dui defense lawyer

Published on: September 2, 2015

She’s No Jewel: Convicted Thief Arrested for DUI

Kayla King has a pretty impressive rap sheet for a 24-year-old. Like many drivers arrested for DUI in Los Angeles she’s had some previous run-ins with the law; now she’s added some more serious new charges to her record.

King, who hails from South Carolina, pleaded guilty last year to grand larceny after stealing almost $38,000 in jewelry from her in-laws. King got off lightly with a sentence of five years’ probation, but she didn’t learn her lesson. Police arrested her for shoplifting earlier this year.

She was out on $500 bond from that charge when officers from the Greenville Police Department pulled her over around 1 in the morning of August 28th. They approached her on either side of the car. King refused to cooperate with their requests to get out of her 2015 Chevrolet coupe, so the officer on the driver’s side of the vehicle tried to reach in and unbuckle her seat belt. That’s when King restarted the car and drove off—dragging that officer with her. The movement threw the other officer, who had been leaning in on the passenger side, into the car.

Fortunately for both officers, King crashed after going a very short distance. But she wasn’t finished. After the wreck, she reached over to the officer who had landed in her car and attempted to grab the gun out of his holster. She wasn’t successful.
King ended up in the hospital after the crash and so did the officer dragged by her car. Both have been released, the officer to his home and King to the Greenville County Detention Center, where she remains held on no bond. She should probably get accustomed to being inside; police have charged her with attempted murder, DUI, kidnapping, possession of a controlled substance and failure to stop.

Do you or a family member need insight from a qualified Los Angeles DUI attorney? Contact Michael Kraut of the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers to set up your free consultation.

Published on: February 25, 2015

Bailout Scam Targets Families of “DUI Offenders”

by Michael Kraut

Attention family members of someone who’s been recently arrested for a Los Angeles DUI: avoid falling victim to the following horrendous type of scam.

A woman in Mechanicsburg, PA nearly lost $10,000 in a bailout scam that took place on February 18th. The alleged scammer called Ryan Gosnell’s aunt and told her that her nephew had been arrested for a DUI after taking cough syrup for a cold. A second caller, using the name of a real public defender, claimed he needed $10,000 to bail her nephew out of jail.

Gosnell’s aunt made multiple calls to her nephew, and she became alarmed when he did not answer. Gosnell was unable to reply because he was in a work meeting. After several tries, his aunt called Gosnell’s parents and alerted them. Luckily, his parents searched the name of the public defender and called the office. They quickly found out the bail request was a scam, and they did not wire the money.

How Bail Scammers Work

Bail scams prey on the vulnerability and clouded judgment of families who’ve been stunned by news that loved one has been arrested. The majority of the general population doesn’t know how the bail process works. A public defender would never ask a family member or friend to wire money over the phone. The bail bond process is heavily regulated, and bondsmen are not allowed to solicit their own services. Bail bondsmen do not make the first line of contact, and defendants are typically not in jail when the bond fees are collected.

Nothing stops scammers from contacting the families of actual DUI offenders, however. When someone is arrested for a DUI, the event creates significant psychological vulnerability for both the offender and that person’s family. Offenders typically spend a night or two in jail before officials set a trial date. Afterwards, they face penalties that can include further jail time, heavy fines, and suspended licenses, all of which can make increase feelings of disorientation and vulnerability.

If you’ve been arrested for a DUI, be aware of bail scams, and seek experienced counsel to respond to your charges. Call a qualified Los Angeles DUI lawyer with the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers today to schedule a free consultation.

Published on: June 16, 2014

Svetlana Dreyfuss, Actor Richard Dreyfuss’s Wife, Busted for Hit and Run DUI in Southern California

by Michael Kraut

Richard Dreyfus’ drug DUI accident in 1982 transformed the actor’s life and outlook on sobriety. The then 34-year-old had become addicted to cocaine, when he lost consciousness behind the wheel and smashed badly into a tree.

Since then, Dreyfuss has been an aggressive voice in the Los Angeles community, advocating for sobriety and helping people who struggle with addiction. Unfortunately, his third wife, Svetlana, may need some of his counsel, after a July 2nd crash out in Encinitas. According to local authorities, Ms. Dreyfuss smashed her vehicle into a wooden fence, cutting through a high pressure waterline, and ran from the accident scene. Deputies with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department caught up with her two miles away and arrested her on charges of driving under the influence and hit and run.

According to a TMZ report on the crash, Ms. Dreyfuss claimed to have only had a single glass of wine before betting behind the wheel. The District Attorney’s office has already taken the case.

What lessons can we learn, collectively, from this crisis?

First off — and this is something we’ve hit on, again and again, on this blog – many people who get into DUI trouble often compound their problems by behaving irrationally or dangerously AFTER they get stopped by police.

The fact that Ms. Dreyfuss fled the scene will likely lead to additional criminal charges, which could in turn lead to more jail time and more punishments. If you’re convicted of a hit and run felony offense, you could lose your license, face over a year behind bars, and find yourself subject to intense probation terms.

The second lesson is that dealing with addiction impulses is not a simple project.

Dreyfuss, for instance, devoted years of his life to thinking about addiction and trying to help other addicts. He almost certainly talked with his wife at length about his philosophy. But she still found herself arrested and in jail on DUI charges. What can this tell us? Harvard University psychiatrist, Dr. Lance Dodes, argues in his book, The Sober Truth, that the conventional wisdom on what causes and has the potential to treat addiction is greatly misguided.

Even the most prepared, vigilant people can still make mistakes and/or witness loved ones struggling.

No matter what happened to you, the Los Angeles DUI defense team at here at the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers is here to answer your questions and provide a free and confidential consultation. Attorney Kraut is a respected former Los Angeles City prosecutor.
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