DUI laws are tough in California, as they should be for many reasons. One would assume that police officers who enforce these laws would have a deep understanding of the dangers involved with driving under the influence of any type of substance that impairs judgment. Unfortunately, it appears that a deputy with the Sacramento County sheriff’s department made the same type of mistake that many others make recently when she crashed her private vehicle into a Starbuck’s, injuring two people.

According to the Sacramento Bee:

“An off-duty Sacramento County sheriff’s deputy arrested for driving under the influence after slamming her vehicle into a Starbucks on Sunday morning has been using prescription painkillers for years following several on-the-job injuries, law enforcement sources said Tuesday.

Sacramento police allege that Gargano, a 37-year-old patrol deputy, was driving under the influence of prescription drugs when she lost control of her sport-utility vehicle and plowed into the Starbucks near Arena Boulevard and Duckhorn Drive.

A woman in her 80s was injured in the crash and taken to a hospital with moderate injuries, police said. A Starbucks employee suffered minor injuries.

Gargano was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on a felony DUI charge, and later released on $60,000 bail.”

Not only does the suspect face serious criminal liability, but the situation could also give rise to substantial civil liability for the injuries inflicted on the people and the extensive property damage that resulted from the accident. If you or someone you love has been injured in a DUI crash, you need the help of Sacramento drunk driving accidents attorneys who understand how to properly fight for the rights of the injured. Contact Demas & Rosenthal today to schedule a free initial consultation.

When people hear about DUI arrests and DUI accidents, most instinctively envision the driver responsible to be male, and that’s because for years, the majority of DUI arrests have been male. However, in news released today, a troubling trend is advancing – far more women are being arrested for DUI than ever before, and that’s true not only of Sacramento, but of California as a whole.

According to the Sacramento Bee:

“Between 2000 and 2008, DUI cases filed against women in Sacramento County rose 60 percent, triple the increase for male offenders, according to an analysis done for The Bee by the District Attorney’s Office.

The trend is especially dramatic among young women, including teenagers, statewide. In 1998, girls made up 16.8 percent of the total DUI arrests of those under 18, according to data from the California Office of Traffic Safety. By 2007, that percentage had shot up to 24.3 – the largest increase of any age group, male or female.

While men lead in drunken-driving busts, teenage girls and women of all ages are rapidly gaining entry to this dangerous club. In California, the female DUI arrest rate rose between 1998 and 2007 in every age group – from the under-18 crowd up to the 71-plus, state figures show.”

While men are still the ones most often arrested for DUI, this is not a positive situation for those who drive responsibly. While officials debate the cause of this rise that ranges from more women living independent social lives to a simple product of tougher enforcement, it doesn’t matter to anyone who has been killed or injured in a DUI accident.

If you or someone you love has suffered because of a drunk driver, you need the help of Sacramento auto accident attorneys who understand the intricacies of liability within the context of DUI. Contact Demas & Rosenthal today to schedule a free initial consultation.