Fire Captain Guilty of Hit and Run and Felony DUI

A fire department captain was convicted last week of hit and run and felony DUI in Long Beach while driving with a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit. The conviction resulted from an incident in April earlier this year when John Hines, 38 of Huntington Beach, hit a cyclist causing serious physical injury. Sentencing was delayed to December 2 2011. Hines faces up to six years in state prison.

The case involves a number of aggravating circumstances including a high blood alcohol level, the failure of Hines to stay at the scene in an attempt to avoid detection, and serious bodily injury to the victim. The court will also be aware of the media attention given the fact that the defendant is a fire captain. Media attention normally results in pressure on a prosecutor and judge to be tough on sentencing.

If you have any questions concerning felony DUI defense in Los Angeles, please call Gold & Witham for a free consultation. Jeffrey Gold and Nigel Witham are specialist DUI Lawyers in Los Angeles with many years of experience.