Orange County DUI Lawyer

A motorcyclist from the city of Orange pleaded guilty to felony vehicular manslaughter charges last week in an Orange County court.

Blaise Aaron Meadows, 21, was accused of riding his motorcycle with a suspended license and driving at excessive speeds. He was charged with one count of felony vehicular manslaughter after crashing into the back of an Alpha Romeo, killing the driver.

According to police Meadow was riding at more than 100 mph with another person when he crashed into Andrew Parker's vehicle. Parker had to be extracted from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene from blunt force trauma. Parker was taken to the hospital with injuries.

Meadows' sentencing has been scheduled for July 30.

The other man Meadows was riding with, 25-year-old Daniel Cody Burkett, fled the scene of the accident. He was charged with vehicular manslaughter by unlawful act and with gross negligence, reckless driving, and he faces enhanced sentencing for leaving the scene of the accident.  He is scheduled to be arraigned February 16.

Experienced OC Defense You Can Trust!

Vehicular manslaughter is one of the most serious offenses a person can face. If you were charged with vehicular manslaughter in connection with DUI, reckless driving, or even simple negligence, you can trust an Orange County criminal defense attorney at the Law Offices of Virginia L. Landry to protect your rights and aggressively defend you against your charges. Our goal is to provide you with dedicated representation and aggressive defense to ensure you have the best possible chance of securing a successful outcome to your case.

If you are interested in speaking with an attorney about the defense services offered at our firm, please contact the Law Offices of Virginia L. Landry today!

Much like driving a car while drunk, if a person operates a boat or watercraft while under the influence of drugs or alcohol they stand to be arrested and charged with boating under the influence (BUI).

California considers a person too intoxicated to operate a boat or watercraft when their blood alcohol concentration is at or above .08%. Similar to a commercial DUI, it is illegal for any person working on a commercial watercraft vessel to have a BAC at or above .04%.

In regards to recreational boaters, it's easy to get carried away when a enjoying a day out on the lake, river, or ocean. As the sun begins to shine and the heats sets in, it's tempting to reach for that cold beer. Surprisingly, it is not illegal to carry alcohol on a personal watercraft. The owner of the boat or watercraft can have alcohol on the vessel, he or she just cannot get drunk to the point where their BAC level rises to .08% or more.

Penalties for BUI

The penalties for boating under the influence are quite similar to those for driving under the influence. Anyone convicted of BUI could be sentenced to jail, large fines, probation, etc.  Furthermore, should you be arrested for BUI, DUI or DUI of drugs in the future, the BUI could count as a prior offense, escalating your charges to repeat offender status.

Contact an Orange County BUI Attorney

Thousands of people throughout Orange County take advantage of the county's proximity to the Pacific Ocean, lakes and rivers. If you are planning to spend time out on the water, make sure you designate a sober boater to act as the designated driver. In the event that you are arrested for boating under the influence, you can trust a skilled and dedicated Orange County BUI lawyer at the Law Offices of Virginia L. Landry to put up an aggressive defense and negotiate for a reduction or dismissal of the charges.

For more information about our services, please contact the office today by calling (877) DUI-QUEEN!

A jewel theft was arrested last month on grand theft charges after attempting to steal a Burberry trench coat from a Saks Fifth Avenue Department store.

Doris Payne, 79, pleaded not guilty to one felony count of grand theft last week. Under California law, grand theft charges apply when the value of the stolen goods is more than $400. Because the coat was valued at $1,300, Payne was charged with grand theft.

At the time of the arrest, Payne was on probation for a previous theft offense, and now remains in police custody. The judge denied bail.

Payne has actually been in jail numerous times in multiple states.  For more than five decades she has posed as a wealthy woman in disguise as she stole rings and other expensive jewelry.  In fact, her story has inspired an upcoming movie that is rumored to star Halle Berry.

Experienced OC Criminal Defense You Can Trust!

Grand theft is a serious offense that warrants serious penalties. At the Law Offices of Virginia L. Landry, we have defended many clients throughout Orange County accused of grand theft, and are familiar with many viable defense strategies. An experienced Orange County criminal defense lawyer at our office would be happy to meet with you to discuss your charges, review the facts of your case, and determine a defense plan that will maximize your chances of securing a favorable verdict or outcome. 

To arrange a consultation, please contact the Law Offices of Virginia L. Landry by calling (866) 902-6880!

An actor on the popular television show "Heroes" was pulled over and arrested for drunk driving last week in Los Angeles.

Adrian Pasdar, who plays Nathan Petrelli on the show, was spotted driving at more than 90 mph and straddling two lanes on the 405 freeway around 3 a.m.

Pasdar was pulled over and as the Highway Patrol officer approached the vehicle he could detect the scent of alcohol. Pasdar was arrested and taken into custody after taking a field sobriety test.

He was released after posting $15,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court February 24.

Pasdar is married to Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines.

Dedicated DUI Defense in Orange County

If you are facing drunk driving charges in Orange County, the Law Offices of Virginia L. Landry can provide you with aggressive defense against your charges. With over two decades of experience, you can trust an Orange County DUI lawyer at the firm to protect your rights and prepare a defense designed to maximize your chances of overcoming your charges. To learn more about the DUI defense services offered at the firm, please contact the Law Offices of Virginia L. Landry today by calling (877) DUI-QUEEN or by filling out a free case evaluation.

A Costa Mesa man was convicted by jury for vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, an offense that could result in up to nine years in prison.

Martin Kuehl, 42, was found guilty of texting while driving just before he hit and killed a pedestrian.

The district attorney prosecuting the case presented Kuehl's cell phone records as evidence. The records show that Kuehl sent four text messages and received three messages between 7:58 a.m. and 8:27 a.m. on the day of the accident. He received a message at 8:25 a.m. and replied two minutes later. Then, at approximately 8:31 a.m., 911 dispatchers were flooded with calls about the accident.

According to the district attorney, Kuehl didn't start driving when the light turned green, so the driver behind him honked. Kuehl then made a too-wide left turn, but while drifting back into the left lane he struck the victim, 32-year-old Martha Ovalle.

A court date for Kuehl's sentencing has been scheduled for March 12. His attorney is already planning to appeal the conviction.

If you have been charged with vehicular manslaughter or any other vehicle-related crime you can trust the experienced and dedicated criminal defense team at the Law Offices of Virginia L. Landry to work diligently in fighting your charges and preparing a strong and effective defense.  To arrange a consultation with an Orange County criminal defense attorney to discuss your case, please call (866) 902-6880 or you can click here to fill out a free case evaluation form.

An Anaheim gang member was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole earlier this month for killing a man and injuring two other people nearly a decade ago.

Known gang member Edward Ayache, 27, was convicted of first-degree murder for the death of Michael Olvera.

According to Deputy District Attorney Jim Mendelson, Ayache and several of his gang associates started an argument that escalated into a fight at a house party in Garden Grove on November 18, 2000. Ayache and the other men started yelling out the name of their gang and flashed gang hand signs. Olvera was knocked to the ground and Ayache shot him four times at close range. 

Several shots were also fired into the crowd. Both Filipe Ochoa, then 20, and Manny Estrada, then 21, were hit in the arms. 

Five other suspects are awaiting similar trials. At the time of shooting, only Ayache was arrested due to lack of evidence. But last year Garden Grove police started re-investigating the case and found new witnesses and evidence. 

Defense Against Violent Crimes in Orange County

Violent crimes, gang crimes in particular, are aggressively prosecuted in Orange County. When charged with a violent crime, such as murder, it is crucial to obtain representation from an experienced Orange County criminal defense lawyer. If you are searching for aggressive defense against your charges, please contact an attorney at the Law Offices of Virginia L. Landry today!

Police officers in Fullerton successfully apprehended a man suspected of burglarizing vehicles in an east Fullerton neighborhood.

Officers were called to an apartment complex after receiving calls about a suspicious man going around knocking on sliding doors. Based on witness description, the officers were able to locate the man in a nearby parking lot. 

The suspect was identified as 20-year-old Juan Ortiz of Placentia. Ortiz was arrested on burglary charges after police discovered a screwdriver and a stereo faceplate in his possession. The items matched the missing property that was reported stolen from the vehicle.

A few hours later witnesses reported seeing a second person in the complex. That suspect, identified as 27-year-old Jose Camarillo of La Habra, was arrested on burglary charges as well.

Both Ortiz and Camarillo were booked in the county jail. Ortiz was being held on $150,000 bail; no bail was set for Camarillo.

Charged with Burglary in Orange County?

If you have been arrested on burglary charges, you will need the defense representation of an experienced Orange County criminal defense attorney. The Law Offices of Virginia L. Landry is back by more than 20 years of experience, and has successfully defended clients against a variety of criminal charges. If you are looking for an attorney you can trust to aggressively fight your charges in an effort to secure a winning verdict, please contact the office today to learn more about our services!

The following statistics and information are based on the most recent data from the California Department of Motor Vehicles, which is based off the year 2007:

General Overview

• Per 100,000 licensed drivers, 863 people were arrested for DUI
• The total number of drivers arrested for DUI was 203,866
• The number of felony DUI arrests was 6,264
• The number of misdemeanor DUI arrests was 197,602
• The percentage of DUI convictions as of September 2007 is 75%
• The number of alcohol-involved reckless driving convictions is 15,121
• The percentage of alcohol-related reckless driving convictions as of September 2007 is 7.4%
• There were 1,489 alcohol-involved fatalities
• 30,783 people were injured in an alcohol-involved accident
• 749 people were killed in drug-involved accidents
• 2,464 people were injured in drug-involved accidents (some of these cases involved both alcohol and drugs)

License Suspensions/Revocations (Before Conviction):

• .01 Zero tolerance suspensions: 22,112
• There were 123,594 first-offender suspensions (with BAC of.08 or more)
• There were 42,979 repeat offender suspensions (with BAC of .08 or more)
• There were 3,528 repeat offender revocations (with BAC of .08 or more)
• Action was taken against 2,903 commercial drivers
• Chemical test refusal actions: 9,581
• There were 426 suspensions for .01 test refusal
• There were 5,627 suspensions for .08 test refusal
• There were 3,528 revocations for .08 test refusal

License Suspension/Revocations (Post-Conviction)

• 1061 juveniles had their licenses suspended
• There were 124,436 first-offender suspensions
• Of the 124,436 suspensions,122,102 were for misdemeanor charges
• Of the 124,436 suspensions, 2,334 were for felony charges
• There were 34,296 second offender S/R actions
• Of the 34,296 S/R actions, 33,649 were for misdemeanor charges
• Of the 34,296 S/R actions, 647 were for felony charges
• There were 8,063 3rd offender revocations
• Of the 8,063 revocations, 7,830 were for misdemeanor charges
• Of the 8,063 revocations, 233 were for felony charges
• There were 2,790 4th offender license revocations
• The total number of suspensions and revocations in 2007 was 170,646

If you have been arrested for driving under the influence and your license has been revoked or suspended, an Orange County DUI attorney at the Law Offices of Virginia L. Landry can help. To schedule an appointment to discuss your case, please contact the office at (877) DUI-QUEEN!

According to KABC-TV Los Angeles, a San Clemente man who pleaded guilty to several white collar crime charges was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison.

John Anthony Miller, 52, was accused operating a Ponzi scheme that milked investors out of more than $21 million. Miller was charged with bribery, identity fraud, mail fraud, and passport fraud.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Miller defrauded more than 130 people, taking money from people who had to withdraw money from their retirement accounts or borrow money against their homes.

Miller, who owned two investment companies in Newport Beach, JAM Jr. Enterprises and Forte Financial Partners, promised the victims annual returns of as much as 18 percent on their investments. He said the money would be invested in foreign currency trading, real estate, and oil wells, among other things. He even provided them with fabricated accounts statements that showed promising returns.

Charged with a White Collar Crime in Orange County?

If you have been accused of fraud or some other type of white collar crime, an Orange County criminal defense attorney at the Law Offices of Virginia L. Landry can help.  Contact an Orange County fraud defense lawyer at the office to learn more about our defense services, experience, and qualifications. We accept all types of white collar cases, including those involving fraud, embezzlement, extortion, bribery, Internet crimes, money laundering, tax evasion, public corruption, and import & export crimes.

After a DUI arrest there are several things you can do to protect your rights and increase the strength of your defense case. Some of the steps you absolutely should take following an Orange County DUI arrest include:

·         Requesting a hearing with the California Department of Motor Vehicles. You only have 10 days to schedule a DMV hearing so be sure to act quickly.

·         Don't give up on yourself.  Even if you blew .08 percent or higher it doesn't necessarily mean you'll be convicted. There are several viable defense strategies an attorney can use to help you fight your charges.

·         Write down everything you can remember about the incident. Leave no detail unturned.

·         Be sure to write the down the names of any witnesses who can testify that you were sober at the time you were arrested.

·         Do not fail to appear in court under any circumstances. A warrant could be issued in your name and you could face enhanced penalties should you eventually get convicted of the charges.

·         Learn as much as you can about the charges you are facing.

·         Contact an experienced Orange County DUI attorney who has a solid understanding of California DUI laws and who has a proven record of success.

If you or a loved one has recently been arrested on DUI charges in Orange County, the Law Offices of Virginia L. Landry can provide you with aggressive defense at both the DMV hearing and in criminal court. Furthermore, an Orange County DUI lawyer at the office can inform you of your legal options, advise you of your rights, and address any questions or concerns you may have. Our goal is to not only provide you with the best DUI defense possible, but to also ensure you are prepared for the weeks and months ahead.

Contact the Law Offices of Virginal L. Landry today by calling (877) DUI-QUEEN!