Super Bowl DUI Arrests Include Former Moesha TV Actor

Los Angeles DUI attorneys continue to review the aftermath of DUI cases from Super Bowl Sunday, which, as we’ve reported in the past, has one of the highest rates of DUI driving in the country. (Other dangerous days, from a DUI point of view, include New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, and St. Patrick’s Day.)

Early in the morning on Feb. 1, police arrested Marcus Paulk for driving under the influence and marijuana possession. Formerly, Paulk performed on Moesha, a television show that aired from 1996-2001. An officer conducted a traffic stop after observing Paulk’s vehicle allegedly driving too close to emergency vehicles parked on the side of the road.

The arresting officer noticed the scent of alcohol and the smell marijuana emanating from the former child star’s pockets. Paulk’s Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) level tested at 0.109% at the time of arrest. He readily admitted to drinking and smoking marijuana before driving.

Many people assume that fame and celebrity encourage positive outcomes in court; however, the truth is that the factors affecting each DUI case are different for everyone. Securing legal advice is the best course of action to evaluate your circumstances.

An officer needs probable cause before stopping you, and you must engage in some sort of traffic violation. Driving erratically or within dangerous proximity to a parked vehicle (Paulk’s case) could lead to a traffic stop. Additionally, failure to make a complete stop or inoperable lights on your vehicle creates suspicion and justifies traffic stops.

When stopped, it is important to remember that all tests administered are voluntary. If you refuse to take an alcohol-screening test, make it clear that you prefer a blood test. On-site breathalyzer and field sobriety test results are unreliable, and they may serve as evidence against you.

Respond strategically to your arrest and charges by calling a former Senior Deputy D.A. and highly successful Los Angeles DUI defense attorney with the Kraut Law Group today for a complimentary consultation.

Did you get arrested for a DUI in Los Angeles? If so, contact Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Michael Kraut for assistance by phone at (323) 464-6453 or online. We’re located at 6255 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 1480, Los Angeles, California 90028.

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‘Scarface’ Actor Who Played Tony Montana’s Henchman Arrested for DUI

By guest-writer

Angel Salazar, the actor who played Tony Montana’s cocaine-fetching friend Chi Chi in the iconic gangster film, “Scarface,” was reportedly arrested for a DUI last week in Brooklyn, according to a report from TMZ.com.

A police report indicates that Salazar was seen swerving through traffic in his 1999 Volvo just after midnight last Thursday night. When police pulled him over, they discovered that he appeared to be intoxicated and smelled strongly of alcohol.

After he was taken to the police station, Salazar took a took a breathalyzer test and his blood alcohol level registered as a .121, which is significantly higher than the legal limit of .08.

After blowing a .121, Salazar was immediately arrested and was booked in a New York jail on three separate counts of driving under the influence.

There is a bit of irony to Salazar’s arrest, as the character he is most famous for spent most of the “Scarface” film eluding police by performing a series of increasingly illegal (and dangerous) errands.

Of course, in the film, his character meets an untimely end at the hands of a drug rival, so the ending to his real-life brush with the law will be much more pleasant, although it could still lead to a heavy fine, jail time, or a suspended license.

Interestingly, in an interview with TMZ, Salazar admitted to drinking on the night he was arrested, but he claims that he believed he was sober enough to drive.

And, in his interview, Salazar does nothing to dispel the myth (or reality?) that police and other members of the criminal justice system are just as susceptible to the cult of celebrity as the rest of us.

According to Salazar, he believed he might be able to get off with a simple warning after one of the responding officers recognized him from “Scarface” and pulled up the actor’s picture on his cell phone.

The officer’s alleged interest in the celebrity, however, did not get Salazar off the hook, as the actor is currently out on bail and still awaiting his court date for his three DUI charges.

So, if nothing else, this incident could help assuage the concerns of a public that is wary of celebrities receiving preferential treatment from police officers and judges alike.

After all, if one of Tony Montana’s most lethal lieutenants cannot avoid the long arm of the law, then other celebrities will likely also receive fair treatment under DUI laws, as long as the responding officers are as impervious to celebrity as these noble officials.

View the original article here

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