Articles Posted in DUI Defense

On Friday December 18, 60-year-old William Dekker, Garden Valley Fire chief, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to El Dorado County sheriff’s deputies.

The incident began when a neighbor of Dekker’s called the sheriff’s office reporting a dispute in Greenwood, where Dekker lived.  The man told deputies that he and Dekker had gotten into an argument over a loose dog, and that Dekker threatened to shoot the man.  When deputies arrived in Greenwood, they saw Dekker driving by and flagged him down.

Upon speaking with Dekker about the incident, deputies suspected he may have been drinking.  They then conducted a series of field sobriety tests, and determined that the fire chief was under the influence of alcohol.  He was arrested and booked into the county jail, and later released on $5,000 bail.  At the time of his arrest, Dekker was driving his own personal vehicle.

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Recently, a man whose name was not revealed was pulled over by North Royalton Police after an officer observed the driver speeding out of a Taco Bell drive-thru in a Dodge Avenger. The incident took place on December 11 in North Royalton, OH according to news reports.

The officer claimed he noticed the smell of alcohol when talking to the driver. He also said the man acted drunk. While the driver denied he had been drinking, he replied “really?” when the officer asked him about the smell. The officer did comment that the driver was polite.

While talking to the driver, the officer noticed what he believed to be marijuana in the center console of the vehicle. Upon searching the Avenger, he discovered a jar filled with marijuana, a pipe, and grinder. The officer administered a field sobriety test, which the driver failed. During the test, the suspect reportedly made the comment “It got a little hard there at the end.”

On Thursday December 10, a Longwood woman allegedly kicked a Florida Highway Patrol officer, sideswiped one vehicle and crashed head-on into another, and drove with her 5-month-old baby in the back seat of the vehicle, according to an article at the Orlando Sentinel. Troopers say 22-year-old Carlene Musselwhite was driving drunk when all of this occurred.

Following the two incidents with other vehicles, troopers found Musselwhite after a resident in the neighborhood she was in helped her out of her vehicle, and called 911. Upon their arrival, troopers found the baby in the back seat of the vehicle. They noticed that Musselwhite had bloodshot eyes and smelled of alcohol, according to the arrest affidavit. Musselwhite did not deny she had been drinking, telling officers she had been at a work event; however she did say she was not impaired. She was put into handcuffs after failing two field sobriety tests.

Three troopers had to wrestle Musselwhite into the back of a patrol car after she refused to get in. Once in the vehicle, she reportedly kicked a window out of its frame. A sergeant arrived after the troopers removed her from the patrol car. Upon trying to put her into his own car, she allegedly kicked the sergeant.

On Saturday evening December 4, a man was arrested in Waterford following a police chase that led to a rollover accident. Dylon M. Goss, 22, of New London reportedly fled police after he was spotted driving in an erratic manner on Route 1 near Clark Lane. News reports state the incident occurred at about 10 p.m.

Goss allegedly accelerated when Waterford police pulled behind his vehicle in the area of Willetts Avenue. As the chase continued, the vehicle eventually rolled over onto its side. There were four passengers in the vehicle according to news articles, one of whom sustained minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital.

Dylon Goss has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, engaging an officer in pursuit, risk of injury to a minor, reckless endangerment, improper turn, operating without a license, and more. He is scheduled to appear in court on December 14th after posting a $500 bond.

On Saturday afternoon November 28, James Covey, a Dallas police officer who has been with the department for almost 8 years, was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated (DWI) while on duty. According to news reports, two other officers discovered Covey in high water after he became involved in an accident involving only his vehicle.

Covey was reportedly found in South Dallas in the area of 4500 Elsie Faye Heggins Street. According to the Dallas Morning News, Covey staggered out of his car and seemed disoriented when officers inquired as to how he was. He made no statement about how he became involved in the accident according to the warrant. He also wanted to retrieve some of his belongings from his vehicle before being transported to the hospital. An officer at the scene went to get the belongings Covey wanted, and discovered a cup that had an odor of alcohol. At the hospital, officers performed tests that indicated he had consumed alcohol.

Covey was arrested, and has been placed on administrative leave by the department. After posting bond on Sunday, he was released just before 3 p.m.

On November 8, 25-year-old Timothy Chevalier of Clinton Township was arrested after police say he was operating his vehicle while intoxicated with his 3-month-old baby in the back seat. The incident took place in Bloomfield Hills when Chevalier was pulled over by a public safety officer about 6 p.m. for excessive speed and possible OWI, according to Lt. Noel Clason.

Chevalier refused a roadside preliminary breath test according to news reports, and failed the standard field sobriety tests. He was arrested for OWI 2nd offense, however the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office issued enhanced charges due to the fact that Chevalier’s baby was in the back seat. In addition, reports claim the vehicle contained open alcohol containers. While at the police station, Chevalier submitted to a Breathalyzer test which indicated his BAC was 0.23, nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

Chevalier was placed in the Oakland County Jail on a $75,000 cash or surety bond and was scheduled for a preliminary hearing for November 16 as of last reports.