DUI Category Archives — Page 17 of 17 — Fort Lauderdale Criminal Attorney Blog Published by Fort Lauderdale, Florida Criminal Lawyer

April 2, 2009

Broward County DUI Cop Now Charged with Battery

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

A Broward sheriff’s deputy has been charged — and has resigned from his job — after two women reported that he touched them inappropriately after traffic stops last year.

Authorities on Monday charged Charles E. Grady, 39, a deputy for nearly 12 years, with two counts of misdemeanor battery. In addition, prosecutors revealed they have already reduced or dropped charges in dozens of cases in which Grady was involved.

Grady resigned Wednesday. He had been suspended since the allegations were brought to BSO in December, the agency said.

BSO said that Grady had ”inappropriate contact” with two women. Court records state that the first incident happened on Sept. 19 and the second on Dec. 19. Both are alleged to have occurred as part of traffic stops.

ANSARA RESPONDS
Broward County DUI Deputy Charles E. Grady has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor battery. Let me explain what needs to occur in order for an individual to be charged with criminal battery in Florida.
Florida Statute 784.03 states that a battery occurs when a person 1) actually and intentionally touches or strikes another person against the will of the other; or 2) Intentionally causes bodily harm to another person.

February 24, 2009

Boca Raton woman charged with negligent manslaughter after killing 2

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

BOCA RATON – Florida Highway Patrol charged a 20-year-old Boca Raton woman with two counts of negligent manslaughter and drunken driving relating to a fatal car accident that killed two people.
Daniela Torres was arrested Monday afternoon following a six-month investigation into the crash, which happened on Interstate 95 near Palmetto Park Road in August.

Torres was on her way home from work at a restaurant in Fort Lauderdale and driving about 85 mph when she changed lanes and rear-ended a slower-moving sedan driven by James Andrew Carr, 42. Torres’ Saab pushed the sedan onto a grass shoulder, and it overturned. Carr and passengers Deborah Peterson, 44, and Calvin Braggs were ejected. Carr and Peterson were killed. A witness said she was weaving from the outside lane to the center lane when she hit the sedan.

February 16, 2009

Fort Lauderdale Judge Frees ex-Yankee Jim Leyritz in Fatal DUI Case

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

Former Yankee Jim Leyritz caught a legal break Tuesday when a Broward circuit judge released him from jail.

Leyritz, facing DUI manslaughter charges stemming from the December 2007 crash that killed Fredia Veitch, 30, in Fort Lauderdale. A court-ordered monitoring device showed he drove four times with alcohol in his system since September, a violation of his bond.

Attorneys agreed in court this week that Leyritz should be released from jail because of a technicality that voided the warrant for his arrest that had been signed by Broward Circuit Judge Marc Gold.
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December 22, 2008

Are Florida Cops Abusing the “Move Over” Law F.S. 316.126?

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

Florida’s “Move Over” law states in part:

316.126 Operation of vehicles and actions of pedestrians on approach of authorized emergency vehicle.–

(b) When an authorized emergency vehicle making use of any visual signals is parked or a wrecker displaying amber rotating or flashing lights is performing a recovery or loading on the roadside, the driver of every other vehicle, as soon as it is safe:

1. Shall vacate the lane closest to the emergency vehicle or wrecker when driving on an interstate highway or other highway with two or more lanes traveling in the direction of the emergency vehicle or wrecker, except when otherwise directed by a law enforcement officer.

ANSARA RESPONDS

This law was enacted with the intent to do one simple thing; prevent Florida law enforcement from being hurt or killed by oncoming vehicles while on a traffic stop. However, critics of the Florida “Move Over” law are alleging that the Move Over law is being abused by Florida Law Enforcement.

It has been referred to as the “Move Over Trap”. An officer will wait on the side of the road with his lights on simply to use the Move Over law as justification to conduct a traffic stop. Florida law enforcement knows that simple traffic stops often turn into arrests for crimes such as drug possession and driving under the influence.

I recently asked a Broward County Sheriff’s Deputy about his thoughts on the Florida Move Over law.
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