A 25-year- old Plainsboro man has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for the death of an 88-year-old Monroe woman in an DUI Crash caused in October 2007.

According to prosecutors, the offender had a .161 blood-alcohol level and was driving 72 mph in a 45-mph zone when he caused the crash on Dey Road in Plainsboto. The offender pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter, aggravated assault, two counts of assault by auto, driving while intoxicated and other charges. He faced about 50 years in prison had he been convicted at trial.

The offender injured a woman of Monroe and her caretaker, then 57. One of the victims died of her injuries in December 2007.

The two women were heading to the physician’s office in a 2000 Toyota Camry taxi driven for South River-based Kelly’s Car Service. The offender was initially involved in a minor accident on Dey Road near Woodland Drive in which his eastbound 2000 Mitsubishi Gallant rear-ended a 2006 Honda Pilot.

The offender left the scene of the first accident, speeding down Dey Road with the hood of his car up. He lost control of the Mitsubishi and veered into oncoming traffic.

“He was driving both blind and blind drunk,” Assistant Middlesex County Prosecutor Nicholas Sewitch told Judge Barbara Stolte in Superior Court, New Brunswick, on Tuesday.

The passenger side of the Mitsubishi slammed into the front of the westbound taxi. Grochowski’s car overturned and landed on its side.

Neither the offender nor the three passengers in his car were seriously injured. The taxi driver was treated and released. One of the female victims suffered multiple fractures and both lungs were punctured, Sewitch said.

“There’s no words, no sorries, no forgive-me’s that will take back the pain I caused,” the offender said. “I’m no punk, I’m no thug and would never willingly take another person’s life.”

According to DUI Defense Attorneys in Washington, the installation of an ignition interlock device in a driver’s car may increase the likelihood of accidents. Under Washington State DUI laws, the ignition interlock device is required to be installed if a driver’s license is suspended due to a DUI arrest or conviction within the state.

To refresh, the ignition interlock device is installed with the wiring in a car to prevent the car from starting. However, it is not commonly known that Washington State’s DUI law also required a “rolling retest” after the vehicle has been started. In this process, when the car is in motion, the ignition interlock signals the driver to blow into the device:

“WAC 2-4-50-110 (7) Each device shall require the operator of the vehicle to submit to a retest within ten minutes of starting the vehicle. Retesting shall continue at intervals not to exceed sixty minutes after the first retest. The device shall be equipped with a method of immediately notifying peace officers if the required retest(s) above is not performed, or if the result of the retest exceeds the lower of .025 BAC or the alcohol concentration as prescribed by the originating court. Examples of acceptable forms of notification are repeated honking of the vehicle’s horn, repeated flashing of the vehicle’s headlamps, or the wailing of a small siren. Such notification may be disabled only by switching the engine off, or by the achievement of a retest at a level the lower of .025 BAC or the maximum allowable alcohol concentration as set by the originating court.”

These dangers from the rolling retest have been frequently documented because it causes a distraction while driving, similar to cell phones. Use of cell phone while operating a motor vehicle is not only dangerous, but also illegal. So isn’t the rolling retest of the interlock device just as dangerous? Lawmakers across the country should further investigate such claims.

The judge in the case involving the death of a four-year-old girl has set the bond for $1 million dollars. The man who is accused of running a red light and causing a fatal crash that killed the little girl, has plead not guilty in his Friday court appearance at Douglas County Corrections.

“We just want everyone to know that my client is devastated by this situation,” says the offender’s attorney Joseph Lopez Wilson. “It’s very unfortunate. He is not a father but has young family members. and just totally devastated by it.”

He is charged for driving under suspension and if found guilty will serve a maximum sentence of five years.

“The bond was set was set at one-million dollars. I thought it was excessive for this type of case,” says Wilson. “But I think the judge felt some pressure because of the media and the little girl dying. I’d probably do the same if I was in the judge’s position. You can’t blame him for that.”

The offender has had a hold placed on him by Federal Authorities because he is an illegal immigrant. There’s no expiration date to the immigration hold.

His driver’s license had been suspended in 2002 after his third conviction on DUI.

State authorities explained to Channel 6 News that when the offender was first issued a license in 1998, the system of checking social security numbers against a Federal data base was not as reliable as it is today. In 2003, the offender was turned away at the DMV because of his 15-year license suspension and because he couldn’t provide proper documentation to prove who he said he was.

The offender was driving a brother-in-law’s pickup. It’s possible the brother-in-law who owns the pickup could face charges if he knowingly allowed a suspended or unlicensed driver to use the vehicle. A few cases are filed every year in Omaha as a way for investigators to try to keep suspended drivers from having access to a vehicle.

According to sources, at any given time, there are 100,000 drivers in Nebraska who have suspended licenses.

An accident occurred late Friday night at 9:39 p.m. as a motorcyclist was heading westbound on S.C. 544. According to Highway Patrol Lance Cpl. Sonny Collins, a separate vehicle pulled out from the Coastal Villas Apartment Complex on S.C. 544 near West Cox Ferry Road.

A 46-year-old male died at the scene of the crash, according to Horry Country Deputy Coroner Chris Burroughs. An autopsy conducted this afternoon revealed the cause of death was due to the blunt force of the trauma received during the accident, according to the Burroughs.

“He didn’t ride that much, he didn’t do a lot of riding,” said the victim’s brother. “He liked to play golf, he liked NASCAR, he liked college football - Clemson [University] all the way.” The 59-year-old said he shared his 40-year love for motorcycles with his younger brother. “He hadn’t been into it quite as long as me, but he loved it.”

The second crash occurred 30 minutes later. involving four vehicles on S.C. 544 in front of the Boardwalk, Collins said.

A vehicle driving eastbound on S.C. 544 crossed the centerline and struck two motorcyclists and then hit a truck, all of which were traveling westbound on S.C. 544, he said. A 47-year-old of Centereach, N.Y., died at the scene of the crash, Horry County Coroner Robert Edge said. The autopsy revealed massive trauma to the lower extremities.

The driver of the vehicle is charged with felony DUI involving death and is being held at J. Reuben Long Detention Center, according to Collins. The 60-year-old Myrtle Beach woman was the only driver and the two motorcyclists were reported not wearing helmets. Under South Carolina law, no helmet is required because they were outside the Myrtle Beach city limits.

Four people were seriously injured in a Bakersfield car collision that was caused by a driver influenced by drugs. According to the Bakersfield Californian, two 27-year-olds, a 22-year-old, a 56-year-old, and a 26-year-old were injured in a five car crash. Many others- including a 40-year-old, a 68-year-old, a 21-year-old, and a 47-year-old were fortunate to escape the accident without injury in the rear-end accident.

The offender was later arrested for suspicion of a felony charge of causing personal injury while driver under the influence of drugs. He may also face charge for being under the influence of a controlled substance.

The crash occurred when the offender, who was driving a Honda Accord at 70 mph east on Niles Street, rear-ended a car stopped at a red light at Descanso Street. The collision caused a chain reaction crash involving several individuals. The newspaper found online court records, which indicate that the offender had several recent brushes with the law including prior jail time for assault, drug possession and a DUI.

According to statistics, California leads the nation in DUI arrests. According to the FBI, there were 177,405 California DUI arrests in 2004. Of these almost 1,500 of the DUI arrests were under the age of 18.

If you have recently been arrested for driving under the influence in California, it is strongly recommended you seek the counsel of a qualified DUI attorney in your local area. Information on the Internet is no substitute for professional legal representation.

People arrested for a California DUI face two separate processes - a California Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) procedure that determines whether or not the California Drivers License is suspended or restricted, and a court case that can lead to a variety of DUI penalties.

A man was arrested and taken into the custody of the law after a brief, high-speed chase along Highway 29.
The young 25-year-old man of Clearlake was arrested at approximately 1 a.m. after he tried to escape the California Highway Patrol. According to CHP officer Josh Dye, the officer was offering a traffic stop when the offender speed off.  CHP Officer Robert Hearn was driving southbound on Highway 29 when he stopped the offender’s vehicle south of Kit’s Corner at about 12:30 a.m., Dye explained.
The driver then allegedly took off, heading south on Highway 29 at speeds of more than 100 miles per hour with Hearn in pursuit, said Dye.

According to Dye, other CHP units went out to place a spike strip on the highway south of Kelseyville. However, the DUI driver turned off into Kelseyville before reaching the spike strip and, at a lower speed, made his way to an apartment complex on Gaddy Lane. Hearn quickly subdued the driver who Dye said had been alone in the car. The chase was over before sheriff’s deputies dispatched as backup could get there.

The offender was officially booked into the Lake County Jail on charges of obstructing or resisting a peace officer, evading a peace officer and driving without a license, and a no-bail immigration hold.

The Office of Traffic Safety, California Highway Patrol, and local law enforcement want everyone to drive safely and responsibly.  If you see a drunk driver on the road, call 911. The public can use the emergency number to report and help the CHP identify drunk drivers before it is too late.

If all drivers stay alert and care for themselves and others than maybe one day the roads can be as safe as they are able to be. Always be cautious when driving, especially at night when the roads are dark.

A young, 24-year-old is being convicted of driving under the influence and seriously injuring one of the passengers in his vehicle, and will spend thirty days in prison after pleading guilty to these charges.

The offender was sentenced at a hearing in a Vermont District court in Barre on Monday, approximately one year after the one-car accident at the intersection of Towne Hill Road and Route 2 in East Montpelier.

According to a victim impact statement issued by the court, the accident left a 27-year-old woman with three broken bones in her spine, two in her neck, a broken breastbone, and a broken collarbone with scars covering her body. She was visiting from Virginia when the accident occurred and lives there currently. She is asking for $105, 227 in restitution fees to pay for her medical bills, lost wages and other losses. The outcome of this will be decided in a separate restitution hearing. The victim was not at the hearing but supplied a written statement to her current condition:

“This has affected me in so many ways: I am in a brace day to day…I do not sleep through the night as I cannot get comfortable, I have headaches every day…”

In addition she said she hast lost her job and unable to find a replacement due to her injuries. She also wrote a long list of the many ways her life has changed, including walking her dog and paying her bills.

The offender was also convicted of drinking and driving in 2006. He had been driving his Saab early in the morning on June 7th of last year. He drove through an intersection on Route 2 and send another car into the river. Many others were injured and the offender’s BAC measured .113. His full sentence was one to five years but the bulk was suspended and reduced to a 30-day jail sentence and 30 days of work crew.

Recently, southern Orange County experienced a DUI accident that caused one death and multiple injuries. In the crash, a 46-year-old man died in the accident and left a 24-year-old woman on life support from severe brain damage and a 28-year-old woman with other major injuries.

The two intoxicated drivers who caused the accident were arrested this past Sunday in connected with the pair of alcohol-related collisions on the Glendale Freeway in Eagle Rock. One of the drivers was 24-years-old from Sylmar. Reportedly, he drove the wrong way onto the southbound Holly Drive off ramp and then proceeded to drive north in the southbound lanes of the freeway. According to the California Highway Patrol, these activities occurred at approximately 2 a.m. The man then struck the victim who died in the head-on-collision involving the victim’s Cadillac Catera, according to Timothy Palmer of the California Highway Patrol.

There were two women in man’s car, who were both from San Fernando, who suffered major injuries. One of the two was on life support at Huntington Memorial Hospital with severe brain injuries, Palmer said.

The offender suffered major leg injuries and was taken to County-USC Medical Center. He was believed to be under the influence of alcohol and was arrested, Palmer said.
After the first collision, as the offender’s car sat sideways in the number two lane, another woman, of Montrose, hit the back of the sedan, but managed to keep control of the Nissan Sentra she was driving. She and her passenger were not injured, but she was arrested for suspicion of felony drunken driving, Palmer said.

Also according to Palmer, “It is unknown, but unlikely, if this (second) collision contributed significantly to any of the injuries sustained by the (two women).”

On Friday May 1, 2009 a drunken driver crashed into an Illinois Department of Transportation truck on the Eisenhower Expressway. The motorist expected to be charged with a DUI charge involving a state highway worker.

The driver of the accused vehicle slammed into a construction truck on the eastbound Eisenhower near Mannheim Road around 1:30 a.m. on Friday morning, according to Illinois State Police Master Sgt. Joe Stangl.

The Department of Transportation vehicle was parked on the shoulder while the male worker was preparing to set up signs when the accident occurred. The two involved in the crash were taken directly to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood with non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver who caused the crash is expected to be charged with drinking and driving and for violating Scott’s Law, which requires drivers to change lanes or slow down for an emergency vehicle.

The driver will be facing charges and penalties under Illinois law for drinking and driving under the influence. If this is his first offense he will face the following standards under Illinois law:

“If you are convicted for drunk driving in the State of Illinois, the first offense will result in a minimum 1 year suspension of your drivers license. In addition, you may be imprisoned for up to one year and fined up to $1,000. If the driver was transporting a person under the age of 16 at the time of the violation, is subject to an additional mandatory minimum fine of $1,000, an additional mandatory minimum 140 hours of community service, which shall include 40 hours of community service in a program benefiting children, and an additional 2 days of imprisonment.”

Second offenders face harsher and more stringent policies.

A deputy from Shelby County Sheriff’s department was injured this past Saturday in a DUI accident. The crash occurred when a pick-up slammed into his cruiser in North Shelby County. An official spokesperson for the department said Deputy Charles Wallace was responding to a local call about a sick baby at a home on the 45th block of Cedar Leaf Cove around 7:00 p.m. when the accident happened.

Due to the weather, the deputy chose not to engage his siren or emergency lights, and was driving below the normal speed limit, department spokesman Steve Shular said. As he was cruising south on Raleigh-Millington near Sykes Road, a truck was heading north and turned left into the driver’s side door of the squad car. The impact of the crash sent the cruiser off the road into a field where he was trapped inside his vehicle with a gash on his forehead until emergency crews arrived at the scene of the accident.

The deputy was sent directly to the hospital to be treated and received several stitches for a cut to his head. He remained in the hospital until late Saturday night in stable condition.

The alerted deputies found three unopened cans of beer in the pickup and noticed the driver smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot eyes, according to the charges. The driver, 43-year-old Centeno Martin of Millington, was charged with a DUI and failure to yield. According to the Metro DUI Squad, Martin’s blood alcohol content was 0.13 when the legal limit in Tennessee is 0.08. They also discovered a handgun, loaded with ten rounds of ammunition inside the truck.

Bond was set at $7,500 for Centeno, who is to appear in court today.