Justin Bieber’s DUI and Drag Racing arrest this week in Miami captured headlines around the world. The criminal charges are not that extraordinary. So what’s so special about this case anyway? The rock star driver? The Yellow Lamborghini? The South Beach venue? All of the above.
The equivalent charges in Connecticut—DUI / DWI under C.G.S. § 14-227a, Reckless Driving under C.G.S. § 14-222, and Racing under C.G.S. § 14-224—are perhaps some of the most frequently charged crimes I see charged against drivers in Connecticut. But for our followers of this blog, the case serves as a reminder of how easy it is to get charged with these three crimes in Connecticut and is a further reminder of what you can do to fight these charges if you are not lucky enough to be a famous (or infamous) bad boy teenaged pop icon.
While most people are not lucky enough to be able to have access to a Lamborghini, you’d be surprised to see what kind of cars people are drag racing in on Connecticut highways and roads. I’ve seen cases where drivers are flying up the I-95 corridor at over 120 miles per hour. Know that these kind of cases are prosecuted very aggressively by the State of the Connecticut. Judges and prosecutors see this kind of behavior equivalent to shooting a loaded gun into a crowd. Prosecutors and police offer statistics which show that those who drag race are likely to offend again, and should have their license taken away immediately. And if there are alcohol or drugs in the driver’s system, prosecutors will often demand jail time. That’s why if you are accused of drag racing in Stamford, Greenwich, Darien, or New Canaan, you should consult a top Norwalk or Stamford criminal lawyer or top Stamford Racing or Reckless Driving attorney right away.
If you are a Connecticut resident, then you have surely seen cars fly by you on the Merritt Parkway and Interstate 95 throughout Fairfield County and northbound. As many top Stamford Reckless Driving lawyers and top Stamford Speeding Ticket attorneys have observed in recent months, the Stamford, Greenwich and Darien police have launched a concerted and intense campaign to make the roads safer. Roving DUI / DWI patrols, speed traps and traffic units have resulted in hundreds of traffic stops on local roads and highways. The end result: hundreds of Speeding Tickets and Traveling Unreasonably Fast tickets, and scores of Stamford Reckless Driving arrests and Greenwich and Stamford DUI / DWI arrests. These are arrests for misdemeanors and sometimes felonies, which carry stiff jail penalties, fines and license suspensions.
When you are clocked over the speed limit but under 85 miles per hour, the police will ticket you with motor vehicle infractions of Speeding and Traveling Unreasonably Fast under C.G.S. §§ 14-219 and 14-218a. If you are clocked 85 miles per hour or over, then you will be charged with a crime—the misdemeanor charge of Reckless Driving, which is much more serious. In all cases, convictions for these charges can detrimentally affect your driving privileges with the Connecticut DMV as well as your auto insurance rates.
Getting back to Bieber’s case—will he beat these charges? First, it will depend on his alcohol readings. If his blood alcohol content (BAC) is significantly over the legal .08 limit, then he’s in trouble. If it’s less than twice the legal limit, he should be able to get the charges dropped. In either situation, his top Florida DUI / DWI criminal attorney Roy Black will likely take the path of least resistance and apply Bieber for a DUI / DWI first time offenders program. (Connecticut offers a similar DUI / DWI first time offenders program called the Alcohol Education Program). My guess is that if he successfully completes the program, then the Florida prosecutors will either reduce or dismiss his charges, or offer him some form of deferred adjudication. He just needs to stay out of trouble while his case is pending, and for some rock stars—especially those who have their homes searched by law enforcement for egg throwing allegations—this could be a problem.
So whether you are famous, infamous, or just a regular hard-working citizen, if you are charged with Reckless Driving, Racing or DUI / DWI in Stamford, Greenwich, Darien, New Canaan, Norwalk or anywhere else in Connecticut, you should consider calling a Stamford Reckless Driving DUI / DWI attorney at Mark Sherman Law. We are focused on only one objective: results. Our “two attorney” analysis of your case and police reports, coupled with our reasonable rates and high level of personal services, distinguishes us from our competition. Give us a call at (203) 358-4700 for your consultation today.
