California couple pleads no contest in endangerment, DWI case

 Posted on February 04, 2011 in Criminal Defense

The police conducted a traffic stop. The officer identified the driver as a 54-year-old San Carlos man who was reportedly driving on a suspended license for a prior California DUI conviction. Also in the vehicle were the driver's 43-year-old wife and four children ranging in age from two to eight. Law enforcement says the wife had a restraining order against the man.

San Mateo County prosecutors say that police found 14 empty beer cans and an empty bottle of rum scattered throughout the family van. Police asked the two adults to step out of the vehicle. Law enforcement says both adults had difficulty standing when they got out of the vehicle.

The driver reportedly had a blood alcohol level of .25 and the wife reportedly measured .24 BAC. Prosecutors say the family spent part of the day at Half Moon Bay. The parents reportedly drank while at the beach. One of the children reportedly told police that after the family left the beach, the driver pulled over on two occasions to drink more beer.

The couple appeared Wednesday in San Mateo County District Court to answer for charges related to the incident. The father pleaded no contest to misdemeanor DUI and one count of child endangerment. The judge imposed a six month sentence, and the man is currently held in the San Mateo County Jail.

The mother was also charged with child endangerment and pleaded no contest. The 43-year-old woman was sentenced to 45 days in jail. She has been released on $25,000 bail. Her 45-day sentence is due to begin March 19.

Source: San Jose Mercury News, "San Carlos couple get jail for drunken drive home with kids," Joshua Melvin 2 Feb 2011