San Diego Officer Suspected Of Drunken Driving And Hit And Run

Another San Diego Police Officer, David Hall, is under investigation, according to 10news.com. This time for allegedly being involved in a hit-and-run crash while driving under the influence.

Hall is suspected of driving his GMC Yukon SUV into a Chevrolet Suburban on northbound Interstate 805 just north of Murray Ridge Road on February 22, 2011, at approximately 7:30 p.m. A CHP officer spotted Hall’s vehicle, which matched the description of the initial report, and followed him to his home. He took a breath test with a reported result of three times the legal limit.

The officer has not been arrested for drunken driving or hit and run; however, this matter is being investigated by the San Diego Police Department and the San Diego District Attorney’s Office.

An officer may arrest a person when the officer has probable cause to believe that the person to be arrested has committed a public offense in the officer’s presence, Penal Code Section 836. However, there are many exceptions to this “officer’s presence” requirement. Under California Vehicle Code Section 40300.5, a peace officer may arrest a person when the officer has reasonable cause to believe that person had been driving while under the influence and the person was involved in a traffic accident. It appears in this case that no one can identify Hall as the driver of the vehicle when the accident occurred, so this will be a tough case for the prosecution.

If you have been arrested and/or charged with drunk driving in San Diego, you need to hire an exclusively DUI defense firm that will aggressively defend your case. For a free, confidential consultation, contact The Law Offices of Susan L. Hartman today at 619-260-1122 or use the “Contact Us” form on this page.