Articles Posted in Driver’s License Restoration

On November 16, 37-year-old Nyeesha Gonzalez was allegedly driving drunk when she caused an accident and left the scene, according to news reports. Gonzalez was also driving on a revoked license.

Gonzalez was driving in the area of Quebec and 14th Avenue in Denver when she caused an accident that left another person injured. After leaving the scene, she was found a short time later, and allegedly resisted arrest. She has been formerly charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in injury, resisting arrest, aggravated driving after revocation, and two counts of vehicular assault.

Gonzalez remained in custody on a $2,000 bond as of November 19, and was scheduled to appear in court on November 21. Reports do not indicate why Gonzalez’s driver’s license had been revoked.

Recently, an Oceana County circuit court judge suspended a defendant’s driver’s license after the defendant brought an English interpreter to court in a case involving cocaine possession. Juan Leonel Estrada, a 44-year-old Hart resident, brought the interpreter to court, a move Judge Terrence R. Thomas felt wasted the court’s resources. Thomas said that Estrada was “playing a game” with him, and that he did not feel Estrada needed an interpreter.

Estrada was ready to plead guilty to charges of cocaine possession in exchange for a maximum of 30 days in jail, however the judge rejected the defendant’s plea because he believed the defendant had misused the process of the court and its resources. He set the case for trial, and told the defendant that he would be the one paying for a translator at trial. The judge said that between now and the trial date, Estrada might learn English. The judge believed that Estrada could speak English fairly fluently, and asked him how he got a Michigan driver’s license if he couldn’t speak English. He suspended Estrada’s driver’s license, saying that it would remain suspended until the defendant could understand English and be safe on the road.

Estrada’s lawyer said that while his client is fairly fluent in English, he wanted an interpreter because he did not understand legal language and was nervous. He went on to say that the legal vocabulary is different from the English vocabulary, to which the judge replied, “It is for everybody.”

Motorists across the U.S. are arrested every day for driving on a suspended driver’s license. As experienced Michigan driver’s license reinstatement attorneys, we understand there are emergency situations in which you feel you have no choice but to drive. However, many people whose licenses have been suspended get back behind the wheel when there is no emergency. This is not a good idea, for a number of reasons.

A driver’s license may be suspended due to DUI, failure to pay child support, a drug conviction, or even multiple traffic infractions/tickets. Regardless of why your license was suspended, you should avoid driving until your driving privilege has been restored. You may be thinking, “But I won’t get caught.” That is what most people whose licenses have been suspended thought, before they were arrested for driving on a suspended license. When you take the risk and drive without a license, you have to remember that you are not the only one in control of your situation – other motorists are out there, too, and you cannot control their actions.

Think of all of the possible scenarios if you were to get out and drive illegally. You could be pulled over for something you aren’t even aware of, such as the fact that a turn signal or brake light isn’t working. If your vehicle should break down and you pull to the side of the road or interstate, a police officer could possibly pull over to help – and find that your license has been suspended.

Recently it was reported that a 25-year-old former school bus driver in Memphis was driving a bus with students on board without a license when he wrecked the bus on September 5. While none of the children were seriously injured, it was found that Tommy Anderson’s license had been suspended due to unpaid traffic tickets and fines, according to a news article at WDAM 7. Anderson was fired by Durham School Services after learning he was operating the bus on a suspended license.

Anderson allegedly had nearly $900 in unpaid fines and eight open traffic tickets over the past four years. All of the violations were personal vehicle violations, and all but one occurred during the time Anderson was employed as a school bus driver. At his court appearance, Anderson claimed he knew nothing of the unpaid tickets, or that his driver’s license had been suspended.

Durham School Services spokesperson Molly Hart was asked at an earlier date about whether the school district was aware of Anderson’s license suspension. She replied saying that it was the state’s responsibility to inform them of any change to Anderson’s license status, but that they were not notified.

On the evening of Saturday October 25, 23-year-old Herbert Granados Calderon of Santa Ana was driving southbound and allegedly ran a red light, resulting in a tragic accident. As Calderon went through the red light at Central Avenue and Bristol Street, he broadsided a Honda which caused the Honda to collide with a pickup truck. One person was left dead and five were injured, according to a news article at KTLA 5.

18-year-old Robert Rubio, a passenger in the Honda, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Two other passengers in the Honda as well as Calderon and three of his passengers were injured. Passengers of Calderon’s vehicle sustained only minor injuries.

It was found by police that Calderon was driving with a suspended license; he was also arrested on charges of DUI and vehicular manslaughter. Calderon’s license had been suspended previously for DUI, according to a Santa Ana Police Department news release.

Recently, a Village of Tall Trees woman was arrested after it was determined her driver’s license had been suspended three times. According to an article at the Village News, 37-year-old Stacey Lynn Walker was arrested on Friday evening after someone notified the sheriff’s office regarding a suspicious vehicle.

The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office responded to the report, and after driving in the vicinity of County Road 462 and NE Second Drive, located the vehicle. A deputy noticed that the driver of the vehicle and a passenger were not wearing seatbelts. After pulling the vehicle over, the deputy found that Walker’s driver’s license had been suspended three times. She was taken to the Sumter County Detention Center.

While it is not known why Walker’s license had been suspended three times, driving on a suspended license is serious. In the state of Michigan, someone’s driver’s license may be suspended due to non-payment of child support, outstanding traffic tickets, a drug conviction, DUI, or for other reasons.

Did he or didn’t he? Some believe he did, others won’t say whether Arizona special interest lobbyist Fred DuVal has driven on a suspended driver’s license this year after his license was suspended following numerous traffic tickets . The license suspension period began in mid-June and lasted to September, according to news sources. DuVal did file to have his driver’s license reinstated earlier this month.

The AZ Daily Sun reported that DuVal’s license was suspended for failure to pay a $20 fee for a red-light violation, although he did go to traffic school and pay a fine. When asked if DuVal had driven on a suspended license, press aide Geoff Vetter said only that there is someone who works on DuVal’s campaign who picked him up in the morning and drives him home at night following campaign events. Vetter said that he was not going to call DuVal and ask whether he took his young son to Dairy Queen on Sunday.

Another news article at AZ Central reports that DuVal, who is the Democratic nominee for governor of Arizona, did drive while his license was suspended – but that he had no idea it had been suspended. In December of 2013, DuVal made a right-hand turn at a red light without coming to a complete stop, according to consultant Rodd McLeod, who also said that DuVal paid the ticket, but failed to pay the $20 fee required to reinstate his driver’s license. McLeod said that while DuVal did drive a few times, he had no idea his license was suspended.

On Monday, September 29, it was announced that Hartselle, Alabama Mayor Don Hall would have his driver’s license suspended beginning this month and lasting until January after his September 5 DUI., according to Al.com. Hall was initially given a temporary license.

The mayor was arrested in Limestone County in early September after troopers received reports about an erratic driver. Hall refused to submit to a breathalyzer test at the time of his arrest. As far as how Hall intends to fulfill his duties as mayor during the suspension period, Hall said that, “I have people who are willing to offer their help and support when the time comes.”

Hall is scheduled to be arraigned on October 16 on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence.

On Tuesday, September 23, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed a new law that will essentially make it possible for some motorists to perform community service, rather than paying off old driver responsibility fees. This new law will apply to motorists who were assessed a two-year driver responsibility fee in addition to payment of a traffic ticket for driving without proof of insurance or a valid driver’s license, according to a news article at Mlive.com. The new law was proposed by Senator Bruce Caswell, R-Hillsdale.

In announcing the signing of the bill, Governor Snyder said that “While we are ultimately phasing out driver responsibility fees, this program gives Michiganders the opportunity to give back by volunteering as an alternative way to pay their fines.”

Michigan driver’s license restoration attorneys know that many people have their licenses suspended due to DUI offenses, failure to pay child support, and for other reasons. However, many people drive without a valid license, believing they will not get caught. While many do not, many motorists DO get caught driving on a suspended license. This will result in a $500 fine for a first-time offender, along with a driver responsibility fee of $500 for two consecutive years. Ultimately, this is a cost that many people simply cannot afford.

While driver responsibility fees for driving without a valid license or proof of insurance were eliminated in 2012, some people had their driver’s licenses suspended because they failed to pay off old driver responsibility fees. This new law would allow these individuals to complete community service and get their licenses restored by simply paying the standard $125 fee.

Those who are eligible to participate in the new program will be mailed a notice from the Treasury, and allowed to complete 10 hours of community service which will in effect “pay off” one delinquent assessment.

Established over a decade ago, driver responsibility fees were established to balance the state’s budget, however many have come to see these fees as a “death penalty” for motorists who have a difficult if not impossible time paying court costs, fines, and fees in order to legally drive to work. Secretary of State Ruth Johnson called the new law a “common sense” option.

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Dwight Howard, center for the Houston Rockets and former L.A. Laker recently had his driver’s license suspended for failure to pay a fine for allegedly running a red light on April 14, according to news reports. The problem is, Howard is accused of running a red light in Winter Park, FL on that day – and a spokeswoman for the Rockets claims that Howard was in Texas playing basketball that day.

According to Yahoo! News, Howard kept his Florida home after playing for the Orlando Magic until late July of this year when he sold it for $3.4 million. Howard’s vehicle was allegedly caught on a red light camera which captures images of vehicles that proceed through an intersection after the light has turned red. At that point, a citation is mailed to the owner of the vehicle. The spokeswoman said she did not know if Howard had a car in Orlando that other people may be authorized to drive.

Another report at the Orlando Sentinel states that while living in the Orlando area, Howard had received as many as 10 tickets for running red lights, along with speeding tickets and other citations. This information was gather from Reuters, according to the news report. Ultimately, Howard paid all fines with the exception of the ticket for running a red light in April – which seems to be impossible if he was in Texas playing basketball at the time.