Practice area – DUI & Driving
Arrested for DUI in Riverside County?
First-time, repeat, felony, DUI with injury or death. A DUI does not have to define your future, but the next 10 days matter more than you think.
Available 24/7
What you’re facing
A DUI in California carries criminal penalties AND parallel DMV consequences. First-time misdemeanor DUI: up to 6 months jail, $2,000+ fines, 6-month license suspension, mandatory DUI school, and ignition interlock. Felony DUI (injury, death, or 4th offense within 10 years) can mean state prison. The DMV holds a separate Administrative Per Se hearing, and you have only 10 days from arrest to request it or your license is automatically suspended.
Defenses I build
DUI cases are won at the edges. I challenge the legality of the traffic stop, the field sobriety test administration, the calibration and maintenance of the breath test machine, blood draw procedures, and chain of custody. Procedural errors are common, and they suppress evidence. I also handle the DMV hearing separately to protect your license. From wet reckless reductions to outright dismissals, the right defense moves on multiple tracks at once.
DUI Case Results
Charged With
Felony DUI with Death – Facing state prison
Outcome
Probation – No Custody Time
DUI – Riverside Co.
Common Questions
What happens to my license after a DUI arrest?
Two separate proceedings: a criminal case in court, and a DMV administrative case for your license. The DMV gives you 10 days from arrest to request a hearing. Miss that window and your license is automatically suspended in 30 days. I handle both tracks in parallel. The DMV hearing is often where I save the license.
Can a DUI be reduced to a wet reckless?
Often yes. Wet reckless (VC 23103.5) is a lesser charge with shorter probation, lower fines, no mandatory ignition interlock, and no priorable DUI on your record. It is especially common in borderline BAC cases or where the traffic stop has problems. I push for wet reckless or outright dismissal in every case where the facts support it.
I blew under .08, can they still charge me?
Yes. California has a separate offense for driving while impaired by alcohol that does not require .08 BAC, particularly common with drug DUIs or low-BAC cases. They can also charge you under VC 23152(a) on observation alone. These cases are weaker for the prosecution and very defensible.
Types of DUI & Driving Charges I Defend
A DUI charge can range from a manageable misdemeanor to a life-altering felony. Below are the offenses I handle most often in Riverside County.
Misdemeanor DUI (1st Offense, VC 23152)
Up to 6 months jail, $2,000+ fines, 6-month license suspension, DUI school, ignition interlock.
Repeat DUI (2nd/3rd Offense)
Escalating mandatory jail (96 hours, then 120 days), multi-year IID, longer license suspension.
Felony DUI
Triggered by injury (VC 23153), death, or 4th offense within 10 years. State prison exposure.
DUI with Injury (VC 23153)
Wobbler; felony version carries 16 months, 2, or 3 years state prison plus great bodily injury enhancements.
Vehicular Manslaughter (PC 191.5)
DUI causing death. Gross vehicular manslaughter: 4, 6, or 10 years. Murder (Watson) charge possible on prior DUI history.
Drug DUI (VC 23152(f))
Driving under the influence of any drug, including marijuana, prescription meds, and street drugs. No specific BAC equivalent.
Underage DUI (VC 23136)
Zero tolerance. A .01% BAC triggers license suspension even without criminal charges.
Wet Reckless (VC 23103.5)
Common plea reduction from DUI. Lower penalties, no priorable DUI on record.
DMV Hearing (APS)
Separate from criminal case. 10-day deadline to request. Lower evidentiary standard than criminal court.
The DMV Hearing and Your License
Most attorneys treat the DMV hearing as an afterthought. I do not. The DMV Administrative Per Se hearing is the only way to protect your driving privileges before the criminal case resolves. You have:
- 10 days from arrest to request the hearing
- A separate evidentiary standard (lower than criminal court)
- The right to subpoena the arresting officer for cross-examination
- The right to challenge breath and blood evidence directly
Winning the DMV hearing keeps your license valid through the entire criminal case, which can mean the difference between keeping your job and losing it.
