other of someone with an alcohol or drug problem who recently got stopped for DUI at a checkpoint or arrested after a crash. You’re frustrated because he/she seems to be minimizing the gravity of the situation.

In either case, you might find it resourceful to examine the roots of the denial.

Our Needs for Psychological Consistency

Human beings generally do not behave “randomly.” We may not understand the strategies we employ when we get into trouble, and we might not choose the best strategies — or even very good ones. But the reasons that motivate us are not without logic.

Consider that when someone says, in effect “I’m going to pretend this DUI will go away on its own, and nothing about this is my fault at all,” that person is actually making an attempt to solve a problem. We bury our heads in sand because we want to avoid pain and stress and anxiety. These are not pleasant feelings. Denial is the psyche’s subtle way of protecting itself.

If you “don’t want to talk about” the DUI, your hesitation probably has less to do with your wanting to ruin your life than it does with wanting to protect yourself against painful situations, such as:

• Having to admit to other people that they were right — that you DO need help managing an addiction to prescription medications, drugs, or alcohol;

• Having to take time out of an already complicated and emotionally full life to deal with DUI defense;

• Having to contemplate the battery of punishments that may await you, such as loss of your California driver’s license, jail time, costly fines and fees, higher insurance premiums, etcetera;

• Having to confront emotionally unsettling truths about your life and your past;

Denial is by no means an intentionally self-destructive impulse. It’s a very understandable unconscious tactic we all use to retain psychological equilibrium and a sense of control. In fact, if you just recognize that denial is okay – that it is not intrinsically unhealthy or irrational – then you are already on the path to moving past it to get the help you really need.

The most challenging part of any Los Angeles DUI defense is that very first phone call.

Picking up the phone and calling an experienced attorney — like the Harvard Law School educated Michael Kraut of the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers — requires courage, because the act involves leaving your comfort zone. But once you cross that threshold, things do get easier! Give yourself the opportunity to get a fresh start. Connect with attorney Kraut and his experienced team today for assistance.
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July 28, 2014

Alabama Football Player Accused, California Rapper Exonerated of DUI Charges

by Michael Kraut

Drivers facing Los Angeles DUI charges may not relate to the high-profile status of the individuals in these recent news stories, but they can certainly relate to their legal situations.

On Sunday, July 3, Tuscaloosa police arrested Jarran Reed, Alabama defensive lineman, and charged him with DUI. The North Carolina native recently transferred to Alabama from East Mississippi Community College and had high hopes for receiving playing time in the upcoming season.

Unfortunately, Reed isn’t the first Alabama player to face criminal charges since last season ended. Little Rock, Arkansas, police cited another running back, Altee Tenpenny, for possessing a controlled substance back in April.

July 14, 2014

Justin Bieber in Court for DUI Charges

by Michael Kraut

Few Los Angeles DUI drivers face charges as complex or extensive as Justin Bieber. The 20-year-old singer’s Florida court case began on Monday, July 7 for a litany of charges he received on January 23.

Allegedly, Bieber had been drag racing with Khalil Amir Sharieff, a fellow performer, when authorities arrested him. Although his blood alcohol content tested below the legal limit, a blood test revealed concurrent drug use. Besides the drug and alcohol use, police charged Bieber with nonviolently resisting arrest and driving with an expired license.

Media sources predict authorities will drop the other charges pending a plea deal for the DUI offense. However, the court case has been delayed for several months, allegedly due to a disagreement between the judge and Bieber’s lawyers regarding whether or not Bieber should appear in an anti-DUI driving public service announcement.

Chances are Bieber will receive a minor sentence – if any – for this Florida incident, but this is only one in a slew of recent accounts regarding Bieber’s reckless behavior. Although the singer has achieved significant fame over the course of his career, such incidents appear to be damaging his reputation among young fans as well as their parents.

Individuals following this case may believe Bieber is fortunate to have fame and fortune on his side, but his continued offenses indicate he may not fully comprehend the weight of his actions.

Under California law, penalties for DUI driving convictions include jail time, fines, probation, license suspensions, and community service. These punishments are meant to serve as deterrents– to discourage convicted individuals not to make the same mistake again.

Have you recently been charged with DUI in Los Angeles? If so, you may have questions regarding the law and how best to present your defense. Experienced attorney Michael Kraut can answer those questions. Contact the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers today to learn more. Continue reading

July 9, 2014

Chappelle’s Show Star, Donnell Rawlings, Caught Driving DUI in Manhattan

by Michael Kraut

Those facing Los Angeles DUI charges are now in the company of yet another celebrity. Donnell Rawlings, a comedian who appeared on Chappelle’s Show, was arrested at 3:30 a.m. on Friday, July 11 in New York City.

Rawlings, who became famous for the “Ashy Larry” character he portrayed on the Comedy Central variety show, was driving the wrong way down a Manhattan one-way street, when police stopped him and conducted a breathalyzer test. According to authorities, his blood alcohol content was more than double the legal limit for driving in California.

Despite the inherent hazards of wrong-way driving while under the influence of alcohol, law enforcement apprehended Rawlings before he could cause any damage or injuries to himself or to others.

This incident represents the latest in a long history of celebrity DUI arrests. Although some individuals may believe public figures enjoy immunity from consequences for such offenses, the reality is much different. Like any other citizens, celebrities arrested for and convicted of DUI driving experience serious legal consequences, as well as damage to their public reputations.

California Vehicle Code section 23152 does not discriminate between celebrities and “ordinary people” when it comes to defining the penalties for driving under the influence. Regardless of one’s profession, income, or personal connections, DUI presents serious risks and consequences to drivers.

In addition to jail time, individuals convicted of DUI may receive community service, probation, fines, and license suspensions. With repeated offenses, the penalties increase. Whether a driver works at a fast food establishment or on a hit television show, his arrest and conviction records indicate a lack of judgment and can lead to problems with employment and reputation.

A qualified Los Angeles DUI attorney possesses extensive knowledge regarding California law and can help individuals present an effective defense. The Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers offers free consultations for those facing DUI charges. Contact us today to learn how we can help.

June 16, 2014

Justin Bieber Enters a Plea of “Reckless Driving” in His DUI Case

by Michael Kraut

The Los Angeles DUI blogosphere has been having a field day with the DUI case of pop singer, Justin Bieber.

Over the past several months, “the Biebs” has found himself in scads of trouble – legal and otherwise. We covered his January 2014 DUI arrest in Miami extensively. In case you forgot, the pop star had allegedly been drag racing with 19-year-old Khalil Sharieff on January 23rd in a rented sports car.

According to TMZ, Bieber will soon be entering a guilty plea to “reckless driving” charges in that case in exchange for the dismissal of other charges against him. (Those counts had included driving without a license, resisting arrest and DUI). Although Bieber will have to go to anger management classes and pay a fine (which will obviously be nominal, given his income), he won’t have to serve jail time or even probation.

The judge initially wanted Bieber to star in an anti-DUI service announcement, but Bieber’s legal team suggested that that measure was “inappropriate,” given that his BAC tested at 0.014% – far below Florida’s (and California’s) legal limit for DUI of 0.08%. (However, he did test positive for traces of the drug Xanax, an antianxiety medication, and marijuana’s psychoactive compound, THC).

Meanwhile, he will apparently face criminal vandalism charges, in connection with allegations that he threw eggs at his neighbor’s property in Calabasas in January.

And last month, Bieber allegedly tried to steal a woman’s purse… but he won’t be facing felony counts in that case. (Bieber apparently got angry, when a woman tried to videotape him with her cellphone at a mini golf and batting cage establishment in the Valley.)

Also in May, Bieber earned public enmity, after recordings surfaced, in which he allegedly made racially insensitive remarks.

Bieber has been celebrating his recent legal exonerations: he recently Tweeted “new beginnings” to his followers.

An adroit Los Angeles DUI defense can, indeed, led to “new beginnings,” even for people who struggle mightily with diverse charges.

To that end, contact a Harvard Law School educated former city prosecutor (Senior Deputy District Attorney) with the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers today for a thorough, sensitive analysis of your defense options.
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May 23, 2014

Los Angeles Celebrity DUI Reflection: Chelsea Handler and Jason Priestley Reminisce About Their DUIs

by Michael Kraut

What lessons do celebrities learn after getting arrested for DUI in Los Angeles?

TV personality Chelsea Handler and actor Jason Priestley (of Beverly Hills 90210 fame) discussed their respective DUI arrests recently on Handler’s talk show, Chelsea Lately. Priestley got arrested in 1999, as a young actor. Handler also got arrested for DUI young — at the tender age of just 21.

So what did they learn from their experiences? Here’s a transcript of their exchange:

Priestley: “what self-respecting Los Angeleno doesn’t have a DUI under their belt? I mean, come on.”

Handler and Priestley then high-fived.

Handler: “The important thing is not to get two.”

Priestley: “You get one. Lesson learned.”

Priestley recounted his experience of meeting a bunch of Russian men in jail, after being arrested. First, they seemed stunned to see the actor — who was quite famous at the time, since Beverly Hills 90210 was a hit show. Then one rough man came up and “grabbed me and hugged me… he picked me and he carried over me over to the table and he put me down, and I just sat down and started playing cards with these guys. I played cards with them for five days. I had no idea what the game was … I got out of there in one piece … that’s all I care about.”

DUIs are certainly no laughing matter, and it’s perhaps a bit disrespectful to chortle about them and high-five about DUI defenses on national TV. But both celebrities have remained out of harm’s way and avoided driving DUI since their arrests — and that’s also important. According to the stereotype, DUI defendants are grizzled and incorrigible. They are doomed to commit other offenses and hurt people on the road.

But most people who get arrested for minor offenses manage to get themselves together, rehabilitate their image, deal with their prison sentence, etc. Even if you caused minor injury to someone — and now face charges per the felony DUI code, 23153, instead of 23152 — with the appropriate strategy, you can rebuild your life and leave your DUI behind you.

The first step is to connect with an experienced, effective Los Angeles DUI defense attorney. To that end, call the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers right now to speak with attorney Michael Kraut about your defense possibilities, so that you can make smarter decisions and get results.

April 28, 2014

Donovan McNabb Spends a Day in Jail for 2013 DUI

by Michael Kraut

You can be the most famous, revered person in America… and still face substantial Los Angeles DUI penalties. No one is above the law.

Case in point: consider that the fate of 37-year-old ex-NFL quarterback, Donovan McNabb, who recently completed a one-day jail sentence in Arizona for a 2013 DUI charge. Police pulled over the former QB on December 13 at the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, near Phoenix. The police report said that McNabb had been driving 81 miles per hour in a 65 MPH zone at around 3 in the morning on the Loop 101 freeway.

At the time of arrest, the media did not publicize McNabb’s stop. So when the Maricopa County Sheriff’s office released the picture of the QB’s mug shot earlier in the week, the blogosphere (and mainstream media) jumped on the story.

According to reports, McNabb pled guilty on March 27 to the DUI… and got nine days shaved off of his sentence. Joe Arpaio, a local sheriff, said “I’ve had other high profile athletes who have been incarcerated with no problems, and this latest athlete follows that same pattern.”

McNabb was best known as the “Eagle’s Quarterback,” who led Philadelphia to a string of five incredible seasons from 2001 to 2005. From 2001-2004, he took the Eagles to the NFC championship game. In 2005, the Eagles made it to the Super Bowl but lost to the Patriots, 24-21. While in the twilight of the career, McNabb also played for the Redskins (2010) and Vikings (2011) before calling it quits. He now co-hosts a Phoenix radio talk show. His new employers wrote: “We have discussed this situation with Donovan at length, and we’re convinced that he understands the gravity of his offense and is sufficiently contrite. The legal process has been concluded and we plan no further disciplinary action at this time.”

The resolution of McNabb’s case brings up the critical issue of expungement. With a DUI on your record, you may find it harder to get hired. An expungement can reduce the likelihood that you will face enhanced charges, if you ever get arrested again for DUI or other charges.

California statutes set the criteria for expungement, and these criteria can be complex and dynamic. For assistance trying to develop a defense against a Los Angeles DUI charge or expunging a charge from your record, call attorney Michael Kraut of the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers today to schedule your free consultation.
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April 4, 2014

Los Angeles DUI Arrest Nets Actor David Cassidy Five Years Probation and Mandatory Rehab

by Michael Kraut

Last Monday, actor David Cassidy pled no contest to charges that he had driven DUI in Los Angeles back in January near LAX. The former teen star was sentenced to 60 months’ probation and 90 days live-in rehabilitation. The 63-year-old actor will also have to pay fines and attend a nine month alcohol education class.

Ironically, Cassidy had been in town to deal with legal business – he is suing Sony Pictures Television for money he claimed that the company owed him for merchandizing his image. Cassidy’s manager said that the stress of being deposed led him to fall off the wagon and drink.

Cassidy’s DUI was not his first brush with law enforcement.

Last August, police arrested him in upstate New York for a felony DUI. Investigators report that plea deals were being worked out in that case, and Cassidy will most likely plead guilty to a misdemeanor DUI.

Prior to even that, the Partridge Family actor got arrested fro DUI in November 2010 in Florida — he allegedly blew 0.14 percent on a BAC test (nearly twice the Southern California legal limit). In 2012, he pled no contest to these charges, lost his license for six months, and faced a year of probation.

Cassidy’s situation brings up an interesting point: what happens when you try to “plea down” your DUI charges? What does that actually mean?

The California Vehicle Code identifies two major reduced charges – “wet reckless” and “dry reckless.”

California Vehicle Code Section 23103 and 23103.5 define the charges and their punishments. “Wet reckless” is a driving offense in which alcohol plays a role (hence the word “wet”). It is not as serious as a DUI. You don’t get a license suspension imposed by the court (although the DMV can still suspend your license). It comes with little or no jail time and lower fines.

A “dry reckless” is an even lesser charge. Effectively, it’s just reckless driving. This is even better, because it reflects less on insurance premiums, and it cannot be used to enhance your sentence, if you ever get charged again for DUI.

Los Angeles DUI defense attorney Michael Kraut of the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers would be happy to discuss your case. Mr. Kraut is a former prosecutor (Harvard Law School educated) who is renowned for providing excellent service for his clients and for maintaining extensive connections with judges, police officers, and former prosecutorial colleagues.

March 19, 2014

Kate Major, Girlfriend of Michael Lohan, Busted for DUI — Dashcam Video Shows Her Crying… a Lot

by Michael Kraut

One of the worst aspects of being arrested for DUI in Los Angeles is the fact that your private moments of weakness can suddenly turn into viral video hits, causing obvious humiliation and potential damage to your brand and future employment and relationship possibilities.

Of course, online tabloids, like TMZ, have no problem putting up such embarrassing videos – especially of celebrities – to generate hits and traffic. To wit, TMZ just published dashcam footage featuring Michael Lohan’s girlfriend, Kate Major, crying to a police officer after being pulled over on suspicion of DUI near her house in Florida. Allegedly, Lohan and Major had been involved in a “blowout argument” (per TMZ). Lohan is father of the famous (or, perhaps, “infamous”) actress Lindsay Lohan. He and Major have a young child together.

After their “blowout,” Major allegedly got behind the wheel. She didn’t make it far – she crashed. A police report says that Major had serious difficulty with her field sobriety tests. She “missed the tip of her nose on her second, third, fourth, and fifth attempts. Touched on her nostril on the second, third, and fourth attempt, touching the space between her nose and upper lip in the fifth attempt.”

She also didn’t do much better when it came to reciting her ABCs: “on her first attempt, she gave the sequence L M X twice and spoke at a really fast pace. On her second attempt, she did not keep her eyes closed and got stuck on the letter V. Major was never able to recite the alphabet A to Z.”

Police say that her BAC was an astonishing 0.243%. For those of you who are keeping at track at home, that’s more than triple the legal limit for DUI in Southern California, as defined by CVC Section 23152. In addition to facing a DUI charge, she also faces a charge of battery for her fisticuffs with Lohan. Her bail was set at $16,000.

Major’s arrest gives us a good segue to discuss the key field sobriety tests used by Southern California police officers to determine DUI:

•   The horizontal gaze nystagmus test. An officer looks into your eyes to see whether you can follow a prompt. A long lag time could indicate DUI.
•   Walk the line test. You’re asked to walk nine paces in both directions on a white line (such as painted line on the road). Loss of balance indicates possible DUI.
•   One leg stand test. An officer will ask you to lift a leg and stand on one foot for 30 seconds. Loss of balance or coordination might indicate DUI.
•   Rhomberg test. You will be asked to tilt your head backwards and count up to 30. Again, loss of balance could indicate DUI.

If you failed your field sobriety tests and got arrested for DUI in Los Angeles, connect with Attorney Michael Kraut today for a free, confidential consultation about your possible next steps. Mr. Kraut is a former prosecutor with an excellent track record (99% plus success rate at jury trials, for instance) and many connections in the Los Angeles criminal defense community.
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