A drunk man parked his car directly in front of a hotel. He walked up to the clerk at the reception desk and asked for a room. But the clerk wasn’t a clerk at all -- he was a police officer. And the hotel wasn’t a hotel at all -- it was a police station. … Continue reading A drunk tries to check into a hotel which is actually a police station
"Court Case Friday" "Dial-a-Drunk" Breathalyzers With early breathalyzer devices, the officers set the alcohol level at zero before starting the test. Dishonest cops set the initial level higher. Nothing in the machine prevented this. Those devices were nicknamed, "Dial-a-Drunk." Current machines have multiple fail-safes, and they are very accurate. The Ignition Interlock Device: A New … Continue reading “Dial-a-Drunk” Breathalyzers & Ignition Interlock Devices
"Court 'Case' Friday" Driving for Yellow Cab of Anaheim After my first year of law school, my wife and I returned to Orange County to earn money for the next school year. I got a job driving taxis for Yellow Cab in Anaheim. I worked 12-hour shifts, six days a week. I started at 4:00 … Continue reading Driving Drunks (My Taxi Experience)
"Court Case Friday" As a new D.A. I was prosecuting a drunk driver. My expert criminalist testified in the jury trial that the defendant must have consumed at least seven drinks in order to reach his blood alcohol level. After finishing with the criminalist’s testimony, I rested my case, and the judge announced a noon recess. … Continue reading LDS Drunk Driver With a Guilty Conscience
"Court Case Friday" I had a case where a CHP officer pulled over a DUI driver on the 57 Freeway next to Angel stadium. As the officer was conducting field sobriety tests (FSTs) there was a major accident in the center divider. The officer ordered the suspect to sit on the shoulder, while the officer … Continue reading Drunk Driver “Steals” Police Car
"Court Case Friday" The Obscenity Trial One hot summer afternoon, in the 1970s, an O.C. Judge was presiding over an adult obscenity jury trial. The air conditioning wasn’t working. The courtroom lights were off. And the judge had way too much to drink during lunch. After lunch, while the film played, the judge passed out … Continue reading Drunk Judge Passed Out During Trial
"Court Case Friday" Although DUI cases are tragic, they can also be entertaining. One of my favorite DUI cases took place on the Garden Grove Freeway (22) at 2:15 a.m. This time is relevant because the bars close at 2:00 a.m. Instead of taking Uber or Lyft, drunks often try to drive home. Therefore, the … Continue reading The Parked Drunk Driver Who Thought He was Driving
"Court 'Case' Friday" I performed a wedding at the Chart House Restaurant overlooking Dana Point Harbor. The restaurant is built on the side of a cliff below the road, and so it is difficult to find. Chart House Restaurant, Dana Point, Below the Street Level Everyone was set, except for the bride. A limo was bringing … Continue reading The Drunk Groom
"Court Case Friday" “Drunk Driving” (DUI) cases are some of the most tragic. They are also some of the most entertaining. Field Sobriety Tests In the “old days,” reciting the alphabet was a standard field sobriety test (FST). This FST tested mental impairment. Mental impairment occurs before observable physical impairment. Years ago, the National Highway … Continue reading DUI Drivers Versus the Alphabet
"Court Case Friday" “Drunk driving” (DUI) cases are some of the most tragic. They are also some of the most entertaining. I had a unique DUI case involving an 85-year-old woman with a very high blood alcohol level. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer spotted her weaving in the fast lane on the I-5 Freeway … Continue reading Drunk Driver: Golf Cart on the Freeway
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