South Florida Woman Charged with DUI in I-75 Wrong-Way Crash

A 21-year-old Fort Myers woman faces DUI charges after driving the wrong way on Interstate 75 and colliding with another vehicle early Saturday morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The crash happened some time around 2:25 a.m. on the southbound lanes of I-75, just south of the Bonita Beach Road exit, authorities at the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Jessica Utley is suspected to have been driving under the influence when she crossed the median from northbound lanes into the southbound lanes and oncoming traffic, according to an FHP report.

Kevin Burkhardt, 19, of Naples was traveling southbound when he saw Utley’s Ford Explorer heading toward his car. He swerved to avoid a head-on collision but the front right side of his Ford Focus was struck by the front right side of Utley’s vehicle.

Utley’s SUV continued northbound after the collision, and then overturned, ejecting her in the process. She suffered minor injuries and was taken to Lee Memorial Hospital. Burkhardt suffered minor injures and was taken to North Collier Hospital.

The southbound lanes of I-75 were closed for about 45 minutes following the crash.

Utley’s charges include: DUI, DUI with property damage and personal injury, driving the wrong way and not wearing a seat belt.

Man Charged With DUI and Stealing Car From Crash Scene

A South Florida man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of driving under the influence and stealing a car from the scene of a crash.

Richard Abraham, 35, was arrested by deputies of the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. He now faces charges including grand theft of a motor vehicle, DUI and property damage. He was still in jail on Friday, according to online records.

Early Thursday, the Florida Highway Patrol issued a “lookout” warning for a 2006 black BMW, which had been stolen from a crash scene in Broward County and was traveling westbound on Interstate 75.

The details of the crash and how the car was stolen were not released by authorities, but it is known that the car was stopped on westbound I-75 at mile marker 86 by authorities, and it was determined that Abraham was under the influence according to an FHP press release.

$500,000 Bail Set for DUI Suspect

The North Naples man accused of fleeing the scene after fatally hitting a sign holder is being held on $500,000 bail Wednesday in Collier County Court.

Etem A.’s attorney said there was no probable cause for the charge of DUI causing death.

Etem is also facing a charge of failing to remain at the scene of a fatal crash, both felony charges, in connection to the death of Stephen D., 49, at Pine Ridge Road and Shirley Street on Monday. Stephen was a little person employed as a roadside sign holder for a nearby restaurant.

“I’m going through the booking sheet, and what I’ve got is three pages … and no mention of glassy bloodshot eyes, odor of alcohol, nothing along those grounds,” Etem’s attorney told Judge Rob Crown,

Crown said he found probable cause to support both charges and denied Etem’s attorney request for a $100,000 bond, as well as State Prosecutor Timothy Altieri’s request for a $1 million bond. Etem, a native of Macedonia, also cannot keep or obtain a passport and must wear an alcohol-detection device.
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Hit and Run Leads to DUI Arrest

A birthday celebration ended with a local woman being struck by a vehicle and the driver of the vehicle arrested, a report by the Florida Highway Patrol shows.

According to FHP, Alexis P. was arrested on charges of DUI and leaving the scene of an accident with injury. Reports show that law enforcement responded to the intersection of SR 51 and Pineview Circle in Live Oak around 11:49 p.m., Saturday, in reference to a hit and run that had occurred at Wayne Frier’s Mobile Home Park, Lot 113.

When FHP arrived, Deputy Harris of the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office had already conducted a traffic stop in reference to the hit and run and had placed Alexis in his patrol car. During the initial interview with Alexis, alcohol was detected on his breath. His eyes were also bloodshot and watery, FHP says, adding that he was unsuccessful in passing field sobriety tests.

Alexis told law enforcement that he did not remember having a crash with a pedestrian at Wayne at the mobile home lot, but admitted that he had been at the residence consuming alcohol and celebrating a birthday party.

While at the Suwannee County Jail, FHP officials requested that Alexis submit to a alcohol breath test but he refused to do so.

When FHP interviewed the victim at Shands of Live Oak, where she was treated for minor injuries, she said that Alexis had been at her residence all day, consuming alcohol, the report shows. She added that she was walking her dog in front of the green Ford pickup Alexis was driving when the crash occurred around 11:30 p.m. in her driveway.

Something most people do not know is that field sobriety exercises are done on a volunteer basis and refusal to participate is not a crime, unlike a chemical test, such as a blood sample. However, there is always a good chance you can beat your charge, regardless of circumstances, with the help of a Broward County DUI attorney at Musca Law.

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Crashes Caused By Prescriptions Drugs on The Rise

The scourge of prescription drug abuse is hitting South Florida roads and highways.

Increasingly, drugs such as oxycodone and alprazolam, commonly known as Xanax, are playing larger roles in traffic crashes.

In Palm Beach County, drug-related crashes increased 18 percent last year. There were 64 such cases last year compared to 54 in 2005.

Statewide, drug-related crashes dropped 3 percent last year after climbing nearly 11 percent in 2009. In the last five years, drug-related crashes in Florida increased from 1,176 in 2005 to 1,236 in 2010.

Broward County is “seeing quite a few cases” of drug-impaired driving involving prescription drugs, said Dr. Harold Schueler, chief toxicologist for Broward County’s Medical Examiner Office. But it’s unclear if those numbers are increasing.

As all crashes have declined in recent years, so have DUI crashes.

“Prescription-drug abuse certainly makes South Florida’s highways and side streets more dangerous any time of the day, not just after happy hour,” said Jim Hall, director of the Center for the Study and Prevention of Substance Abuse at Nova Southeastern University.
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The Cause of Deadly Broward Crashes

Broward County motorists are trying to do too many things while driving, instead of just driving, and they’re dying because of it.

Careless driving — a catch-all category that largely means distracted driving — caused the most fatal traffic crashes in Broward County in 2010, according to state traffic-crash data.

There’s no law against driving distracted, so many police officers write tickets under the broader careless-driving statute.

That distraction can be anything from talking on a cellphone and texting to applying makeup and changing the radio station.

“When people are not focused on the roadway, their response time is delayed by whatever is distracting them,” said Detective Travis Mandell, spokesman for the Fort Lauderdale Police Department.

Failing to yield the right of way and speeding also were responsible for many of the deadly crashes in Broward County.

The other top causes of fatal crashes last year:

Driving under the influence of alcohol;

Improper lane change;

Disregarding a traffic signal;

Following too closely.
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Broward Cop Crashes Motorcycle, Injuring Kids

Authorities say a South Florida motorcycle police officer was injured when he crashed into a school bus.

Coral Springs police say 52-year-old John M. was airlifted to a nearby hospital Monday with a broken collar bone, kneecap, finger and ribs. He was later listed in fair condition.

Police say the Broward County bus was making a turn when John crashed into the rear driver’s side. John was thrown from his bike.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel ( http://sunsent.nl/pDzfqy) reports that the bus driver and three young passengers on board were not injured.

The crash remains under investigation.

I can’t help but thinking that John was given special treatment in this crash. It really makes me angry.

If you’ve been charged with DUI in Fort Lauderdale or elsewhere in Broward County, it’s essential that you quickly contact an attorney who can aggressively defend your rights. Look no further then the Broward County DUI attorneys at Musca Law. We offer a free consultation and have achieved great results for our clients over the years. Call 954-302-5391 right now.

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OS: Unions Help Fired Cops Keep Jobs

When police officers are fired, they still may have a second — and sometimes third — chance to fight the chief’s or sheriff’s decision and to get back on duty.

It’s up to an arbitrator.

“There are times when people get their jobs back and the agency would be better off without them,” Broward Sheriff’s Office spokesman Jim Leljedal said.

The issue has been highlighted recently in the Boynton Beach Police Department, where fired officers won their jobs back — then got into trouble again.

When an officer is fired, the police union can choose to go to an independent arbitrator — usually an impartial attorney unfamiliar with the people involved. He or she acts as a judge, hearing both sides of the case and deciding whether the officer returns to duty.

The Broward and Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Associations said they have about an 80 percent success rate through arbitration.

“For someone to get fired, that’s a big deal in someone’s life,” said John Kazanjian, president of the PBA in Palm Beach County. “We really think that agencies go well past the prescribed discipline.”

Boynton Beach Police Officer Thomas J. was hired in 2001 and fired in January 2010 over a case — felony domestic battery by strangulation and battery — the year before. He was found not guilty of the criminal charges in April 2009.

In February, Thomas, 32, won his job back but was fired again in July, when an internal-affairs investigation determined he committed insurance fraud.

Thomas was in a car accident in March 2009 and told his mother to tell the insurance company that she was the driver when the crash occurred, investigators said. That’s because his insurance company would not cover his claim.

Thomas signed pretrial intervention in May on the fraud charge, admitting guilt but keeping it off his record, according to the State Attorney’s Office.

The PBA is deciding whether to allow him to go for arbitration again.

Boynton Beach Officer David C., 30, was fired in 2007, two years after he was hired, for use of excessive force during a DUI arrest. He got his job back in 2008 through arbitration. In May he got into trouble again, charged with improper exhibition of a dangerous weapon and culpable negligence.
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Will Broward Merge Lead to Other Unions?

It’s a shotgun marriage of sorts. But could the recent decision to merge two Broward Sheriff’s Office forces lead to other unions?

Facing an estimated $9 million deficit, mostly for police and fire services, Lauderdale Lakes asked the Sheriff’s Office for help. The solution: Consolidate with the unincorporated Central Broward district and save a combined $3.4 million.

“Many of our cities ought to look to merge with each other and have economies of scale and save the taxpayers a lot of money,” Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness said at a June County Commission workshop.

A study of city-by-city spending in Broward County released last year backs that up. It said South Florida police staffing levels are about 60 percent higher per capita than national averages, and cities that contracted services spend 33 percent less per-capita than those with their own departments.

Still, it can be a hard sell.

“The vast majority of people don’t want to give up our police,” said Hollywood Commissioner Dick Blattner, whose city is exploring the idea of switching to the Sheriff’s Office to help close a $38 million budget gap. “It’s hometown. They see the black and white cars go by and they know that’s Hollywood police.”

The study of Broward spending by Orlando-based Fishkind and Associates was commissioned by Broward Workshop, a group of business leaders. “Merging is economical because there is a lot of overlap” said Brian Martin, a Fishkind associate. Cities can save on administrative, pension and personnel costs, he added.

That can make a difference for struggling municipalities because on average, more than 50 percent of a city’s general fund goes toward police and fire services. Already, cities such as Oakland Park, Tamarac, Coral Springs, Margate and Hollywood have proposed raising taxes to balance next year’s budget.

“We’re seeing a lot of talk [about consolidating services] but because it’s politically difficult there’s not a lot of action yet,” said David Osborne, co-author of “The Price of Government: Getting the Results We Need in an Age of Permanent Fiscal Crisis.”
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Former News Anchor Pleads No Contest to Fort Lauderdale DUI Charge

Former South Florida television news anchor Lisa H. pleaded no contest on Thursday to a drunk-driving charge and was sentenced to six months’ probation.

Lisa, 40, crashed her car into a tree on the 800 block of Northeast 26th Ave. in Pompano Beach on July 28, 2010. Her blood alcohol was measured at 0.17, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08.

County Court Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren accepted Lisa’s no contest plea and sentenced her to probation, along with a six-month driver’s license suspension, a $1,000 fine and DUI school.

At the time of her arrest, Lisa was the news anchor on the WSFL Morning Show, a weekday news program that shared resources with the Sun Sentinel. Both the station and the newspaper are owned by Tribune Company. The Morning Show has since been cancelled.

Before joining WSFL, she was a news anchor from 1998 to 2009 at WPBF in West Palm Beach.

Three days after the DUI incident, Lisa’s husband, WSVN news reporter Derek H., was arrested on a domestic violence charge that was later dropped.

If you’ve been charged with DUI in Fort Lauderdale or elsewhere in Broward County, pleading no contest may not have to be your fate. To discuss how you could possibly avoid being convicted, contact our Broward DUI attorneys today for a free phone consultation. We’ve helped many people who were in the same situation.

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