Husband and Wife Simultaneously Arrested for California DUI in Separate Incidents
According to a CBS news report, police simultaneously arrested both members of a Santa Rosa couple, Eric and Virginia Stockstad, on August 19 for DUI in California. A spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that Eric Stockstad drove his Plymouth Voyager into a ditch on Mountain View Road at 4:30 pm. Patrol officers found the vehicle and determined that Mr. Stockstad had been driving under the influence. As they were in the middle of booking him for DUI, his wife, Virginia, pulled up in her Ford Focus. Officers noted that she, too, exhibited signs of drunkenness, and they arrested her as well. The couple was taken to the Senoma County jail and released after posting a $5,000 bail.
Often, visitors to the lush Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley regions of California indulge in alcohol while touring local vineyards. Unfortunately, the practice of motoring from vineyard to vineyard to taste wines can be quite dangerous and can result in California DUI arrests, accidents, and even serious injuries and fatalities.
If you're in a situation where you don't know whether you're over the legal limit (a BAC level of 0.08% in California), err on the side of caution. Call a cab. Or call a designated driver. Don't risk the harsh penalties for driving under the influence in California, which include, among other things, probation, fines, court costs, mandatory alcohol school, license suspension, and even jail time.
Of course, just because the police arrested you for DUI in Southern California doesn’t mean that you necessarily were legally DUI. Breathalyzer tests are notoriously inaccurate. And even when the police process a BAC analysis correctly and follow evidentiary chain of custody rules to a tee; the tests may still give bad or misleading results.
An experienced DUI lawyer, like Stephen R. Brodsky, can investigate every aspect of your arrest and probe for ways to exploit weaknesses in the prosecution’s case. Read more about Attorney Brodsky’s DUI defense victories at WWW.CRIMINALATTORNEYSANDIEGO.COM, or connect with him for free and at no obligation by calling 1-800-GOOD-ADVICE.
