Sunday, July 22, 2012
New law treats cases continued without a finding as convictions.
The governor has signed a bill toughening the state's repeat drunken-driver statute, better known as "Melanie's Law." And it happened fast—Gov. Deval Patrick signed a bill closing a "loophole" in the law less than two months after the Supreme Judicial Court ruled that the statute did not apply to people who had their cases continued without a finding. Melanie's Law passed in 2005. It stiffened drunken-driving penalties by requiring an offender's license to be suspended for three years on a second offense. The law was named after 13-year-old Melanie Powell, who was killed by a repeat drunken driver as she crossed a street in Marshfield in 2003. The law, however, did not apply to those who admitted to sufficient facts of the crime but had …
Monday, February 28, 2011
"Can't you give me a break?" asked the suspect to police.
Police arrested and charged a West Roxbury man with driving under the influence after he allegedly crashed his vehicle onto a median of American Legion Highway. District E-13 Police arrested and charged John MacDougal, 54, of West Roxbury, with operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. About 1 p.m. officers found tire tracks that ran the length of about 50 yards on the median and stopped on the side of the Scrubadub carwash at 565 American Legion Highway, which some sources list as being in Roslindale but the police list as Jamaica Plain. The suspect's car had two flat tires and a damaged rim, and the suspect was standing by car, according to police. Officers immediately noticed the suspect was unsteady on his feet and had a wet…
42.286856
-71.108232
565 American Legion Hwy, Boston, MA
ScrubaDub Car Wash
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Saturday, February 26, 2011
Transit Police arrested a Route 39 bus driver at the Forest Hills T on Saturday.
An MBTA bus driver was arrested for drunken driving at the Forest Hills T station Saturday afternoon. The driver, who was operating a route 39 bus, was taken to Transit Police headquarters for probable cause, according to T spokesperson Joe Pesaturo. "He agreed to take a breathalyzer test...the results of which did not exceed the legal limit," Pesaturo wrote in an e-mail. The driver was released by police but will not be allowed to drive for the T while MBTA managers conduct their own investigation, Pesaturo wrote. Last month, an MBTA driver was fired for drinking on the job, according to Fox 25.
Brian Simoneau
12:01 pm on Monday, July 23, 2012
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that when the Legislature enacted G.L. c. 90 § 24 and amended it pursuant to Chapter 122 of the Acts of 2005, more commonly known as “Melanie’s Law,” it did not intend for cases resolved by admissions to sufficient facts, continuances without findings and, eventually, dismissals to trigger enhanced chemical test refusals penalties. This was based on … more ›