Public figures are not exempt from arrest for DUI. In fact, in recent months, four well-known public figures have either been sentenced or arrested on charges involving DUI: Georgina Zogby, wife of Pennsylvania Budget Secretary Charles Zogby, X, NJ legislator and former TV reporter Paul Moriarty, former Detroit Lions cornerback Aaron Berry, and New York Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda. As a result of a DUI charge, lives can quickly crash and burn, destroying families and bright futures.
Two DUIs in One Year
The PA budget secretary’s wife, Georgina Zogby, has had two DUIs and several other drunk-driving related charges in the past year. It all started when her car was stopped on the side of the road in Monroe Township early on the morning of July 10, 2011.
A trooper pulled behind the 48-year-old Zogby and turned on his emergency lights. Zogby apparently drove away, even as the trooper continued to follow her with lights on. While she was not speeding, she did pass right through a stop sign and then waved the trooper on to pass her.
Refused Breathalyzer Test
Eventually, she was pulled over after other troopers sent up a roadblock. She refused a Breathalyzer test, which in Pennsylvania means an automatic loss of your driver’s license. In addition to being arrested for DUI, she he was charged with several traffic offenses and for fleeing and eluding police.
Some two months later, she was involved in another drunk driving episode in which she had an accident causing her car to flip over. She was again arrested for DUI and additionally charged with driving without a valid license, as her license had been suspended from the last DUI.
House Arrest With Electronic Monitor for Alcohol
Just about one year later, in July 2012, she was sentenced to house arrest for 90 days for her second drunk driving arrest. House arrest means she will need to wear an electronic monitor around her ankle that will inform law enforcement officials if she drinks alcohol.
Zogby received what may be considered by some as a low-impact sentence. She didn’t serve jail time. She did also go through alcohol addiction treatment. Did Zogby receive preferential treatment because of her husband’s position? In fact, anyone who has been accused of DUI may be eligible to receive a lesser sentence depending on the unique nature of the case, especially if it is a first-time DUI.
If you have been arrested on a drunken driving charge, it is important to defend your rights. Even if you believe you did drive while drunk, the arresting officers may have made a mistake that would lead to a case dismissal. It may be possible to plead guilty to a lesser charge or to obtain alternative sentencing, called Alternative Rehabilitative Diversion, in Pennsylvania.
Contact an Attorney Experienced in Defending Clients Against DUI Charges
To learn more about how attorneys experienced in defending against DUI charges can help, please contact the Harrisburg, PA, law firm of Laguna Krevsky Rosen, PLLC. Schedule a free case evaluation with Roger Laguna, Sanford Krevsky, or Lawrence Rosen by calling 717-233-5292 or emailing us.
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