Drunk Driving Victims

Florida authorities patrol New Year’s — attorneys urge motorists to prevent drunk driving

December 30, 2008 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

064%2023210%20DaytimeCloseUp%20US%2041%201500%27%20NBONITA%20BEACH%20ESNB%20P%202%20%282%29.jpg

The staff and attorneys for victims of drunk driving crashes at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, wish everyone a joyous New Year’s holiday and want to remind drivers of the message on dozens of the firm’s billboards throughout Southwest Florida: Enjoy the Holidays but Don’t Drink and Drive.

Law enforcement throughout the region will be out in force and there will be zero tolerance and no excuses as authorities seek to reduce the 20 fatal drunk driving crashes that occurred on Florida roads last year.

“We will be very vigilant this year as we always are,” said John Sheehan, spokesman for the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. The agency’s patrol area includes Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, Lehigh Acres and Fort Myers Beach. “We will be everywhere.”

Mothers Against Drunk Driving estimates the cost of a drunk driving arrest at $8,000 to $11,000, including fines, attorney fees and increases in auto insurance premiums.

Statistics from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles show 38 people died on Florida roads during last year’s five-day New Year’s Holiday. Twenty died in alcohol-related fatalities – a 33 percent increase over an average five-day stretch. About three people die on any given day in Florida as a result of an alcohol related traffic crash.

“We will saturate certain areas where expect more human traffic and people out having a good time,” Sheehan said. “Avoid getting in trouble with law enforcement and avoid a potentially tragic situation.”

Officer Shawn Yates, of the Fort Myers Police Department said city officers also will be out in force and are cooperating with the Cape Coral Police and the Lee County Sheriff on a sobriety checkpoint at an undisclosed location to educate drivers and remove drunk drivers from the roads.

Charlotte County Sheriff John Davenport announced there will be saturation DUI patrols out New Years Eve and New Years Day looking for impaired drivers. Deputies will be out in force to prevent drunk driving crashes throughout the county, including Punta Gorda, North Port and Port Charlotte.

“Extra patrol units of the Traffic Safety Team and road patrol deputies will be watching for those who may drink and drive, or use drugs and drive,” department spokesman Bob Carpenter said.
Continue reading ›

Southwest Florida drunk drivers face holiday crackdown

December 22, 2008 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Drunk Drivers in Southwest Florida and across the nation face heavy enforcement launched this week to prevent drunk driving accidents, serious injury and death on our roads this holiday season.

Attorneys who represent drunk driving victims and everyone at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, urge motorists to act responsibly this holiday season and help prevent the tragic consequences of drinking and driving.

An $8 million national TV and radio ad campaign “Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest” will be complimented by stepped-up, high-visibility law enforcement using saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints to help protect the millions of Americans traveling from now through the New Year’s holiday, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

“‘Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest’ isn’t just a slogan, but a reflection of states’ increasing intolerance of drunk driving,” said Vernon F. Betkey Jr., chairman of the Governors Highway Safety Association. “No more excuses or exceptions. States are funding overtime enforcement, drunk driving checkpoints and saturation patrols to keep the roads safe during the holidays.”

MADD reports travelers this year will share the roads with 2 million drunk drivers who have three or more convictions, including more than 400,000 with five or more convictions.

In Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, Lehigh Acres and elsewhere in Lee County, traffic enforcement will be heavy through the holidays, according to Brenda Gellinger of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the local MADD Chapter.

“The holidays are particularly dangerous, when road travel is the heaviest and drunk driving increases,” said Gellinger, noting a recent year saw 1,317 people killed in alcohol-related crashes between Thanksgiving and New Year. “Enforcement works: Aggressive enforcement of drunk driving laws reduces the number of people who lose their lives as a result of drunk driving. Research has shown that highly publicized, highly visible and frequent sobriety checkpoints reduce fatal drunk driving crashes by an average of 20 percent.”
Continue reading ›

Tragic drunk driving case in Southwest Florida leaves attorneys shaken, family devestated

December 19, 2008 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Testimony this week — prompted by the defendant’s decision to plead to a dozen counts that could send him to prison for life – left even hardened courtroom veterans shaken as it laid bare the unfathomable consequences of a single tragic decision to drink and drive.

“This is probably the saddest case I have ever had,” Assistant State Attorney Marie Doerr said of the Jan. 14, 2007 crash near Fort Myers Beach that killed Jordy Martinez, 1, and Jesus Martinez, 6, while critically injuring their older brother, Juan Martinez and their mother Maria Bustamante. “There is no winner in this case. There is nothing to feel good about when we go home at the end of the day.”

George Butler, 34, pleaded no contest to 12 counts, including multiple counts of DUI manslaughter and DUI with serious bodily injury. He faces 30 years to life in prison unless Judge Margaret Steinbeck lowers the sentence at a hearing scheduled for Jan. 26 at 3:30 p.m.

Accident attorneys spread holiday “Don’t Drink and Drive” message throughout Southwest Florida

December 12, 2008 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, has again purchased dozens of holiday billboards urging motorists not to Drink and Drive this holiday season in an effort to reduce the number of drunk driving accidents throughout Southwest Florida.

“The holidays are a time people seem to drink more than other times of the year and we want to prevent the carnage on our roads,” said Bruce L. Scheiner, founder and senior attorney of Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury lawyers, which has been representing drunk driving victims throughout Southwest Florida since 1971.

Each year the firm purchases the boards in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Port Charlotte, Arcadia, Sebring and Venice in an effort to help reduce the number of drunk driving accidents and holiday tragedies endured by drunk driving victims.

The statistics are sobering: The Fort Myers- Cape Coral area was recently named the deadliest area its size in the nation for teen drivers between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Thanksgiving ranks Florida’s deadliest holiday for traffic accidents and is followed quickly by Christmas and New Year’s, a 10-day stretch that is full of travel and celebration that too often leads to senseless tragedy.

“We want the public to be aware that drinking and driving is very dangerous and to use designated drivers and take other steps to ensure everyone has a safe holiday season,” Scheiner said.

064%2023210%20DaytimeCloseUp%20US%2041%201500%27%20NBONITA%20BEACH%20ESNB%20P%202%20%282%29.jpg
Continue reading ›

Preventing holiday traffic accidents goal in Southwest Florida

November 27, 2008 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Increased patrol will be aimed at reducing car accidents and drunk driving crashes this Thanksgiving holiday as authorities seek to reduce serious injury and wrongful death on Florida highways.

“The Thanksgiving Holidays are typically a time of heavy traffic as people travel to spend time with their families so we urge everyone driving on our highways during the holiday period to drive carefully,” said Colonel John Czernis, director of the Florida Highway Patrol. “Allow yourself plenty of time to reach your destination safely, drive sober and buckle up on each and every trip. The holidays are a time for celebration, but we cannot forget safety behind the wheel.”

The patrol cites failure to drive carefully and wear safety belts, along with drunk drivers, as primary causes of accidents through the holiday.

“Since Thanksgiving always produces a high volume of traffic, the Florida Highway Patrol will increase its presence on Florida roadways during the upcoming five-day holiday period,” Czernis announced.

The patrol said it will use troopers normally assigned to administrative duties as well as auxiliary and reserve troopers to patrol high-volume roadways.
Continue reading ›

Southwest Florida drunk drivers targeted to prevent accidents, wrongful death

November 26, 2008 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Drunk Drivers in Southwest Florida face an increasing array of penalties this holiday season as a full-scale law enforcement crackdown aims to prevent serious injury or death caused by drunk drivers.

“Mothers Against Drunk Driving is stepping up efforts to reduce the number of people tragically killed and injured by drunk drivers by partnering with law enforcement in a high-visibility crackdown this holiday season,” said Brenda Gellinger, a family support coordinator for the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and local MADD representative.

“From now through New Year’s Day, law enforcement will be out in full force conducting sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols to make it clear that if you drive drunk, you will be arrested,” Gellinger said.

A local MADD chapter will be operating in Lee County this year to assist local law enforcement in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers Beach and elswhere. After several years without a presence in Southwest Florida, Gellinger recently reopened in office space provided by Bruce and Cheryl Scheiner of Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, which also has purchased dozens of “Don’t Drink and Drive” billboards for the holidays and provides support for local sobriety checkpoints.
Continue reading ›

Thanksgiving Holiday is year’s deadliest on Florida Roads

November 24, 2008 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

A surprise fact and a cautionary message for Florida motorists: The Thanksgiving Holiday is the year’s deadliest for car accidents and other crashes on Florida roads, according to a five-year average of fatalities compiled by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Everyone at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, wishes you a happy and safe Thanksgiving Holiday and urges you to use extra caution while traveling to spend time with friends and loved ones.

On average, 53 motorists are killed — 21 of those as victims of DUI crashes or other alcohol-related accidents — on Florida roads each Thanksgiving.

“It’s an extremely busy holiday period and the beginning of the holiday season,” said Capt. Mark Welch of the Florida Highway Patrol.

Welch noted the length of the Thanksgiving Holiday (120 hours measured Wednesday through Sunday) is the big reason for its high tally of fatal accidents. But heavy traffic and the long-weekend’s place at the gateway to the holiday season should make motorists extra cautious.

“Our message to the motoring public is to give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination, drive the speed limit, wear your seat belt and don’t drink and drive,” Welch said.

Christmas and New Year are at the bottom of the list of deadliest holidays, with 34 and 31 deaths respectively. However, New Year is often the shortest holiday period measured at 48-72 hours. It’s fatality rate puts it at the top of the list along with Memorial Day for the holiday with the deadliest rate — one road fatality every two hours.

“We all like to get together with our friends and our families but just do it responsibly,” said Brenda Gellinger of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. “Have a designated driver, or stay put or call a cab.”

Click here for advice about what to do after an accident.
Continue reading ›

Drunk Driving remains a concern in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Southwest Florida

September 25, 2008 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Drunk Drivers are being targeted by local law enforcement in an effort to reduce the number of serious and often fatal crashes they cause on Southwest Florida roads.

Eighteen people were arrested by Lee County deputies for Driving Under the Influence during the second week of September, the sheriff’s office reported. The following week, Lee County deputies arrested 25 people for drunk driving.

“In 37 years of practicing law, some of the most tragic cases we have taken the responsibility of representing have been caused by the careless, senseless and negligent acts of a drunk driver,” said Bruce L. Scheiner, founder and senior attorney at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers.

Last year, 1,099 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes in Florida – making drinking and driving a cause of about one-third of the state’s 3,365 road deaths. Another 10,439 motorists were injured by alcohol-related crashes on Florida roads.

The number of area crashes caused by alcohol remained staggering in 2006: 654 in Lee County; 372 in Collier; 211 in Charlotte; 457 in Sarasota.

“It’s obviously a problem that, unfortunately, is not going away,” said Brenda Gellinger, who works with DUI victims at the sheriff’s office and with the local Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Gellinger noted those 18 were arrested by deputies, while other local law enforcement agencies, including Cape Coral and Fort Myers police as well as the Florida Highway Patrol, are also picking up enforcement.
Continue reading ›