ELK GROVE DUI LAWYER - CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY
MICHAEL REHM - (916) 233-7346
FREE CONSULTATIONS
A former stagecoach stop, Elk Grove is now a thriving community that maintains a rural lifestyle and an Old West image. The Elk Grove Western Festival encourages participants to “dress Western” and enjoy the parades, horses, and carnival. On a completely different note, costumed dancers and actors perform at the annual Strauss Festival, where a symphony orchestra plays the music of Johann Strauss.
While Elk Grove is place for family fun, the Elk Grove Police Department diligently patrol the streets in search of drivers who may have had too many drinks. Protecting city residents is a worthy goal, but aggressive policing sometimes leads to the arrest of innocent drivers.
Elk Grove DUI Arrests
In the most recent year analyzed by the Office of Traffic Safety, there were more than 200 DUI arrests within the city limits of Elk Grove. Of 58 comparable cities, only five had a higher DUI arrest rate after adjusting for population and miles driven. Drivers in Elk Grove who do not opt for an Uber or a bicycle after drinking alcohol have an above-average chance of being arrested.
The police usually bring drivers they arrest in Elk Grove to the Sacramento County Main Jail for booking. Drivers usually need to call a friend for a ride after they are released. The jail is located at 651 I Street in Sacramento.
Drivers who do not call a lawyer from the jail should do so promptly after their release. Drivers need to request a DMV hearing within ten days to delay or avoid an automatic suspension of their driving privileges. Elk Grove DUI Defense Lawyer Michael Rehm can help drivers who are arrested in Elk Grove with hearings before the DMV and with court proceedings.
Elk Grove DUI Prosecutions
A driver who is arrested in Elk Grove for DUI will probably be charged with two misdemeanors. That charging decision is made by a prosecutor in the Sacramento County District Attorney's office. That office charges about 5.6% of DUI cases as felonies.
Charges are filed in the Superior Court for Sacramento County. Drivers will need to make at least one court appearance at the Gordon D. Schaber Sacramento County Courthouse.
Elk Grove DUI Convictions
About 85% of drivers who are charged with DUI in Sacramento County are convicted of DUI. Drivers who are represented by a lawyer are more likely to achieve a better outcome.
Plea bargains result in reduced charges for 5.4% of drivers charged with DUI in Sacramento County. The crime that lawyers call “wet reckless” is the most common reduced charge. That offense carries lesser maximum penalties than a DUI. A small percentage of charges are reduced to “dry reckless” or some other charge.
The good news is that 9.6% of drivers charged with DUI in Sacramento County are not convicted of any offense. Their cases are dismissed or they are found “not guilty” by a jury. In either case, hard work by a dedicated DUI lawyer normally accounts for the avoidance of a criminal conviction.
Summary
If you have been arrested for a DUI in Elk Grove, California, and have court in Sacramento, call Attorney Michael Rehm at (916) 233-7346 to learn the lay of the land, what to expect in court, and how you can start taking immediate steps to do damage control.