Extra, Extra: The Latest in Maryland Criminal Defense News

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News Category: All CategoriesDUI/DWI

DUI/DWI

• Drug Boss Sentenced to 20 Years in Baltimore
  Jan 27, 2012

  January 27, 2012 - According to an article in The Baltimore Sun, Steven "J.R." Blackwell, 27, was given a 20-year federal prison sentence on Friday, January 20 after striking a deal with prosecutors in the fall of 2011.
  
  Blackwell, who led a drug conspiracy in East Baltimore, was linked to a street war with rivals. Although he wasn't charged with violent acts, it’s believed that his organization was involved in several shootings related to the April 2008 abduction of his brothers, who were teenagers at the time.
  
  However, Blackwell still faces a life sentence. He was charged with managing a heroin conspiracy, valued at several million dollars, and money laundering through gambling.
  
  Also convicted was Joy Edison, Blackwell's girlfriend and mother of their child. Prosecutors said another woman who was convicted, Tahirah Carter, helped in the delivery of drugs and money. She is appealing.
  
  To strike a deal, Blackwell admitted that he bought heroin from a supplier in New York and sold it around the Pimlico area and other places. According to records, he gambled proceeds to launder $400,000. He frequented Caesar's Palace, MGM Grand, and the Venetian in Las Vegas. He also disguised his income by buying lottery tickets from winners.
  
  Law enforcement authorities seized 8 of his properties, including 7 dilapidated row houses and the spacious home in Cecil County, where he lived.
  
  If you believe you were wrongfully convicted in Maryland, a criminal defense attorney may help you get reduced charges.
  
  Contact a Maryland Criminal Defense Attorney
  
  When you don’t take action to protect your rights after a Maryland criminal arrest or charge, you can lose them. The Maryland criminal defense attorney team from Jimeno Gray includes former Assistant State’s Attorneys who thoroughly understand and can harness the inner workings of the Maryland criminal justice system. To best protect your rights in the face of a serious criminal charge, contact us today for a consultation – 410-590-9401.
  

• Man Charged with DUI and Auto Theft in Washington County
  Jan 27, 2012

  January 27, 2012 – Washington County, Md. - According to an article at CBSBaltimore.com, a man from Hagerstown is facing charges from crashing a stolen car in a county park.
  
  Maryland State Police has reported that Benjamin Frederick Nelson, 28, crashed a luxury vehicle into a tree. He was charged in early January with driving under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance, auto theft, negligent driving, and several other offenses.
  
  According to police, troopers were informed of a collision that occurred at Devil’s Backbone County Park on Sunday, January 8. They arrived on the scene shortly before 8 p.m. They reported that Nelson had hit a tree with a Jaguar and fled. As police investigated the wreckage, they were notified that the car was stolen.
  
  Authorities arrested Nelson after they found him on foot on U.S. Route 40. Before he was charged, he was taken to a hospital to receive treatment for minor injuries.
  
  If you have been charged on suspicion of a DUI or DWI, understand that you have legal rights. To explore your options, you should schedule a consultation with a Maryland criminal defense attorney who has handled many of these kinds of cases. You may be able to minimize your penalties, which could include fines and imprisonment.
  
  Contact a Maryland Criminal Defense Attorney
  
  When you don’t take action to protect your rights after a Maryland criminal arrest or charge, you can lose them. The Maryland criminal defense attorney team from Jimeno Gray includes former Assistant State’s Attorneys who thoroughly understand and can harness the inner workings of the Maryland criminal justice system. To best protect your rights in the face of a serious criminal charge, contact us today for a consultation – 410-590-9401.
  

• Maryland Men's Assistant Coach Arrested on Suspicion of DUI
  Jan 26, 2012

  January 26, 2012 – Baltimore, Md. - According to an article in The Baltimore Sun on January 21, Dalonte Hill, Maryland's assistant men’s basketball coach was suspected of driving under the influence and arrested on Friday, January 20.
  
  As a result, he was expected to sit out subsequent basketball games, pending further investigation. Mark Turgeon, Terps coach, announced the arrest, but he would not answer any questions about Hill, 33.
  
  He was arrested shortly before 2 a.m. at Route 32 and Baltimore-Washington Parkway, court records indicate. According to WJLA-TV, he refused to submit to a field sobriety test.
  
  In 2008, when Hill worked for Kansas State, he was also arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. During that time he said, "I am embarrassed for the attention this has brought to our program.''
  
  At Kansas State, Hill made his mark by recruiting top players. He was also among the highest paid U.S. assistant coaches. This is his first season coaching at Maryland, where his job duties include scouting opponents and helping guards improve their technique.
  
  If you have been accused of a DUI in the Maryland, you should discuss your legal options with a Maryland drunk driving lawyer before you plead guilty and accept harsh penalties.
  
  Contact an Maryland Drunk Driving Lawyer
  
  When you don’t take action to protect your rights after a Maryland DUI arrest or charge, you can lose them. The Maryland drunk driving lawyer team from Jimeno Gray includes former Assistant State’s Attorneys who thoroughly understand and can harness the inner workings of the Maryland criminal justice system. We offer a free eBook on our site for your reference, The ABCs of DWIs in Maryland. To best protect your rights in the face of a serious criminal charge, contact us today for a consultation – 410-590-9401.
  

• Howard County Prosecutors to Appeal Maryland DUI Case
  Jan 26, 2012

  January 25, 2012 – Baltimore, Md. - Prosecutors in Howard County are planning to appeal an alcohol-related DUI case in which charges were dismissed against a woman who was accused of driving under the influence, The Baltimore Sun reported January 19.
  
  It had been ruled that law enforcement personnel had an illegal quota in place for citations to be issued. The deadline for the appeal is within 30 days of the ruling, which was handed down on January 5 by Sue-Ellen Hantman, a district judge. A Circuit Court will handle the appeal.
  
  Mary V. Murphy, a deputy state's attorney for Howard County, said prosecutors will outline the details of their grounds for the appeal when it is filed. 
  
  The case in question involves a Howard County woman, 22, who was accused of speeding at 38 mph in a 25 zone. Her blood alcohol content, according to police was 0.17; the legal limit is 0.08.
  
  The officer who arrested the woman was on "saturation patrol," which targets aggressive and drunk drivers. A grant, which financed saturation patrol, requested 2-4 citations per hour, per officer. If this request was not met, future funding would be at stake, said William McMahon, police chief for Howard County. He insists the department does not use quotas.
  
  Contact an Maryland Drunk Driving Lawyer
  
  When you don’t take action to protect your rights after a Maryland DUI arrest or charge, you can lose them. The Maryland drunk driving lawyer team from Jimeno Gray includes former Assistant State’s Attorneys who thoroughly understand and can harness the inner workings of the Maryland criminal justice system. If you think you were unjustly arrested read our free eBook to educate yourself on DWI in Maryland. To best protect your rights in the face of a serious criminal charge, contact us today for a consultation – 410-590-9401.
  

• Maryland Woman Charged 20 Years Imprisonment for DUI and Vehicular Manslaughter
  Jul 20, 2011

  July 20, 2011 - Prince George's County, Md - A Beltsville woman who spent the last 17 months facing charges of DUI and vehicular manslaughter now knows her fate.
  
  WJLA ABC7 recently reported a resolution to the fatal DUI car crash that took place on February 1, 2010. The victims, Roy Lacayo, 34, and Justo Rosario, 30, were pulled over on the roadside exchanging information after they were involved in a minor accident.
  
  The men became victims of the fatal accident when Jenny Mate, 32, sped into the area, side-swiping one of the cars before crashing into the other with her 2005 Cadillac SRX. Both men died instantly, one having been dragged under Mate's vehicle until she stopped.
  
  Police stated that Mate's blood alcohol level was almost twice the legal limit. During the trial, the judge reviewed her criminal record which showed 2 prior convictions for DUI, as well as a suspended license. The new charges, as well as consideration of her previous record, resulted in a 20 year prison sentence.
  
  When you're arrested on charges for DUI your level of intoxication and your prior conviction history both play an important role in your current case. An experienced DUI attorney in Glen Burnie, Maryland, can help you understand your situation and determine the best defense strategy for your DUI case.
  
  According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 547 traffic fatalities in Maryland in 2009.
  
  Occasionally, our firm will publish news stories about serious or fatal accidents in our coverage area in order to raise awareness about the types of crashes that can occur in our region.
  
  Some of the most common types of motor vehicle accidents include: 

  • collisions involving tractor trailers;
  • weather-related crashes;
  • single-vehicle accidents; and
  • distracted driver accidents and drivers who operate while under the influence. 

  If you or a loved one has been named in this blog and you would like for us to remove the posting, please contact us and we will accommodate your request.

• Virginia Man Charged With DUI After Rear-ending Frederick Police Car
  Jul 20, 2011

  July 20, 2011 - Frederick, Md - CBS Baltimore reported a Virginia man was charged with drunk driving and other traffic violations on the morning of Wednesday, July 6^th, after rear-ending a marked patrol car in Frederick.
  
  The accused man, 26-year-old Kevin Dodds of Clifton, VA, was driving on U.S. 15 when he struck the rear end of a moving patrol car. Inside the police vehicle was Officer Keith Donovan who was on patrol when the accident occurred.
  
  The impact sent Officer Donovan's vehicle across 4 lanes of traffic before it came to a stop on the left shoulder of the highway. He was taken to Frederick Memorial Hospital to be treated and has since been released. Dodds was arrested and charged with driving under the influence and other traffic violations.
  
  There are many elements to a DUI case, including your residency, the county within which the arrest took place, and if you were charged with any other violations. In complex cases such as these, it's important to have a local Baltimore, MD, DUI defense attorney on your side.
  
  The Benefits of a Baltimore, MD DUI Defense Attorney
  
  When you don't take action to protect your rights after a DUI arrest or charge, you can lose them. The DUI lawyer team from Jimeno Gray includes former Assistant State's Attorneys who thoroughly understand and can harness the inner workings of the Maryland criminal justice system. To best protect your rights in the face of a serious criminal charge, contact us today for a consultation - 410-590-9401.