The California Highway Patrol has reported that a 43-year-old man who is facing drunk driving and hit-and-run charges is a candidate for the supervisor position in Madera County District 4. Media reports reveal that the man’s campaign website has since been taken down but he remains on the ballot. The charges stem from an automobile accident in Madera Ranchos that took place during the early morning hours of Jan. 29. The man was released by the Madera County Department of Corrections after posting bail.
CHP officers were dispatched to the intersection of Loren Way and Avenue 12 at approximately 1:00 a.m. after being notified about a traffic accident by the Madera County Sheriff’s Office. They arrived to find a Dodge Ram pickup truck had crashed into a home. Officers determined that the truck had also struck a tree, a parked car and a row of mailboxes. A local resident is said to have told officers that the truck’s driver stumbled as he fled the scene on foot after imploring her to not call the police.
A brief search ensued that ended when officers found a man they suspected of being the truck’s driver a few blocks away. Officers say that they took the man into custody on drunk driving charges after detecting the odor of alcohol on his breath.
Panic can set in when individuals who have not been in trouble with the law find themselves facing the prospect of serious criminal charges, but it is not wise to attempt to elude law enforcement. Experienced criminal defense attorneys could point out that attempts to flee rarely end well and give police a reason to file additional charges. They can also make negotiating favorable terms during plea discussions more difficult.
Source: Your Central Valley, “Madera County Board of Supervisors candidate arrested for DUI, crashing into house”, Angelica Lei Lani, Jan. 29, 2020
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