A St. Lucie County judge sentenced 26-year-old Molly P. on Tuesday to half of the state’s 10-year minimum for DUI manslaughter. Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers ( http://bit.ly/rtVSAF) reports that both her family and the victim’s family had asked for leniency.

Authorities say Molly was driving shortly after midnight on March 18, 2010, when the car left the road and hit a tree. Molly was left comatose for five weeks, and her boyfriend, 29-year-old Jon , was killed.

Authorities say Molly had a blood alcohol level of 0.149 and 0.169 percent. Florida law considers a driver impaired at 0.08 percent.

RIP Jon

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“Troopers will be patrolling major and secondary roadways where there will be a high probability of encountering impaired drivers,” FHP Sgt. George Taunton said in a press release. “The central focus of this wolf pack will be the apprehension of impaired drivers.”

Troopers have three goals, Taunton said: deter driving-under-the-influence to reduce death, injury and property damage; catch impaired drivers before they crash; and ensure the safety of all motorists by removing impaired drivers from the roads and the highways.

“The Florida Highway Patrol takes this crime very seriously and has a zero tolerance police for impaired drivers,” Taunton added.

I think operations of this nature are ridiculous; shouldn’t police always be on full watch for DUI and all other crimes?

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There, the Fauskees and the squad each received kudos at the sheriff’s office’s Awards Recognition Ceremony, held quarterly to recognize employees and citizens who work to make the streets safer for Greater Brandon and beyond.

The Fauskees, of Riverview, received the quarterly “Citizen Award” for supporting the squad that arrests drunken drivers, conducts sobriety checkpoints and educates the community about the consequences of not following the squad’s motto, “Don’t Drink and Drive.”

The squad itself, and each of its 12 members (see below), received recognition as this quarter’s “Outstanding Squad.”

The Fauskees said in an interview that they have had lots of experience working with a team of players, as they did for their son, Deputy Christopher M. Fauskee, as a boy growing up in soccer leagues. Besides coaching responsibilities, the Fauskees said they made sure the team had refreshments after each game.

Now, their son son plays for a team with a grander mission, the Operation 3D squad, for which the Fauskees have been recognized for providing refreshments for deputies working sobriety checkpoints.

“Over the past two years, Mike and Ruth Fauskee have been supporters of the Operation 3D DUI squad by attending over 24 DUI checkpoints and providing food and beverages to those working the checkpoint,” said Major Mike Perotti, in announcing the couple’s award.

“We’ll bring water and snacks,” said Michael Fauskee. “And when one of the officers [Billy J. Kruthers] was deployed, we had a going-away party for him.”

The Fauskees said their work brings them one step closer to the action. And that as members of the Hillsborough County chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, they know full well the message that needs to be hammered home to motorists who drink and drive.

“It’s really kind of shocking what you see sometimes,” Ruth Fauskee said. “Come to a checkpoint for yourself and see what these guys do. It will open your eyes [to the dangers out there].”

“It’s never going to stop,” Michael Fauskee said about drunken driving. “All you can do is try to keep it in check.”

To illustrate the breadth and depth of the squad’s work, Perotti noted that in 2010 the squad made 1,136 arrests for driving under the influence (DUI). Moreover, the squad conducted 34 checkpoints, issued more than 1,000 traffic citations and gave about 1,500 hours of courtroom testimony.

The squad also coordinated an eight-hour interactive DUI education presentation countywide for Hillsborough County high school students. “The program was presented to over 6,000 students at more more than 20 high schools, during 33 presentations in the past school year,” Perotti said.

The squad has been recognized as well with the Outstanding Dedication To Sobriety Checkpoints Award, given in 2010 by the Florida chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving Florida, and the DUI Sustained Enforcement Award, presented in both 2009 and 2010 by the Florida Department of Transportation.

The following squad members were recognized at the Sept. 14 ceremony:

• Sgt. William G. Porter
• Cpl. Brendan D. Fitzgerald
• Deputy Timoty A. Berg
• Deputy Jeffrey M. Carson
• Deputy Beau T. Dobson
• Deputy Christopher M. Fauskee
• Deputy David J. Kennedy
• Deputy Billy J. Kruthers
• Deputy Matthew J. McMurphy
• Deputy Lawrence A. Morrell
• Deputy Brian E. Pulido
• Deputy Jeffrey M. Ramer

If you’ve been accused of DUI in Tampa or elsewhere in Hillsborough County, contact a Tampa DUI attorney at Musca Law today for a free consultation.

Flames were shooting from Patricia H.’s car on Monday night.

Witnesses said she veered off the road in Winter Haven, hit two parked cars, and flipped her car before it burst into flames.

Keith L. heard the crash outside his house and jumped into action. “It took me about four or five punches and I was able to bust through the front windshield of the car,” he said. “We were able to get it pulled out and dragged her out.”

Keith ended up with cuts and scratches all over his hands, arms and feet.

Deputies arrested Patricia on charges of driving under the influence.

Well done Keith!

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IRC lists the following as the states with the highest uninsured driver estimates:

Mississippi with the most uninsured drivers, 28 percent, New Mexico in second with 26 percent and a three way tie betweenTennessee, Oklahoma and Florida at 24 percent.

We all know car insurance is very expensive and seems very unnecessary, but it is the law and paying for it could save you a lot of stress later.

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From today through Sept. 5, Sarasota sheriff’s deputies say they will be engaged in enhanced DUI enforcement – especially at night and on weekends.

In Manatee, sheriff’s deputies, Bradenton Police and the Florida Highway Patrol will have special patrols from 5:30 p.m. today until 3 a.m. in areas with a history of DUI-related accidents.

Charlotte County sheriff’s deputies and Punta Gorda Police say, today through the Labor Day weekend, they also will step up DUI enforcement.

Many police departments around the nation are also joining int he effort to target impaired drivers though Labor Day.

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1. Remove impaired drivers from the roadway.

2. Reduce the likelihood impaired drivers will operate their vehicles on our roadways.

3. Heighten awareness.

4. Educate the public on the dangers of drunk driving.

Motorists are reminded it is a crime to mix alcohol, drugs and driving. Citizens are encouraged to avoid the risk of driving if they consume alcoholic beverages. While it may take several drinks for someone to become legally impaired, impairment begins with the first drink. Also, drunk driving is not a victimless crime. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, in 2009, 25 fatalities and 447 injuries in Lee County were alcohol related.

Daily enforcement, sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols by deputies with the Sheriff’s Office are a part of on-going efforts to curb traffic fatalities, injuries and crashes in Lee County. Additionally, responsible citizens can help by promptly reporting drunk drivers to law enforcement.

Media inquiries are directed to the Public Information Officer prior to the operation at 239-477-1340. Sergeant Dennis Petracca is the contact at the checkpoint. For more information on the national crackdown, visit the High-Visibility Enforcement Campaign Headquarters at www.StopImpairedDriving.org.

If you’ve already been accused of DUI in Florida, contact the Lee County DUI attorneys at Musca Law right now for a free consultation.

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Rowland H. was sentenced as a persistent felony offender to five years with the state Department of Corrections for felony DUI.

Judge Ingrid Gustafson also ordered Rowland to pay a $1,000 fine and agreed to recommend him for a state alcohol treatment program.

Rowland apologized before he was sentenced.

Rowland was arrested May 29, 2010, after a Billings police officer stopped his vehicle for driving the wrong way on a one-way street. Rowland admitted drinking alcohol, but he refused to perform sobriety tests or provide a breath sample.

Rowland has four prior DUI convictions in Florida, where he is wanted on a fugitive warrant for violating probation.

If you’re facing DUI charges in Florida, there’s no certainty you’ll be convicted, regardless of how many convictions you’ve had in the past. To discuss how you may be able to avoid being convicted, contact Polk County DUI attorney at our firm right now.

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Mahoney, a Democrat who filled former Congressman Mark Foley’s seat, was sleeping behind the wheel around 3 a.m. Saturday in Palm Beach Gardens, police said. Fifty-four year-old Mahoney was charged with DUI “based on the investigation and after talking to the driver,” Palm Beach Gardens Police Commander William Brandt said.

No other details were given. Mahoney, a multimillionaire venture capitalist, was released on his own recognizance Saturday morning, according to a jail spokeswoman.

A telephone message left for Mahoney was not immediately returned Saturday.

It’s the second scandal to rock Mahoney in recent years. The political newcomer who ran on a family values platform lost his re-election bid in 2008 after revealing he’d had several affairs and put one of his lovers on the federal payroll as a congressional staffer. She later became a campaign worker.

He then fired her – he says for performance issues – and paid her $121,903 to keep her quiet and avoid a sexual harassment lawsuit.

Mahoney has insisted he broke no laws. His wife later filed for divorce.

Mahoney also acknowledged a 2007 affair with a high-ranking Martin County official in his district around the time he successfully lobbied the Federal Emergency Management Agency to give the county a $3.4 million hurricane cleanup reimbursement.

Florida’s 16th District, which spans parts of eight counties from Palm Beach County westward toward the Gulf, has been a magnet for sex scandal in recent years.

Republican Mark Foley resigned from Congress in 2006 amid revelations that he sent lurid Internet messages to male pages who had worked on Capitol Hill as teenagers.

If you’ve also been charged with DUI or a related crime in South Florida, you have a lot at stake, including your driver’s license and freedom. To discuss avoiding these costly penalties, contact a South Florida DUI attorney at our firm today at 863-512-5269 or by filling out the form to the right.

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A judge in Florida’s Lee County sentenced 62-year-old Michael H. on Monday after he pleaded guilty to two DUI manslaughter counts.

Authorities say the three nuns were heading back to Cape Coral from a conference in Cocoa Beach in September 2009 when Michael’s vehicle turned into their path at an intersection. Two of the women – 80-year-old Karinne O. and 84-year-old Ann M.- were killed in the collision in North Fort Myers.

A third nun, 67-year-old Elizabeth M., was injured.

RIP

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