In Connecticut and Nationwide, Female Drunk Drivers on the Rise

In an interesting story from the Hartford Courant this week, it is revealed that women aren’t only gaining ground in the workplace and other areas of society, but also when it comes to DUI arrests. According to the report, the reasons for this are many.

The percentage of women in drunk driving arrests was 17.4 in 1997 and rose to 21.7 in 2006 in our state. During that time, male arrests for DUI fell as female arrests climbed. Nationally, the trend is similar, women are being arrested more for DUI while the number of men is steadily decreasing.

Experts attribute the climb to many factors including an increase in binge drinking among women as well as an increase in women behind the wheel. The Courant also points to the fact that the law may not be as lenient on women as it once was.

The decrease in DUI’s among men may be attributed to greater social stigma over the past several years or enhanced punishments.

Overall, from 2007 to 2008 there was a decrease in DUI arrests and a decrease in DUI related accidents. This is a positive trend that will hopefully continue. However, the overall rate may decline while the percentage of women still increases.

No matter who you are or what your gender is, you hope for equal treatment, whether in the criminal justice system or elsewhere. The DUI laws in Connecticut aren’t set up to treat people differently and that’s part of the reason a defense attorney is necessary.

Having a defense attorney on your side in court means that there is an advocate for your rights. Believe it or not, the system is designed to protect the rights of the accused; a defense attorney is there to make sure it works.

When facing charges of DUI, you are looking at jail time, fines, and a license suspension. Dealing with these penalties can be very difficult. Dealing with the potential of facing these types of penalties can be extremely stressful.

Call me today to discuss your case and let me help you through this tough point in your life. Let’s take a look at how your arrest was handled and see if we can come up with an effective defense strategy.

Plea Deal Reached in Connecticut Drunk Driving, Hit & Run Case

Way back in January of this year, 17 year old Jessica Lee was hit while crossing the street at Boston and Central Avenues in Bridgeport. She was thrown onto the windshield of the vehicle and landed “several feet away” according to the Connecticut Post.

Following the accident, 38 year old Darren McDermott of Milford turned off his headlights and continued driving into the night. He was caught and found to have a blood alcohol level of .189. McDermott was also said to have struggled with the police when they tried to take him in to custody.

Since the accident, which left Lee with two broken legs and a concussion, McDermott has been participating in a sobriety program, something that may have helped his chances in getting the plea agreement.

McDermott plead no contest to second degree assault with a motor vehicle, driving under suspension, evading responsibility, and two counts of DUI. The prosecution is recommending he serve a three year prison sentence when he goes back before the judge on December 8th.
Plea agreements are not unusual and typically seek to satisfy both parties involved. Because McDermott was driving on a license that had been suspended for a prior DUI at the time of the accident, the odds were stacked against him.

In some cases the plea agreement states that the defendant will plead guilty while others, as in this case, allow for the defendant to plead “no contest”. No contest simply means he will not argue that the charges against him are false but won’t admit outright to committing the offenses.
It is quite common for one incident to end with multiple charges. A string of law violations isn’t that unusual and in this case the first violation (driving while intoxicated) led to the others (assault, leaving the scene).

If you are facing criminal charges and aren’t sure where to turn, contact me to discuss your case. If the situation doesn’t look good, perhaps we can work something out with the prosecution. However, whatever you choose to do with your case, as your attorney, it is my job to back you up.

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.

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.

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.