“I am truly sorry. I feel terrible. I have agonizing pain in my heart. Ever since the accident, I have been deeply moved for the life and the damage I inflicted upon the sisters.” – Carlos Martinelly Montano

Montano is a Bolivian national and was awaiting a deportation hearing at the time the fatal car accident occurred sparking outrage as many are wondering why he was even in the U.S. to begin with. Given that this was Motano’s 3rd DWI offense within five years, he was charged with felony murder and faced up to 70 years in prison. However, Judge Lon Farris reduced the sentence to 20 years after hearing that Montano had found God while in jail during the last year and that he had expressed extreme remorse for causing the accident.

“I have listened to your family and quite frankly, I have lowered down what I originally was going to give you based on that information. But unfortunately, your punishment still needs to be severe because of what you did.” ~ Honorable Lon Farris

If you have been charged with speeding, reckless driving or drunk driving DUI / DWI in Prince William County, Virginia, contact the Parrish Law Firm for a free evaluation of your traffic case. Click here for your free copy of our DUI / DWI Special Report Charged with DWI and don’t know what to do? for helpful tips on how to handle your DUI / DWI charge.

Sources:

• WUSA 9 – Carlos Martinelly-Montano Gets 20 Years In Prison After Prince William County Crash That Killed Nun, Sister Denise Mosier
• ABC 7 – Carlos Martinelly Montano sentenced to 20 years in prison
• Manassas Patch – Martinelly Sentenced in DUI that Killed Nun: Carlos Martinelly Montano was sentenced to 20 years in prison in the case that prompted calls for stricter immigration enforcement.
• The Parrish Law Firm DWI Blog – Montano Drunk Driving Case Strikes Debate of Immigration Deportation Procedures | Prince William DUI Attorney

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Men and women drivers were watched and graded on seven different parking styles. Footage showed that women took more time to find a favorable parking space while men took the first convenient space found. Women also more often noticed drivers about to vacate their spaces to get a better spot.

Although women took much more time parking, 53% were more accurate at centering their car over 25% of men. Women were also observed driving at more appropriate speeds and more often found backing into their parking space than men.

Men also displayed a bizarre showing off behavior when they had a female in the car by choosing a smaller space to squeeze their car into.

Oddly more women were found to fail the parking portion of their driving exam and when polled believed that they were not as good as men at parking their cars.

Have you been charged with speeding, suspended license, reckless driving, drunk driving DUI / DWI, or other serious driving offense in Arlington, Virginia? Contact the Parrish Law Firm for a free evaluation of your traffic case. Click here for your free copy of our guide Faced with Reckless Driving and don’t know what to do? for helpful tips on how to handle your reckless driving charge.

Sources:

• WTOP – Women are better at parking than men, study finds
• Independent – Sorry, chaps, women are better parkers
• AOL Autos – Women Are Better Parkers, Study Shows
  While they may take longer to park, they’re more accurate than men

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DMV 2 Go is set up to be a mobile customer service center in a modified RV that will visit businesses, university/college campuses, military bases, government centers, and assisted living facilities/retirement communities to try to make life a little easier for Virginia drivers. There are currently two of them available with plans to have a third one that will service the Northern Virginia area soon. You can even request that DMV2Go come to your location provided you have plenty of space to park this mobile office – 32 feet to be exact. To schedule DMV 2 Go, you may send your request to via email at DMV2GORichmond@dmv.virginia.gov

This full service mobile Virginia DMV office will be open Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. So take a look at the DMV2Go schedule for one of these in a parking lot near you and feel relieved to see a much shorter line.

If you have been charged with speeding, reckless driving, drunk driving DUI / DWI, driving on a suspended license, or other serious driving offense in Northern Virginia, contact the Parrish Law Firm for a free evaluation of your traffic case. Click here for your free copy of our DUI / DWI Special Report Charged with DWI and don’t know what to do? for helpful tips on how to handle your DUI / DWI charge.

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This service connecting homeowners with commuters has been very successful in Great Britain as the founder of Park at My House Anthony Eskinazi claims homeowners there have pocketed $5 million. In this tough economy, this could be a win-win situation for both homeowners looking for ways to make a few extra dollars and for commuters having a hard time finding the ever so elusive parking spot in or around the District of Columbia.

After 100 parking spots are offered by homeowners, Park at My House plans to develop an app for drivers to access to help them locate a space.

If you have been charged with speeding, reckless driving, suspended license, drunk driving DUI / DWI, or other serious traffic offense in Arlington, Virginia, contact the Parrish Law Firm for a free evaluation of your traffic case.

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According to VDOT’s press release:

From 7 a.m. Saturday until noon Sunday, only one of two lanes in each direction will be open on Route 29 between I-66 and Virginia Oaks Drive. As left turns at Route 29 and Linton Hall Road will be prohibited during the switch, motorists will be permitted to make u-turns at Heathcote Boulevard and Virginia Oaks Drive. County police will be stationed at intersections to assist with traffic control.

To avoid Route 29 through Gainesville, motorists heading south can use I-66 West to Route 15 South; motorists heading north can use Route 15 North to I-66 East.

The traffic shift will allow VDOT to begin construction of two overpasses: One carrying Route 29 over the railroad tracks, and one carrying Linton Hall Road and Gallerher Road over Route 29 and the railroad tracks. The project also includes widening Route 29 to six lanes from I-66 to Virginia Oaks Drive.

Save yourself a headache and try to avoid this area if at all possible during this construction.

If you have been charged with speeding, reckless driving, suspended license, drunk driving DUI / DWI, or other serious traffic offense in Gainesville, Virginia, contact the Parrish Law Firm for a free evaluation of your traffic case.

Sources:

• VDOT – AVOID ROUTE 29 IN GAINESVILLE JAN. 7-8 Weekend traffic switch will cause major delays
• InsideNova – Drivers advised to avoid U.S. 29 in Gainesville this weekend

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There is no law in Virginia that you have to carry proof of car insurance with you. Actually, you are not required to have car insurance at all and can get out of having insurance by paying the annual $500 uninsured motor vehicle (UMV) fee to the Virginia DMV.

Apparently there is some major confusion with law enforcement as the Virginia State Police and other Virginia prosecutors have confirmed that drivers will be charged for failing to have an insurance card at traffic stops using Code § 46.2-707. But the crime would be a Class 3 misdemeanor if you fail to do one of the following: have car insurance, pay the $500 UMV fee, or flat out lie about having done either.

If you lie about having insurance or paying the UMV fee, then this offense is considered a “crime of moral turpitude” and can cause serious repercussions such as barring you from security clearances or employment in certain occupations.

That is not the worst of it. Upon conviction under Code § 46.2-707, you could face having your driver’s license, license plates, and registration certificates suspended. You would also need to fork out $500 along with filing a proof of financial responsibility for 3 years with DMV at which time your car insurance company will really love to soak your wallet or may possibly drop you with a SR-22. Pretty amazing considering no crime was actually committed so it would be a good idea to fight a ticket for failing to provide proof of insurance under Code § 46.2-707.

If you have been charged with speeding, reckless driving, suspended license, drunk driving DUI / DWI, or other serious traffic offense in Prince William County, Virginia, contact the Parrish Law Firm for a free evaluation of your traffic case.

Sources:

• NBC 4 Washington, DC – Virginia Motorists Getting Wrongfully Ticketed: Report
  Drivers receiving tickets for something that isn’t against the law
• Pilot Online – Va. drivers wrongly charged under insurance law

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Planning ahead is the key to staying safe and avoiding a potentially life changing event by driving drunk. Check for alternate ways to get home like public transportation, call a taxi, or even have a designated driver on call to take you home. Make sure you have enough money on hand to cover your fare before you head out to drink.

If you are planning a party and will be serving alcohol, it would be a great idea to ensure any of your clearly intoxicated guests have a spare room to sleep it off or you have some way to get them home safe. Even consider collecting keys when your guests arrive so you can check their sobriety when they come to you for their keys to leave.

Here are a few taxi / cab companies servicing the Northern Virginia area:

• Red Top Cab of Arlington – (703) 522-3333
• Yellow Cab – Prince William County – (703) 491-2222 or (703) 369-2100
• Manassas Cab Company – 1-888-368-2323

If you have been charged with speeding, reckless driving or drunk driving DUI / DWI in Prince William County, Virginia, contact the Parrish Law Firm for a free evaluation of your traffic case. Click here for your free copy of our DUI / DWI Special Report Charged with DWI and don’t know what to do? for helpful tips on how to handle your DUI / DWI charge.

Sources:

• Virginia State Police – DON’T DRINK, DON’T DRIVE, BE A LIFESAVER THIS HOLIDAY SEASON – STAY SOBER BEHIND THE WHEEL
• NBC 4 Washington, DC – Police to Crack Down on Holiday Drunk Driving – Local police will be out in force looking for drunk drivers this holiday season

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The NTSB is supporting their position due to the nearly 3,000 lives lost in 2010 alone from distracted driving. Until firm laws are in place and actually enforced, this type of behavior leading to reckless driving will continue to take innocent lives on our roads.

This is becoming the new DUI. It’s becoming an epidemic. – Robert Sumwalt, National Transporation Safety Board member

It has been estimated that 13.5 million drivers are on their cell phones at the same time and are simply in denial about the danger they are placing themselves and others in by not paying full attention to their driving.

Although 35 states and the District of Columbia have banned texting while driving, not a single state has banned the use of cell phones by drivers completely.

Accidents happen in the blink of an eye. You never know what call, text or post could be your last if you’re doing it behind the wheel. – Deborah Hersman, NTSB Chairman

Have you been charged with speeding, reckless driving, or drunk driving DUI / DWI in Arlington, Virginia? Contact the Parrish Law Firm for a free evaluation of your traffic case. Click here for your free copy of our guide Faced with Reckless Driving and don’t know what to do? for helpful tips on how to handle your reckless driving charge.

Sources:

• ABC 7 – NTSB national cell phone ban would block texting, calling while driving
• CNN – NTSB recommends full ban on use of cell phones while driving
• USA Today – NTSB: All states should ban cellphone use while driving

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“Today I submitted my resignation to Secretary Ray LaHood and it has been accepted. Serving as FAA Administrator has been an absolute honor and the highlight of my professional career. But I am unwilling to let anything cast a shadow on the outstanding work done 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by my colleagues at the FAA.” – Randy Babbitt, former FAA chief

Babbitt apparently withheld his DUI arrest from FAA officials and on Monday was placed on leave. Babbitt’s boss Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood was not very happy that he had to find out about the drunk driving arrest from a press release by Fairfax City Police rather than from Babbitt.

If you have been charged with drunk driving DUI / DWI in Fairfax, Virginia, contact the Parrish Law Firm for a free evaluation of your traffic case. Click here for your free copy of our DUI / DWI Special Report Charged with DWI and don’t know what to do? for helpful tips on how to handle your DUI / DWI charge.

Sources:

• WJLA ABC 7 Washington, DC – Randy Babbitt resigns

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We found a story of a driver in Culpeper County that did exactly what you are not supposed to do at a traffic stop: give out your personal information including your Social Security Number and then lead the police on a crazy tour of Culpeper. The identity of the driver was not released but he apparently fled a traffic stop on Jamesons Mill Road in Culpeper County and remains at-large. Culpeper deputies chased the suspect on Muddy Run Lane, Jamesons Mill, Route 229 and Eggbornsville Road. A spike strip did not even slow down this guy and the police chase lasted about 10 minutes until the suspect crashed his Honda in a ditch. The driver then got the brilliant idea to flee on foot into the woods with Culpeper Sheriff deputies and K-9 units searching for hours without success. Know of a white male about 30-years-old missing his Honda? When the Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office catches up with him, they plan to charge the driver with driving on a suspended license and felony eluding police.

Star Exponent – Man runs into woods after giving police name, S.S. number

If you have been charged with speeding, reckless driving, drunk driving DUI / DWI, or driving on a suspended license in Culpeper, Virginia contact the Parrish Law Firm for a free evaluation of your traffic case. Click here for your free copy of our DUI / DWI Special Report Charged with DWI and don’t know what to do? for helpful tips on how to handle your DUI / DWI charge.

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