Washington DUI News: DUI Officer Stops Driver and Kills Dog

BREMERTON, Wash. -- A police officer here fatally shot a dog when it attacked him during a scuffle following a DUI stop early Friday morning.  Officials said the incident began when the officer stopped a suspected drunk driver in the 200 block of South Lafayette.  As the officer was having the driver perform a field sobriety test, the man's girlfriend got out of the car and began grappling with the officer, apparently in an attempt to prevent her boyfriend from being arrested.
For more on the story:  http://www.komonews.com/news/local/100117204.html
For information on your Washington State DUI please contact our Snohomish County DUI attorneys, King County DUI attorneys, Island County DUI attorneys, Whatcom County DUI attorneys, or Skagit County DUI attorneys at 425-493-1115 or check out our website at http://www.washdui.com

Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, Island, and King County DUIs: Are Police Officers Honest?

During your DUI case, whether it be in Snohomish, Skagit, Island, Whatcom or King County, you will undoubtedly read information in a police report or hear an officer testify.  When doing so you may wonder why the facts are not always as you recall.  However, this does not mean the officer is lying but may mean either you don't remember everything or alternatively, perhaps the officer is exagerating the facts.  Yes, it happens!  However, occassionally the truth is not what is actually reported.  The story below details a case where the officers were lying and got caught!

TACOMA, Wash. - Two Pierce County sheriff's deputies entered not guilty pleas to perjury charges for allegedly lying under oath.

Jeffrey Montgomery and Rex McNicol are each charged with lying when they testified about how they seized a rifle at an Orting home last year.  During a court hearing in March about the seizure, the deputies testified they never went into the home and that the homeowner admitted having the gun and retrieved it for them.  But a police report written by Montgomery and the testimony of other witnesses contradicted the deputies' statements.The Sheriff's Office then put the deputies on paid leave and forwarded the investigation to prosecutors. When the deputies were charged last week, they were put on unpaid leave.  If convicted of the perjury charge, a class "B" felony, the men each face a maximum sentence of ten years in prison.
Check out the story here:  http://www.king5.com/news/local/2-Pierce-County-deputies-arraigned-on-perjury-charges-100071039.html
For information on your Washington State DUI please contact our Snohomish County DUI attorneys, King County DUI attorneys, Island County DUI attorneys, Whatcom County DUI attorneys, or Skagit County DUI attorneys at 425-493-1115 or check out our website at http://www.washdui.com

Spike Strips needed to Stop Burlington Man in Skagit County DUI

On July 29^th in Anacortes, Skagit County Anacortes police officers had to deploy spike strips to stop a 25-year-old Burlington man, who may face charges including eluding, vehicle theft and DUI. He stopped in the southbound lane and was arrested, and it appeared he was under the influence of alcohol. The truck belongs to his parents and he allegedly took it without permission.

For information on your Washington State DUI please contact our Snohomish County DUI attorneys, King County DUI attorneys, Island County DUI attorneys, Whatcom County DUI attorneys, or Skagit County DUI attorneys at 425-493-1115 or check out our website at http://www.washdui.com

Snohomish, Skagit and Island County DUI Cases: Is it better to take or refuse the breath test?

For those of you who have had the unfortunate experience of being arrested for DUI and then faced the decision of whether to take or refuse the breath test at the police station, you may have wondered what the correct decision is.  My answer is typically lawyer like, “it depends.” 

If you only had 2-3 drinks for example, it is typically best that you take the breath test.  In the alternative, if you had too many drinks to recall then it may be best to refuse the breath test.  However, there are too many variables that may affect this decision.  The bottom line is if your BAC is close to 0.08 (and assuming you don’t have prior DUIs, there was no accident, no children in the car, etc.) then the chance of an amendment to a lesser charge is greater than if your BAC is substantially higher.  If you are concerned that your BAC might be substantially higher than 0.08, your driving was not poor, and you chose not to do the voluntary field sobriety tests, and you have no prior DUIs, then a refusal may also result in an amendment (and if not, a decent trial case).  There is one consistent truth if you are facing the decision whether to provide a breath sample or refuse and that is this:  demand to speak to an attorney at the police station and be honest with that attorney regarding the number of drinks you had.  Hopefully sound advice will lead to a greater chance of a decent result.

For information on your Washington State DUI please contact our Snohomish County DUI attorneys, King County DUI attorneys, Island County DUI attorneys, Whatcom County DUI attorneys, or Skagit County DUI attorneys at 425-493-1115 or check out our website at http://www.washdui.com

Snohomish County DUI News: Target Zero: No drunk driving deaths by 2030?

MARYSVILLE, Wash. -- With both holiday travelers and drunk drivers hitting the highways, July 4th has been the deadliest holiday weekend in Washington the past two years. A new tri-county DUI emphasis program hopes to end that, and more. "I can remember every traffic fatality I've been to," said Washington State Trooper Joel Anderson, who is used to hunting down drunk drivers. "I've arrested in excess of 800 in the past six years."
For information on your Washington State DUI please contact our Snohomish County DUI attorneys, King County DUI attorneys, Island County DUI attorneys, Whatcom County DUI attorneys, or Skagit County DUI attorneys at 425-493-1115 or check out our website at http://www.washdui.com

Suspected Washington DUI driver in deadly crash once sold her baby

MARYSVILLE, Wash. -- With both holiday travelers and drunk drivers hitting the highways, July 4th has been the deadliest holiday weekend in Washington the past two years. A new tri-county DUI emphasis program hopes to end that, and more. "I can remember every traffic fatality I've been to," said Washington State Trooper Joel Anderson, who is used to hunting down drunk drivers. "I've arrested in excess of 800 in the past six years."
For information on your Washington State DUI please contact our Snohomish County DUI attorneys, King County DUI attorneys, Island County DUI attorneys, Whatcom County DUI attorneys, or Skagit County DUI attorneys at 425-493-1115 or check out our website at http://www.washdui.com

King County DUI News: Judges asked to reinstate BAC tests in DUI cases

A driver accused of killing two Federal Way teens got out of a previous DUI charge when breathalyzer tests were tossed out of court. Now, prosecutors want those tests back to keep more drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel.
In 2008, breathalyzer results were thrown out when it was discovered the state's crime lab machines weren't calibrated correctly and there was sloppy oversight. Since then, thousands of cases every year have been affected. Currently, state troopers can give you a breath test if they suspect you are drunk, but the results can't be used in court.  Now, prosecutors say the lab has changed leadership and improved quality control.
Here is the full story:
http://www.king5.com/news/local/breathalyzer-tests-dui-peder-hodgins-99804279.html
For information on your Washington State DUI please contact our Snohomish County DUI attorneys, King County DUI attorneys, Island County DUI attorneys, Whatcom County DUI attorneys, or Skagit County DUI attorneys at 425-493-1115 or check out our website at http://www.washdui.com