DWI Hit Parade!

From New York Daily News
A drunken driver slammed his Cadillac into a traffic signal, a median and a parked car in Brooklyn early Saturday, killing his girlfriend who was in the backseat, cops said.
Nyron Isaac, 32, was driving north on Fourth Ave. when he struck the traffic signal between 25th and 26th Sts. in Sunset Park around 5:52 a.m., officials said.
Isaac’s girlfriend, Keisha Nelson, of Fort Greene, Brooklyn, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.…..MORE

From Santa Maria Times
The state Court of Appeal has rejected a motion by a woman seeking to overturn her conviction for second-degree murder in a drunken-driving crash that killed a District Attorney’s Office investigator three years ago.
The appeals court published its decision in the case against Ashley Johnigan last week.
Johnigan, in her mid-20s, was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison in November 2009 after a Santa Maria jury found her guilty of murdering Laura Cleaves in the May 1, 2008, collision in the Santa Ynez Valley. Johnigan lived in Santa Barbara at the time. …..MORE

From Gwinnett Daily Post
DULUTH — A Duluth Police Department corporal squandered a 13-year career dotted with both commendations and reprimands after drunkenly crashing his private vehicle last month, according to documents obtained in an open records request.
Duluth police Cpl. Dan Dimond, hired in 1997, was terminated by the department following his May 5 arrest on charges of DUI, failure to maintain lane and possession of an open container in a vehicle. ….MORE

The following persons were booked into the San Bernardino County California Sheriff’s Department Jail on charges of DUI:
Claudia Avila, 38, on 6/25/2011 at 3:24 am by California Highway Patrol
Terry Jean Barragan, 40, on 4/1/2011 at 2:10 pm (sentenced)
Matthew Dean Bush, 21, on 6/25/2011 at 1:49 am by California Highway Patrol
Christopher Bradley Carpenter, 34, on 5/25/2011 (sentenced to 30 days)

Magic Valley, Wood River Valley, and MiniCassia Area –  July 4th celebrations often include cook-outs, picnics, boating, time spent with family and friends and, of course, fireworks.  But for too many Americans, the nation’s annual celebration is filled with tragedy, as it is one of the deadliest holidays of the year when it comes to alcohol-impaired traffic fatalities. 
That’s why the Idaho State Police will be out in force during the Fourth of July holiday weekend, cracking down on impaired drivers with aggressive Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest enforcement.  
Statistics gathered from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over the past 25 years show that, on average, nearly half of all deadly traffic crashes over each year’s July 4th holiday involved some level of alcohol. 
In fact, 410 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes nationally during the Fourth of July weekend in 2009.  Of that number, 40 percent involved drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 grams per deciliter or higher.
“The Fourth of July is a time most Americans spend celebrating with family and friends, but it is also one of the year’s deadliest times on our roadways. So we will be out in force cracking down on drunk driving. If you are caught driving impaired, you will be arrested,” said Sergeant Kent Oliver.  
All 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have made it illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher.
“We want people to be careful all weekend, but particularly at night,” said Sergeant Kent Oliver.  “The rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2009 was four times higher at night than during the day.” 
Impaired driving is one of America’s deadliest problems.  In 2009 alone, 10,839 people were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes, accounting for nearly 32 percent of all traffic-related fatalities in the United States.  That’s an average of one impaired-driving fatality every 48 minutes in 2009.
Sergeant Kent Oliver said that impaired drivers not only take the risk of hurting or killing themselves or someone else, the trauma and financial costs of an alcohol-impaired-driving crash or an arrest can be significant.  Violators often face jail time, the loss of their driver licenses, higher insurance rates and dozens of other unanticipated expenses. 
“Alcohol impairs many of the skills that safe driving requires. So we will be showing zero tolerance, and anyone caught driving with a BAC of .08 or higher will be arrested,” said Sergeant Kent Oliver.  “It’s simply not worth the risk to you or to the thousands of innocent victims who are hurt or killed each year by drunk drivers. So if you are over the limit, you will get busted.” 
For more information, please visit www.StopImpairedDriving.org.

The Salt Lake City Police Dept. reports the following persons charged with DUI:
Benny Gallegos, 61, on 6/13/2011 at 1:42 pm

Salt Lake City Sheriff’s Office reports the following persons were booked into the jail on charges of DUI:
Douglas Roberto Aguirre, 27, of Salt Lake City, Utah, on 6/25/2011 at 7:29 am by Utah Highway Patrol
Erik John Chipp, 28, of Riverton, Utah on 6/25/2011 at 4:13 pm by Officer Thorton
Natasha Destefano, 31, of Utah, on 6/25/2011 at 11:45 am by Officer Thornton
Brian Michael Hart, 31, of Utah, on 6/25/2011 at 10:14 am by Trooper S. Myer of Utah Highway Patrol
Jason Ivie, 32, of Duchane, Utah, on 6/25/2011 at 3:18 pm by Trooper S. Myer of Utah Highway Patrol
Jesse Aaron Lansfeldt, 27, of Taylorsville, Utah at 4:19 am by Officer Steiner of Unified Police Dept. (2 or more convictions within 10 years, causing bodily injury, ignition interlock devise violation, suspended, revoked, interference with officer)
Jesse Liera, 18, of Draper, Utah, on 6/25/2011 at 8:51 pm by Officer Thornton
Samuel Conover Addie, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah, on 6/24/2011 at 4:24 pm by Trooper J. Cox of Utah Highway Patrol
Lorenzo Bud Brown, 29, of South Salt Lake City, Utah, on 6/24/2011 at 5:12 pm by Dep. Spencer
Larry David Hoffman, 23, of West Jordan, Utah, on 6/24/2011 at 5:21 pm by Officer Ashman
Dathan Thomas Johnson, 29, of Provo, Utah, on 6/24/2011 at 5:34 pm by Officer Ashman
Lee Joe Knorr, 36, of South Jordan, Utah, on 6/24/2011 at 5:39 am by Trooper Scrow of Utah Highway Patrol
Janet Gillespie Mecham, 56, of Salt Lake City, Utah, on 6/24/2011 at 3:22 pm by Dep. J. Laub of Wasatch County Sheriff
Christian Thomas Murphy, 29, of Sandy, Utah, on 6/24/2011 at 10:59 am by Officer Ashman
Scott Leon Peterson, 45, of Salt Lake City, Utah, on 6/24/2011 at 3:15 am by Trooper Hutto, of Utah Highway Patrol
Brandon Riley Tait, 24, of Sandy, Utah, on 6/24/2011 at 3:24 am by Trooper Z Randall, of Utah Highway Patrol
Bikash Thapaliya, 27, of Midvale, Utah, on 6/24/2011 at 6:32 am by Trooper Attridge of Utah Highway Patrol
Lisa Suzanne Tinney, 38, of WVC, Utah, on 6/24/2011 at 3:33 pm by Dep. J. Laub of Wasatch County Sheriff
Joseph Patrick Tunzi, 30, of Riverton, Utah, on 6/24/2011 at 10:15 am
Bruce Grant Bishop, 47, of Bountiful, Utah, on 6/23/2011 at 12:40 pm by Dep. Cisneros
Kim Jean Brown, 41, of Salt Lake, Utah, on 6/23/2011 at 8:52 pm by Officer Doug Lamping
Michael Thomas Burge, 35, of Salt Lake, Utah, on 6/23/2011 at 1:21 pm by Officer Pollard
Russell D. Capps, 42, of Bluffdale, Utah, on 6/23/2011 at 9:39 am by Office M. Coe of Draper Police
Anthony Gene Irish, 24, of Holladay, Utah, on 6/23/2011 at 3:34 pm by Officer J. Anderson of Murray Police

From NEWSCHANNEL 3
KALAMAZOO COUNTY, Mich. () – The man accused in a deadly hit and run crash is now facing a number of charges, including second degree murder.
Investigators say Bret Frame was drunk when he caused the crash that killed a 23-year-old Portage native and critically injured another man.
On Friday, Frame faced a Kalamazoo County judge as six felony charges were brought against him.
The family of 23-year-old Justin Bailey cried in court as the man accused of killing their loved one stood before the judge.
As Bret Frame walked into court in chains and handcuffs, Bailey’s family members held each other close. ….MORE

From Kalamazoo Gazette
KALAMAZOO — Justin Bailey’s relatives sat grief-stricken in the courtroom and held hands as Bret Frame was arraigned Friday on six felonies in connection to the alleged drunken-driving crash that killed their loved one.
“He has a family that adores him and a circle of friends who will miss him greatly,” said Karen Pollich, of Kalamazoo, who is Bailey’s aunt. “It’s surreal because Justin did not deserve any of this.” ….MORE

From KRJH
ROGERS COUNTY, Okla. – Nine teenagers were injured just before 5 a.m. Saturday in a single-vehicle crash that officials say was caused by alcohol.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol officials say 19-year-old Victor Antonio Ramirez was driving a 1995 Ford Ranger northbound on south 4300 Road approximately two miles south of State Highway 66 when the truck ran off the right side of the roadway while navigating around a curve.
Ramirez, of Chelsea, Okla., then struck a sign and bridge rail before traveling into a creek bed where the truck came to rest.
OHP officials say seven of the nine occupants were ejected unknown distances through the bed of the truck. The victims were transported for treatment prior to troopers’ arrival on the scene.
Ramirez refused treatment on the scene for minor injuries.
Injured in the accident were 17-year-old Gabriel Akee, 14-year-old Maxwell Akee and 14-year-old Breanna Doles, all of Big Cabin, Okla.; 14-year-old Steven Miller and 14-year-old Shylee Yorkman, both of Claremore, Okla.; and 14-year-old Enrique Varela, 16-year-old Logan Miller and 17-year-old Doyle Brashar, all of Chelsea, Okla. ….MORE

From Glendale News Press
An attorney for a Burbank man charged with striking and killing a prominent local doctor argued in court Friday that the victim was dangerously close to traffic at the time that he was hit.
A family practitioner and a married father of three, Jacob Orphali, 61, was making a house call on Oct. 12 when he was struck by a passing vehicle in the 1100 block of Western Avenue in Glendale. He died of his injuries two days later.
The driver, 29-year-old Edmond Grigoryan, was charged with one felony count of gross vehicular manslaughter for allegedly driving under the influence of a controlled substance and striking and killing Orphali with his car….MORE