Monthly Archives: February 2012

To Fire or Rehire, That is the Question

Getting a DUI in Washington State is not the end of the world. Just ask a Spokane police sergeant who was fired in 2009 after driving drunk while off duty; the officer hit a pickup and he thereafter left the scene of the accident. Word has it that now the officer is not only likely… Continue Reading »

State Lawmakers Toughen DUI Laws

State lawmakers are working to increase penalties and fines for those who drive under the influence of alcohol and drugs, or commit vehicular homicide. Three bills that deal with drunk and reckless driving moved out of the House and are now in the Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration. The bills got their first public hearing… Continue Reading »

Seattle Police Sgt. Recently Arrested for DUI

The Seattle Police Department recently confirmed that a city police sergeant was arrested earlier this month for investigation of drunken driving. Dispatch records indicate that Sgt. Joe Fountain was stopped early on February 11, 2012 after a report that a vehicle was being driven erratically. Records show the car was an unmarked Seattle Police Department… Continue Reading »

DUI Conviction Tossed Over Language Barrier

Everyone who is stopped and arrested for DUI in Washington has the right to make a knowing and intelligent decision to take (or not) a breath and/or blood test. Before deciding to take (or not) a breath and/or blood test an individual is notified of his rights pursuant to RCW 46.20.308. The information contained in… Continue Reading »

WA Supreme Court Throws Out a Man’s Conviction for DUI

Washington’s Supreme Court has thrown out a man’s conviction for drunken driving, saying the state never proved that he was advised in Spanish about his right to an independent blood test. Jose Matilde Morales caused an accident when he rolled through a stop sign in Lewis County in 2004. At a hospital, a state trooper… Continue Reading »