Operating Under the Influence (OUI)
Commonwealth v. P.C. – Falmouth District Court
OUI-LIQUOR (subsequent offense): NOT GUILTY
A Bourne Police Officer conducting radar patrol on the highway detected the Defendant’s vehicle traveling at 86 mph and stopped his vehicle. The officer approached the Defendant on the driver’s side. The officer noticed that Defendant stared straight-forward when answering the officer’s questions. The Defendant admitted to consuming alcohol. When the officer asked whether the amount of alcohol he consumed would affect his ability to operate his vehicle the Defendant answered “sure.” When speaking to the Defendant outside the vehicle, the officer had to ask the Defendant repeatedly to remove his hands from his pockets. The officer noted that the Defendant was belligerent, argumentative and defiant when asked questions. The Defendant would sigh and curse. The Defendant passed the Alphabet Test. With regards to the Counting Test, the Defendant said, “You fucking do it.”
Result: After a bench trial in which Attorney Gerald J. Noonan vigorously cross-examined the officer, the judge found the Defendant Not Guilty. The Defendant was charged with second offense OUI and had a third OUI pending at the time of trial. Attorney Noonan saved his client from facing a third offense OUI.
Commonwealth v. E.G. – Hingham District Court
OUI-LIQUOR (second offense): NOT GUILTY
A civilian witness testified that she was driving on Route 3 South when she was almost struck by a large SUV driving erratically. She followed the SUV and observed that it was “all over the road” in that it almost struck the guardrail in the breakdown lane. A State Trooper observed the SUV driving erratically at a high speed and almost hit the guardrail. There was a passenger passed out in the front seat. The Trooper detected a strong odor of alcohol. The Defendant failed all three field sobriety tests. At the police station, Defendant was verbally assaultive and uncooperative.
Result: After a jury trial, Attorney Patrick J. Noonan got a Not Guilty, and client avoided a convicted for second offense OUI, which carries a possible 60 day jail sentence and three-year loss of license.
Commonwealth v. T.M. – Brockton District Court
OUI-LIQUOR (second offense) NOT GUILTY
An off-duty sheriff testified that he was returning home from work when he observed the Defendant’s vehicle abruptly cut him off, travel at a high rate of speed, cross over the center line four times, travel in the opposite lane, and almost strike the shoulder of the road. The sheriff observed the Defendant slam on his brakes at a stop sign and skid to a stop with his vehicle parallel to oncoming traffic. The sheriff conducted a motor vehicle stop and radioed police. Police observed a half-empty 12 pack of beer in his car. Police observed that his speech was very slurred, his eyes were glassy and bloodshot, and that he was unsteady on his feet. Defendant failed the nine-step walk and turn and the one-legged stand tests. A portable breath test gave a result of 0.19%. During booking, Defendant stated that he had stopped drinking for four years and all it takes is “a few too many.”
Result: After a jury trial, Attorney Patrick J. Noonan got a Not Guilty, and client avoided a convicted for second offense OUI, which carries a possible 60 day jail sentence and three-year loss of license.
Commonwealth v. D.H. – Brockton District Court
OUI-LIQUOR (second offense): NOT GUILTY
A gas station employee called 911 and reported that the Defendant pulled into the gas station and exited his vehicle and appeared to be very drunk and observed that the Defendant had fallen over. Police arrived and observed that the Defendant smelled strongly of alcohol, that his eyes were bloodshot and red, and that he was very unsteady on his feet. The police officer testified that he could not conduct any physical field sobriety tests because the Defendant was “highly intoxicated.” The police officer testified that he did not administer any physical field sobriety tests because he was concerned that the Defendant would fall and injure himself.
Result: After a jury trial, Attorney Patrick J. Noonan got a Not Guilty, and client avoided a convicted for second offense OUI, which carries a possible 60 day jail sentence and three-year loss of license.
Commonwealth v. M.K. – Dedham District Court
OUI-LIQUOR: NOT GUILTY
On July 8, 2013, Detective O’Connor of the Stoughton Police observed the Defendant’s vehicle traveling on Park Street / Route 27 in the town of Stoughton without any headlights on. Defendant committed a marked lanes violation and almost struck the police cruiser causing Detective O’Connor to swerve to the right in order to avoid a collision. Detective O’Connor pulled the Defendant over in a parking lot. When approached, Defendant looked at the Detective with a blank stare. She did not roll down her window. When she opened her door, the detective was “struck with an over powering odor of alcohol.” He observed that the Defendant’s eyes were bloodshot. Defendant’s speech was slurred. She could not locate her license or registration. Defendant admitted to consuming wine. Defendant had to use her vehicle and lean against the vehicle for balance. Defendant failed the one-legged stand and nine-step walk and turn. When arrested, Defendant gave a false last name. After a jury trial, Attorney Gerald J. Noonan obtained a not guilty verdict and the jury only deliberated for approximately 30 minutes. Attorney Noonan thoroughly discredited the arresting officer. In addition, Attorney Noonan showed that the Defendant’s poor performance on the field sobriety tests were due to the fact that she was wearing flip-flops, which impeded her performance. Attorney Noonan pointed out that the officer’s description of the Defendant’s vehicle, as contained in his police report, was totally wrong. Attorney Noonan presented testimony from witnesses showing that the Defendant consumed wine at her home, was not intoxicated, and left the home to pick up her niece at work in Stoughton when she was pulled over and arrested.
Result: Attorney Gerald J. Noonan gets a Not Guilty on OUI-Liquor charge.
Commonwealth v. N.B. – Brockton District Court
OUI DRUGS: DISMISSED w/ PREJUDICE
CONSPIRACY TO VIOLATE DRUG LAW: DISMISSED w/ PREJUDICE
FAILURE TO STOP FOR POLICE: DISMISSED w/ PREJUDICE
Client, 55 year-old, professional van driver, was arrested and charged with OUI (drugs) and other charges stemming from an incident on February 16, 2012. A State Trooper observed the Defendant’s vehicle speeding in Brockton and attempted to pull him over for Speeding. A total of three state police cruisers pursued the Defendant’s vehicle in an effort to effectuate a motor vehicle stop. Eventually, one police cruiser boxed Defendant’s vehicle in. The state trooper removed Defendant from the driver’s seat. The Trooper detected a strong odor of alcohol on the Defendant and observed that the Defendant had urinated in his pants. Defendant’s speech was slurred and his eyes were glassy and bloodshot. The Defendant admitted to consuming vodka or schnapps. Defendant stated that he ingested Xanax, Percocet, and Vicodin in combination with the vodka / schnapps. Police found syringes loaded with Heroin, burn spoons, glass pipes, and soaked cotton swabs in the vehicle. Defendant was administered and failed the HGN test, Hand Eye Coordination Test, Alphabet Test, One-Leg Stand, and Nine Step Walk and Turn. For 28 years, Defendant was employed as a professional van driver transporting elderly and disabled people. After his arrest, his employer laid him off and Defendant remained out of work during the pendency of his case. Defendant collected unemployment, went on assistance, and collected food stamps.
Result: Attorney Patrick J. Noonan dismissed all charges “with prejudice,” which means that the prosecution can never pursue the charges again, and the client is able to return to work.
Commonwealth v. A.F. – Somerville District Court
OPERATING UNDER THE INFLUENCE: NOT GUILTY
Client, 31-year-old teacher and high school basketball coach, was charged with Operating under the Influence and Operating to Endanger stemming from a three-car crash in which the Defendant lost control of his vehicle and struck two parked cars. Defendant admitted to consuming “mixed drinks” and failed all field sobriety tests. At trial, Attorney Patrick J. Noonan successfully moved for a required finding of not guilty after establishing that the Commonwealth failed to meet its burden of proving that the Defendant was the operator of the motor vehicle in question. Attorney Patrick J. Noonan stated that the evidence showed two possible operators of the vehicle. When the police arrived, Defendant was standing next to the passenger side of the vehicle. The other occupant was being assisted by ambulance. The Commonwealth failed to present any evidence as to the registered owner of the vehicle.
Result: Attorney Patrick J. Noonan’s Motion for Required Finding of Not Guilty is allowed and client is acquitted and avoids losing his job as a school teacher.
Commonwealth v. C.B. – Wrentham District Court
Dedham District Court
OUI (4th Offense): REDUCED TO MISDEMEANOR 2ND OFFENSE /
NO JAIL TIME
Client, 42-year-old photographer, was charged with Operating under the Influence (third offense) and Operating under the Influence (fourth offense). Defendant had two prior convictions for OUI in South Carolina and Georgia. Attorney Patrick J. Noonan was successful in attacking the validity of the prior out-of-state convictions thereby reducing both Massachusetts cases to misdemeanor second offenses. Both misdemeanor second offense cases were consolidated into one probationary sentence and the Defendant did not have to serve any jail time. Because the offenses were reduced to misdemeanors, Defendant was able to return home to California.
Result: Attorney Patrick J. Noonan reduces fourth offense OUI to second offense OUI, saving his client a minimum mandatory jail sentence of one-year.
Commonwealth v. R.R. – Dedham District Court
OPERATING UNDER THE INFLUENCE: DISMISSED upon MOTION
NEGLIGENT OPERATION: DISMISSED upon MOTION
Defendant was traveling on a secluded country road when he lost control of his pickup truck and crashed into a stone wall. Defendant admitted to drinking six Heineken beers at a bar and he failed all field sobriety tests. In pretrial proceedings, Attorney Noonan obtained a court-order for the prosecution to provide him with the booking video of his arrest and his color booking photo. The first time the case was scheduled for trial, Attorney Noonan moved to dismiss because the prosecution did not provide him with the booking video or booking photo. The judge continued the trial to give the prosecution another opportunity to provide defense counsel with the discovery. Attorney Noonan subpoenaed the officer responsible for maintaining the booking videos and booking photos to appear at trial. At the second trial date, the prosecution did not provide the discovery to the Defendant. In his Motion to Dismiss, Attorney Noonan argued that the criminal complaints must be dismissed because the Commonwealth lost or destroyed exculpatory evidence by willfully disobeying court orders and dodging the subpoena.
Result: Attorney Noonan’s Motion to Dismiss was allowed and all charges were dismissed outright by the judge.
Commonwealth v. J.H. – Brockton District Court
OPERATING UNDER THE INFLUENCE: DISMISSED PRIOR TO ARRAIGNMENT
Client, 24-year-old engineer with no criminal record, was charged with operating under the influence and negligent operation stemming from a rollover accident on Route 24 South in which the Defendant drove off the highway and crashed into unoccupied construction trucks and equipment, causing serious property damage. A State Trooper arrived on the scene and observed that the Defendant smelled like alcohol, had slurred speech, had glassy / bloodshot eyes, and was unsteady on his feet. At a Clerk’s Hearing, Attorney Patrick J. Noonan successfully dismissed the case, arguing that there was insufficient evidence that the Defendant was impaired by alcohol.
Result: Attorney Patrick J. Noonan gets OUI-Liquor charge dismissed against engineer with no criminal record.