Our client was charged with Racing and driving 50 mph over the speed limit. The Trooper observed two vehicles in her rear-view mirror approaching at a high rate of speed. Both vehicles were side by side, with the vehicle on the left just slightly ahead. She clocked one of the vehicles at 123 mph and she observed the vehicles staying side by side as they passed her. We closed his case with only a careless driving, minimum fine, a driving school, no suspension and no points on his license. The 50 over speeding ticket was dismissed.
Our client was charged with DUI and Refusal to Submit to a Breath Test. An Officer responded to a noise complaint in an apartment complex parking lot. He observed a group of males standing next to the vehicle and he ordered them to turn down the music. Our client sat in the driver's seat and turned down the music. The officer told him to keep the music down and not to drive because he smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his breath. The officer realized that he only spoke Spanish and used a translation app to repeat the warning. Several minutes later the officer observed our client in the same vehicle drive pass him, while playing loud music. He watched him park and walked up to him. The music was still playing loud as he exited the driver seat. After the officer observed him staggering and swaying, he detained him and requested that he perform Field Sobriety Exercises. Our client walked away and was placed under arrest for DUI. He refused the breath test. The State initially offered him pretrial diversion but we advised to wait and allow the attorney to do a full review of the case. After working the case and speaking to the prosecutor on multiple occasions, the charges were dismissed.
Our client was charged with Racing and driving 123 mph in a 70 mph zone. The roadway was wet and heavy traffic due to Christmas holidays. The Trooper was in the far right lane. She observed two vehicles in her rear view mirror approaching at a high rate of speed. Both vehicles were side by side, with the left vehicle just slightly ahead. She visually estimated the vehicles at 120 mph and she used radar to obtain a target reading of 123 mph. The vehicles stayed side by side as they passed her. On the in car video, you can see her jerking her car to the right to avoid a rear end collision from the right vehicle. The State amended the criminal charge to a careless driving and we closed his case with a minimum fine, a driving school, no suspension and no points on his license.
The Client was involved in a serious vehicle accident when she went the wrong direction on an interstate exit ramp. Law enforcement was called to the scene where they discovered that not only was the Client injured but she also smelled of alcohol. She was transported to the hospital for treatment. Once at the hospital, law enforcement determined that the Client would be in the hospital for quite some time and as a result a blood sample was requested in order to determine the Client's blood alcohol level. The Client initially refused but later recanted the refusal. The Client was then charged with DUI. The Firm was hired to represent the Client and began gathering all the relevant evidence. There was no video of the incident or of law enforcement's interaction with her, however there was an audio recording. On said audio recording the Client's speech pattern sounded extremely slurred and impaired. The Firm set the case for trial based on the fact that the State had limited evidence, other than the audio recording. The State agreed that the case was weak and dismissed the DUI charge.
Client southbound on Hwy 301 when school bus crossed in front of her and she collided with side of bus between rear wheels and back bumper.The front seat passenger in Ms. Griffis' car was killed. She was alleged to have been speeding by FHP and given a ticket for violation of a TCD causing a Fatality. She was facing a 6 month DL suspension and minimum $1000 fine. At trial, we argued bus was at fault for accident and that Ms Griffis should have been cited for speeding and not TCD since law requires a specific statute to be used if applicable rather than a general statute like TCD. Judge found her Not Guilty.
The Client was stopped for speeding and once stopped Officers smelled an odor of alcohol and believed the Client to be impaired. A DUI investigation was conducted and the Client performed poorly on the field sobriety exercises. The Client was arrested for DUI for the second time and subsequently gave a breath sample that was barely over the legal limit. The Firm was hired to investigate the case and discovered that not only was the Client's breath sample just above a .08, but the breath machine used was found to be giving results that were not accurate. As a result the case was set for trial. The day before the trial the State agreed to dismiss the DUI charge.
Our client was charged with the felony offense of Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Marked Police Car. The vehicle the officer said our client was driving initially passed the officer going southbound into Key West. This was captured on the officer's dash cam. The Officer initiated his overhead lights and turned around to pursue the vehicle. Officers later stopped our client while searching the area for the car that was captured on the Officer's dash cam. Our client and his passenger were removed from the car, the car was searched, and they were arrested. We later viewed the dash cam, reviewed the reports, and presented legal argument and caselaw to the prosecutor arguing why the case should be dropped. The prosecutor agreed and dismissed the case.
Our client was stopped and charged with Racing on the Highway after law enforcement witnessed him, and another vehicle, revving their engines at a red light. Once the light turned green, both vehicles took off at a high rate of speed. Our client was stopped, the other vehicle was not. Our client, a nursing student, was facing a $500 fine, one year Driver’s License revocation, and potential career ending consequences for having a criminal charge. Our attorneys managed to point out the weaknesses in the State’s case and negotiate a disposition of a Civil Citation, no longer a criminal offense, and no points on his license.
Law Enforcement was dispatched to the scene of a motor vehicle crash. Our client was found to be involved in the accident. Law enforcement made observations of our client including red, bloodshot, watery eyes and an overwhelming odor of alcohol from her breath. Based on these observations, plus the crash, our client was asked to participate in Field Sobriety Exercises. She performed poorly - unable to follow the instructions of the law enforcement officer. Eventually she refused to further participate in the exercises and was placed under arrest for Driving Under the Influence. After her arrest she was asked to provide a breath sample. She refused. When our attorneys received the case, we began an in-depth analysis of the facts and investigation conducted by law enforcement. Our attorneys, using their reputation in the community, were able to successfully negotiate with the State to allow our client to be admitted into Orange County's DUI Diversion Program - which she would not normally have been qualified for based on the crash involved. The State allowed her entry into the program. After the completion of the program, the charges were dismissed against our client.
Our client was pulled over after law enforcement witnessed one of his passengers vomiting out the door of his vehicle. Our client was the designated driver in a vehicle with 5 people in it. After law enforcement made alleged observations that our client was impaired, our client was asked to perform Field Sobriety Exercises. Based upon his performance on the exercises, our client was placed under arrest for Driving Under the Influence. Our client submitted a breath sample, which was .017, well below the legal limit of .08. Law enforcmeent then requested a Drug Recognition Expert conduct an evaluation of our client. After the evaluation, our client was believed to be under the influence of "depressants". Law enforcement also collected a urine sample - which came back clean. The case was set for trial and the State wound up dismissing the charges against our client. This is a case that shows that the techniques law enforcement use to determine if someone is under the influence are greatly flawed and nothing law enforcement does should be taken at face value.
Our client was arrested and charged with DUI after he was stopped for running two stop signs in front of a deputy from the Sheriff’s Office. The deputy allegedly observed the driver to have glassy, blood shot, and watery eyes. He also allegedly smelled the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his breath. He noticed a yellow stain on his crotch area and the driver admitted to drinking five beers. The deputy conducted alternatives to standard field sobriety exercises because our client was an elderly man with medical limitations. The deputy determined his normal faculties were impaired and arrested him for DUI. He submitted to a breath test and blew .076 approximately 90 minutes after the stop. The client rejected all offers and we set his case for a motion to suppress. Ultimately, we closed his case to a dry reckless driving, no license suspension, and no points on his license.
In an Orange County Racing case, a deputy observed a blue Mustang pull next to an orange Camaro at a red light. The Mustang honked its horn, and the Camaro rolled its windows down. The deputy observed them have a brief conversation and once the traffic light turned green, they screeched their tires and did a slight burn out and took off at a high rate of speed side by side. The deputy turned on his lights and alleged that he reached 100 mph in an attempt to catch up to them. The Mustang kept going and the driver of the Camaro stopped. He was charged with Racing. We closed his case to a careless driving, a driving school, no suspension and no points on his license.
