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Holiday season risky time for driving under the influence
The holiday season is one of the happiest and festive times of the year in Maryland and around the country. However, the added festivities frequently give rise to increased alcohol consumption. Many people who partake of alcohol during the holidays more than at other times of the year may not be aware of their own alcohol tolerance, or lack of it. That can make them susceptible to an arrest for driving under the influence.
In an effort to stem this problem and make area roads safer, Montgomery County Police have initiated a holiday task force that will be in place through Jan. 5. The aim of the task force is to reduce the number of drunk drivers on the roads during the holiday season. They will make use of such tools as sobriety check points, issuing tickets to parents and other adults who host underage drinking parties and increasing compliance checks on establishments that sell alcohol.
Can I get a DUI on a snowmobile?
It’s that time of year again. Snow has fallen in the east coast, and for many people, that means it’s time to get outside. Yet, each season brings new opportunities to get convicted of a DUI, and it is important to keep your driving privileges in mind as you get away this winter.
If you are one of many people who plan to go snowmobiling, know that DUI laws may still apply to you. Snowmobiles are one of many off-road vehicles governed by the state’s driving laws. Even if you may not be driving your snowmobile among traffic, operating it while drunk could still lead to serious accidents as well as a DUI conviction.
Maryland operates under tight driving laws. Even as a first-time DUI offender you could face up to one year in jail and pay up to $1,000 in fines. If a DUI leads to an accident that seriously injures someone, the penalties are harsher. You could be charged with up to two years of jail time and up to $3,000 in fines. Causing a wrongful death or "Vehicular Homicide" with a DUI invokes more severe sanctions, possibly landing you in jail for up to five years and resulting in up to $5,000 in fines.
Motor vehicle accidents can rob loved ones of a happy holiday
The holiday season is a time for celebrations and enjoying time with friends and loved ones in Maryland. The parties and celebrations may cause one to be out later than normal, and one may also drink more alcohol than one may be accustomed to. Fatigue, alcohol, holiday stress or a combination can increase one’s likelihood of being involved in motor vehicle accidents.
A fatal crash occurred near Forestville on the outer loop of Interstate 495. A Toyota was traveling on the outer loop and hit the rear end of a Kia Optima travelling in the same direction. The impact from the collision caused both vehicles to end up in the meridian between the inner and outer loop of 495. The driver of the Toyota, along with his female passenger, received minor injuries. The driver of the Kia did not survive.
The driver of the Toyota was arrested at the hospital after reportedly attacking a security guard. He was charged with disorderly conduct. It is not known if speed or alcohol contributed to the cause of the accident. The crash remains under investigation.
Motor vehicle accidents a tragic beginning to 2019
A recent tragic accident in Maryland took the lives of three young children in a crash on Indian Head Highway in Oxon Hill. The children were siblings, 5-year-old twins and a 1-year-old baby. The crash was caused by a hit-and-run driver who may have been driving under the influence at the time of the crash. The location of the accident is known to be a dangerous intersection where there have been multiple motor vehicle accidents in recent years.
The car that the children were traveling in was either stopped or had slowed for a light near Wilson Bridge Road. The other vehicle, a pickup truck, rear-ended the car and the impact caused a chain reaction involving the car carrying the children and the two cars in front of it. The impact caused the pickup to land on top of the rear passenger portion of the car where the children were seated.
The intersection where the accident happened is considered a speed trap. It has become a popular area for drag racing. Speed cameras were installed last fall following the death of a young woman at the same intersection. According to investigators, the pickup truck was moving faster than the victim’s cars and there were no skid marks at the scene. The accident remains under investigation.
Bankruptcy may provide some relief following the shutdown
The government shutdown is entering its second month. The implications of this are widespread and will soon be felt by many more, in Maryland and around the country, as tax refunds may be delayed, and possible delays and interruptions in air travel may occur. One group of people who are not getting the attention but may stand to suffer more than most are government contract workers, and some have said the shutdown could cause them to file for bankruptcy.
Contractors are people who work for the government but are paid through private employers. The private employers pay the contractors with funds collected from the government, and those funds are not forthcoming so the contractors, in many cases, are not being paid. In addition, while government employees have been told they will receive back pay, that same assurance does not exist for contractors. The total number of contractors is not known but is thought to be in the hundreds of thousands and possibly more.
Loophole exists in law designed to stop DWI accidents
Losing a loved one in a fatal car crash is heartbreaking. Losing a loved one in a crash caused by a drunk driver can seem senseless as it could have been prevented if the driver did not get behind the wheel. Maryland has a measure in place, Noah’s Law, to help prevent driving while intoxicated but it is not always enforced.
The law was named for a Maryland policeman who was killed by a drunk driver in 2015. The law states that anyone convicted of drunk driving must have an ignition interlock device in their car. The device prevents the car from starting unless the driver blows into the device which measures the driver’s blood alcohol level. However, if a driver pleads guilty to the charge and gets probation, the device is not required.
Members of the Maryland legislature want to close the loophole that they believe exists in the law. A person who had a relative who was required to have the device said it made a difference. According to a statement he made, having the device prevented his relative from getting behind the wheel after he had been drinking. The man went on to say that the device can also save the life of the drunk driver.
Risk of motor vehicle accidents is always present
People’s lives seem to get busier and more hectic as more electronic devices are introduced to supposedly make our lives easier and less stressful. The devices, such as smartphones and touch screen car sound systems, seem to have the opposite effect and contribute to adding stress and creating distractions that increase the chances of being involved in motor vehicle accidents. Such may have been the case in a recent fatal accident in Maryland, near Taneytown.
A man was driving west on Taneytown Pike when his car swerved and hit a guardrail. The car then crossed the yellow line into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with a car that was heading east. The accident happened about 2:30 on a recent afternoon between Pleasant Valley Road and Tyrone Road.
The drivers of both vehicles were both transported to area hospitals. The driver of the eastbound car was struck head-on was pronounced dead on arrival. The other driver was transported by helicopter to University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center and his condition is not known. The cause of the accident remains under investigation. The road was closed for more than two hours while police investigated the accident.
How much will a bankruptcy affect a credit score?
One of the biggest worries you may have with considering bankruptcy is the detrimental effect it may have on your credit and credit score. While it is true that bankruptcy will have an impact on your credit score, by not filing for bankruptcy you can suffer the same type of damage to your report.
Many people are worried about an immediate hit on their credit report after bankruptcy which can make a credit score go down by 150 to 240 points. However, over the course of one to three years of missed payments, late payments and credit card charge offs, your credit can experience the same type of result. But after bankruptcy you can take steps to build up your credit and get yourself back on solid financial footing. Without bankruptcy, it can be much more difficult to increase your credit score and repair your credit report.
Improving your credit score after bankruptcy
Charge of driving under the influence includes child abuse charge
Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol can cause a person to be confused and act in an untypical way. A recent incident in Denton has left a mother behind bars and an 18-month-old child in the hospital. Maryland law enforcement had responded to a call that indicated a child may have been left on the side of a road by a woman who then got in her car and drove off. Police suspect the woman of driving under the influence.
A car passing by spotted a vehicle stopped on the side of the road and thought the driver had hit a deer. They pulled over to offer assistance and the woman quickly got into her car and drove away. On further investigation, they encountered a child who appeared to have suffered some injuries. Based on the witness account, the authorities were able to track down the driver of the vehicle.
The woman reportedly exhibited symptoms of being impaired when she was apprehended. She also had another child, a 1-year-old, in the car with her. The woman faces charges of child abuse, child neglect, assault and driving under the influence. At last report, she was being held without bail at the Caroline County Detention Center.
Health care costs a leading cause of bankruptcy
Health care in America is expensive. Without health insurance it is even more so. An unexpected health care crisis can drive a family to bankruptcy in Maryland if they do not have the means to pay the medical bills. This point was driven home recently in a story that happened in another state.
A woman who was volunteering with an organization had offered to give a speech on behalf of the organization. She had written her presentation and inadvertently deleted it. She was understandably nervous when she got up to the podium to speak. When she did start speaking she noticed her words were slurred and that she wasn’t making sense. A friend realized something was very wrong and called for help.
Though she had no insurance, friends and first responders urged her to go to the hospital. She was diagnosed as having had a transient ischemic attack (TIA), also known as a mini stroke. She went home and did recover but received a bill from the hospital for $26,203.62, which was due in 20 days. This case is one of thousands. Approximately 5 percent of Americans have overdue medical bills or unpaid medical bills on their credit reports.
From our office in Ellicott City, the Law Offices of Marc A. Ominsky, LLC represents clients throughout the area, including but not limited to Annapolis, Arbutus, Baltimore, Beltsville, Catonsville, Clarksville, Columbia, Crofton, Elkridge, Fulton, Glen Burnie, Greenbelt, Jessup, Laurel, Linthicum Heights, Odenton, Pasadena, Pikesville, Randallstown, Savage, Towson, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Howard County, and Prince George's County.
Results listed are not a guarantee or indication of future case results.
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