No DWI-Related Fatalities at This Year’s Fiesta
Posted by admin on 05.10.2012
Fiesta, an annual 11-day festival in San Antonio, is usually a dangerous time in terms of drunk drivers. Luckily, when Fiesta concluded on April 29, no DWI-related fatalities had been reported.
Over the 11 days of the festival, San Antonio police arrested 373 individuals for driving while intoxicated. Bexar County already has a 24-7 no-refusal policy in place. The Texas Department of Transportation approved funding to bring in more officers for the duration of Fiesta, which likely contributed to the significant increase in DWIs from years past. TxDOT also sold $20 cab vouchers to festival-goers who didn’t have a designated driver.
This year, Fiesta San Antonio brought almost 700,000 people to San Antonio. Because of the success of this year’s and last year’s initiatives, it is likely that the city will continue to enforce aggressive DWI policies and reach out to anti-drunk driving community partners in years to come.
If you have been arrested for DWI, you should contact the McMinn Law Firm’s DWI lawyers today.
San Marcos Repeat Offender Returns to Jail Without Bail
Posted by admin on 05.01.2012
San Marcos resident and repeat drunk driving offender Stephanie Beth Cerda has been arrested and is in jail after driving down I-35 the wrong way under the influence of alcohol and possibly other drugs. The 26-year-old University of Texas at San Antonio student is currently facing multiple alcohol-related charges, including intoxication assault, a felony.
In April 2010, Cerda was involved in a head-on collision with a fellow UTSA student, Gerardo Razo. He collected $2.7 million in damages after breaking both arms and both legs in the crash.
Previous to the most recent arrest, Cerda used lotion to take off her ankle monitor. She had been at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center after she was released from jail for her initial arrest. Although her lawyer claimed that the monitor was simply malfunctioning, she was required to return to jail without bail until her court date.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car wreck due to negligence, we can help you pursue your case. Contact The McMinn Law Firm today.
Chapel Hill Enacts Cell Phone Ban
Posted by admin on 04.10.2012
As of June 1, Chapel Hill in North Carolina will become the first city to ban all cell phone use while driving, a move that could pave the way for other cities and states to pass similar ordinances. The city will prohibit usage of all cell phones and wireless devices for making calls, texting, changing a music selection, using the Internet, and playing games.
Several cities and states have placed more restrictions on cell phone usage while driving in recent years as the number of distracted driving accidents climb. The U.S. Department of Transportation recently encouraged states to enact a cell phone use bans. Most states have already placed restrictions on phone use for younger drivers.
Chapel Hill’s restrictions include multiple exceptions: an individual can make and answer calls if they are speaking to police, an emergency rescue team, a hospital, a doctor’s office, a parent, a child, a legal guardian, or a spouse. Hopefully Chapel Hill’s ban will drastically reduce instances of distracted driving and serve as an example for other communities.
Contact McMinn Law Firm if you or your loved one has been the victim of a distracted driver accident, so we can help you get the justice you deserve.
DWI Repeat Offenders Pose Safety Risk
Posted by admin on 04.03.2012
In response to a growing number of DWI repeat offenders, Texas lawmakers recently passed stricter laws for individuals who have multiple DWI convictions. Most individuals who are convicted of a second DWI offense must install a breathalyzer interlock device in his or her car for a probationary period, for example. However, because this law was enacted less than a year ago, hundreds of repeat offenders continue to drive under the influence.
Julie Jones, the widow of Brent Jones, knows this better than most people. She and her husband were hit by Jack Strickland, a four-time DWI offender. Brent died almost immediately.
By some estimates, DWI offenders drive drunk about 80 times before they are convicted of drunk driving. Additionally, in America, there are about two million three-time DWI offenders on the roads who are not in jail. Unfortunately, Julie and Brent Jones’s story is not unique: almost 1,500 Texans die in alcohol-related crashes each year. If you have been involved in a car accident involving alcohol, you deserve a fair trial. Contact the McMinn Law Firm today.
