68-Year CT Old Woman Sentenced in DUI Crash

In Bridgeport, 68-year old Barbara Preston was recently sentenced to serve 8 years of a 15 year sentence behind bars according to this article from the Connecticut Post. The harsh sentence was courtesy of Ms. Preston’s multiple offenses and the injuries sustained in the accident.

Last year Preston rear ended 47-year old Lee Everett as he sat at a red light. The force of the impact was so great that it sent Mr. Everett’s pick up about 70 feet, causing it to roll over. Everett was crushed in the accident and spent a month in a coma.

Everett has recovered enough that he was able to speak at the sentencing but his wife states that his insurance benefits are about to run out and he has racked up around $500,000 in medical bills.

This was Preston’s third drunk driving offense. She was found to be over 3 times over the legal limit and had an open beer in her car with her. At sentencing she apologized for the accident.
Preston pled guilty to first degree assault with a vehicle and a third offense DUI. She was sentenced to 15 years with 7 of those suspended.

Even a 1st offense DUI charge can be serious, with no accident or injury. If you are facing a 2nd or 2rd offense DUI, the penalties increase dramatically. For a third offense DUI you face up to 1 year in jail and permanent revocation of your license.

If you have ever faced any DUI charges, you know how inconvenient a license suspension can be. For a first time offense you may face suspension of one year in addition to fines and up to 6 months in jail. In addition, your license suspension can be extended if your Blood Alcohol Content is over .16 or twice the legal limit.

Our attorneys have successfully defended many clients from DUI and related charges. If you are facing any alcohol related charges, we may be able to help. Contact us as soon as possible so we can discuss your case.

Car Part Theft Charges Add Up

Stealing from a scrap yard doesn’t seem like it could be a big money maker. Thieves have hit in Waterbury, however, and made off with quite a stash from Dana DeCapua’s livelihood, his auto scrap yard.

Catalytic converters are car parts that are definitely worth some cash. These parts clean the air from your engine and are made of expensive materials like platinum and palladium, materials that are worth about $1,200 per ounce according to this WFSB story.

Forcing their way into a scrap yard through the garage door, DeCapua estimates the thieves made off with between $5,000 and $8,000 in parts. The thieves obviously know a little something about cars to know both the value of the converters and how to remove them.
In addition to the parts, the thieves stole a van to carry them off in. A nearby garage lost a van it was working on when the thieves took it, drove it to the scrap yard, and loaded up the stolen parts.

Interestingly a few weeks ago a Honda dealership in Watertown was hit with the same type of theft, losing around $18,000 in parts.

Larceny Charges aren’t always considered minor offenses in the eyes of the court. Sure stealing candy from the convenience store didn’t seem like a big deal when you were a kid, but valuable car parts are another story. The reason this is so much more serious is because the courts base your charge on the value of the items stolen.

A stolen candy bar is a Class C misdemeanor (if charges are even filed). However, stealing over $20,000 in auto parts is a Class B Felony. We aren’t talking about a few months in county jail here. We are talking about up to 20 years in state prison.

Theft crimes can be very serious and carry quite serious penalties. If you are facing larceny charges and aren’t sure what the charges mean or how to deal with them, I can help. An experienced defense attorney is there to answer your questions and give you high quality legal advice.

A criminal theft or larceny charge in Connecticut is a serious legal problem. If you are facing charges like these, call our attorneys to discuss the details of your case today.

Long Beach West Cottage Fires Result in Arson Charges

An arrest has been made in the fire that burned 4 vacant cottages on Long Beach West last March. According to the Connecticut Post, carnival amusement manager Kevin Stewart of Trumbull faces 3rd degree arson charges and is currently out on bond pending arraignment.

Stewart reportedly was seen by several witnesses the day of the fires, climbing a radio tower near the cottages and knocking down the red light used to alert aircraft. Other witnesses claim that they were invited to the empty cottages by Stewart to hang out in what he called his “fort”.

The four abandoned cottages were lit with candles, according to people who were present with Stewart the day preceding the fires. Although Stewart initially denied having anything to do with the blaze, he later stated that he may have unintentionally knocked over a candle.

Although the cottages were empty, arson is a serious criminal offense that could get Stewart a stint in prison. Property crimes like arson and criminal mischief often carry penalties that surprise the people facing those charges.

Criminal mischief is the most common property damage crime and is split into 4 categories or degrees. The charge you face for criminal mischief depends on several things including what it was that was damaged and the value of the damage done.

For a simple criminal mischief charge in Connecticut, one can face anywhere from 3 months in jail to 5 years in prison. This long range of potential penalties can cause a serious amount of uncertainty and stress when you go before the judge.

As a local criminal defense attorney, I can help you come up with the best strategy for your case. But, I can’t do that without your help. Call me today and tell me about the charges you are facing. Together we can come up with a solution.

Vandalism and Graffiti a Problem Statewide

Graffiti is typically done with spray paint on the side of a building. It is often the chosen art form of gangs and bored teens. Although the expressive crime may seem like a minor offense, the consequences can be quite serious depending on the circumstances.

This article originating in Shelton details a park playground that has recently been the target of taggers. People who frequent the park are upset and don’t like having to look at the graffiti when they are there for a good time with their children.

Likewise, the same station covered some acts of vandalism occurring in Danielson, where buildings and even cars are being tagged with spray paint. The markings aren’t clearly gang related and police aren’t sure what they mean at all. What is known: business owners and the public are not happy about the emergence of this vandalism.

Vandalism is typically charged as criminal mischief in the Connecticut criminal justice system. What these vandals face if caught and convicted depends on the amount of damage they did. If the property is destroyed or damaged up to a value of $250, the offense will likely be considered 3rd degree criminal mischief.

As the damage increases, however, so do the charges and the potential penalties. For instance, 1st degree criminal mischief is the most serious criminal mischief charge and involves situations which result in more than $1500 in damages. This offense carries a potential sentence of one to five years in prison, fines, and a felony record.

Regardless of who is doing the graffiti, whether it is gang related or a teen prank, the charges can be quite serious. If you are facing criminal mischief charges for vandalism like this or another destruction of property, you need the assistance of an experienced defense attorney.

Call us for a free consultation today and we can discuss the best way to handle your case.

Trumbell CT Man Faces DUI and Slew of Other Charges

Evading the police while intoxicated is a horrible way to start your week. But, that’s exactly how David Damio decided to start his early Sunday morning. It all began with a two car accident…
After being involved in an accident, Damio apparently hit the median barrier and fled the scene in an effort to not get caught. He later resisted the State Officer who put him in custody according to this short piece from the Connecticut Post.

After the arrest he was charged with several offenses including DUI, evading responsibility, interfering with a police officer, and driving in the wrong lane. Any one of these charges would be stressful but the combination surely has Damio rethinking his actions on that Sunday morning.

Simply leaving the scene of an accident, or hit and run, is a serious charge. Luckily for Damio, no one was injured in the other vehicle. Many traffic offenses like this carry serious potential penalties simply because the risk of injury to the public is so high. Reckless driving is one of those offenses that seems like a minor traffic offense but carries potential jail time.

DUI is another serious and very common offense. It isn’t clear if Damio has had prior convictions but if he has, his penalty could be exacerbated. First offense DUI carries a potential 6 months in jail as well as fines and license suspension. With a 2nd offense, that potential jail sentence climbs to up to 2 years.

Driving offenses aren’t always as minor as one might think. Crimes like this are taken seriously by the Connecticut criminal court system in an effort to prevent future offenses and injuries. Because of this, people facing these kinds of charges should come to court equipped with an experienced lawyer.

If you are facing charges similar to Damio’s or any other criminal driving offense, I may be able to help you. Contact me to discuss your case today with an experienced Connecticut criminal attorney.

College Pranks Ends in Criminal Charges

Students at Central Connecticut State University thought it would be funny to pull a little prank recently. They filled the halls of their dorm building with the smoke of burnt popcorn and tied several students’ dorm room doors shut. As the fire alarms went off, many believed they were trapped in a burning building.

In the planning stages, it is likely these students thought their plan would be humorous. College pranks often seem very tasteless to the general public and it is likely these same students wouldn’t have thought it so funny if they were on the receiving end of this little joke.
According to the Connecticut Post, three students now face criminal charges and are facing a misdemeanor criminal mischief offense for this fun time and they likely aren’t laughing anymore.

What seems initially as a harmless prank can quickly turn ugly. This is certainly not the first or the last time college students face criminal charges for a prank or joke gone bad. You may even be able to look back on your college or high school days and think “Man, I’m glad we didn’t get caught doing that!”

The fact is, sometimes you do get caught though. What seems like a great plan at the time can go horribly awry. Or, perhaps no plan is involved at all. Sometimes criminal charges arise from situations that seem to be beyond your control.

Some criminal mischief charges don’t require intent at all. Simply recklessly allowing something to happen can get you charged with certain levels of this criminal charge.

If you are facing criminal charges for damage to property or criminal mischief in Connecticut, you need the assistance of an experienced attorney. Call me today to discuss your case and see what we can do together.

UConn Spring Weekend Brings Several Arrests

Every year the students at the University of Connecticut take a break and get their party on. Spring weekend allows the kids to cut loose before cramming begins for final exams. During this time, parties are plentiful and so is law enforcement presence.

This year, like every year before, campus police join forces with State police as well as firefighters and EMT’s to ensure the weekend is as safe as possible. The line of thinking goes something like this: The kids are going to party regardless and we might as well make it as controlled as possible.

Despite the measures taken to keep things safe and under control, there are inevitably arrests, every year. According to WTNH, this year was no different with 12 arrests in the first night.
One of those arrests was UConn football player and co-captain Scott Lutrus who was charged with interfering with police. There was also an assault arrest made on Nikita Guryakov.

Many people think UConn is unfairly targeted and blasted in the media for this weekend when nearly every school in the nation gets a little wild at various times throughout the year. Others think that UConn students and others who frequent the off campus parties during this time, bring shame to the school name. Regardless, the weekend definitely keeps the local police busy as they try to make certain the kids are as safe as possible while they have a good time.

There is a good chance that many of the arrests during this time are for Disorderly Conduct. Disorderly conduct is a Class C misdemeanor. It can carry a potential sentence of up to 3 months in jail and fines reaching $500.

Charges like disorderly conduct or DUI are common among college students. Facing these charges can bring added headaches to young adults that should be focusing on their future. Having an experienced defense attorney to represent them, however, can help put their minds at ease.