Michigan Criminal Lawyers Blog
On Tuesday, August 6, an accident between a double-decked tour bus and another bus resulted in the injury of 14 people, according to an article at the New York Post. William Dalambert, who is 58 years old, was the driver of the double-decked tour bus that allegedly slammed into another bus in Times Square. While he has been driving commercially for more than two decades, his driver’s license has been suspended 11 times for various reasons including not having insurance, unpaid child support, and improper filing of paperwork. Four of the suspensions were for unspecified violations.
Authorities claim that Dalambert was high on drugs when Tuesday’s accident took place. While his driver’s license was last suspended in November of 2013, it was valid at the time of the crash. Dalambert was charged early on Wednesday with driving while ability impaired. He was given a sobriety test at the scene of the accident, and agreed to a urine and blood test later. The results of those tests had not been revealed at the time of news reports.
Dalambert claimed brake failure was the reason for the accident, however inspectors said there were no mechanical issues when they inspected the bus.
While Dalambert was not driving with a suspended license at the time of the accident, many people do, either out of necessity, or believing they won’t get caught. In the state of Michigan, driving with a suspended license will result in a longer suspension period (usually double the original period) if you get caught, along with other penalties.
Michigan driver’s license restoration attorneys know the process of having a driver’s license restored is not easy; in fact, it is highly complicated and involves requesting a hearing with the DAAD (Driver Assessment and Appeal Division). The majority of license suspensions involve driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, which means you have a heavy burden of proof to bear at these hearings. Some of the things involved include a 10 panel drug screen, letters of reference, a substance abuse evaluation, and more. Hearing officers must be 100% convinced that you have taken the steps necessary to get back on the straight and narrow, and that the chance of a relapse is nearly zero. This is not an easy process, and if your license is not restored, you must wait an entire year before requesting another hearing.
If your license has been suspended or revoked for any reason, the first step you should take is to contact an experienced Michigan driver’s license reinstatement lawyer with a winning track record in these types of cases.