Phelps DUI

Published on: November 12, 2014

Michael Phelps’ DUI Trial Postponed Until December

Even if your Los Angeles DUI story wound up in the news because you did or said something ridiculous to the police or got involved in a serious or fatal accident, you probably will not get nearly as much media scrutiny for what you did as will mega-Olympian, Michael Phelps.

As we reported several weeks ago, police in Maryland arrested the 18 time Olympic champ on September 30th for speeding and steering over the double lanes on I-95 in Maryland. Police say that Phelps tallied a 0.14% on his BAC test. (For a point of reference, the legal limit here in Southern California is just 0.08% BAC.)

The 29-year-old already pled guilty to a DUI 10 years ago, in 2004; at the time, the court considered him a young offender and gave him just an 18 month probationary sentence.

Originally, Phelps’ trial for this latest DUI had been scheduled for November 19th, but per a request from his DUI defense lawyer, Phelps got the date pushed to December 19th. In early October, Phelps said that he would be attending a six week impatient program to “provide the help I need to better understand myself.”

After the 2012 Olympics, Phelps announced his retirement from swimming. But in April this year, he reentered serious training and competition with the hopes of returning to the Olympic platform again in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. However, the DUI has thrown a kink in these plans. U.S.A. Swimming punished Phelps almost immediately for his DUI by banning him for six months from competition and forbidding him from participating in the World Championships next summer, thus making his bid to return to the Olympics more challenging and uncertain.

The main takeaway from Phelps’ story is that DUI arrests can have profound ramifications for your career, your day-to-day life, and even your self esteem and relationships. The silver lining is that help is available. An effective, highly qualified Los Angeles DUI defense lawyer with the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers would be happy to provide a confidential and thorough consultation about your case and give you important insights into your strategic options. Call us now to set up a free consultation.

Published on: October 10, 2014

USA Swimming Brings Down Hammer on Michael Phelps for His DUI

by Michael Kraut

Many people – including celebrities, actors, sport stars and captains of industry — underestimate the damage that non-injury Los Angeles DUI arrests can do to their careers.

Even if you didn’t hurt anybody — and you likely won’t be charged with a felony per California Vehicle Code Section 23153 (the injury DUI section) — you may still have to face nominal jail time as well as other inconveniences, like probation, license suspension, community service, etcetera. But if you have enough resources, those punishments may not feel like much. After all, if you have millions of dollars, a thousand dollar fine won’t make much of a dent in your pocketbook. If you have a limo service, losing your license won’t be a game changed, necessarily, although it still could be quite inconvenient.

But DUIs can have repercussions that go far beyond the legal penalties. To wit, witness the stunning turn of events for Olympian Michael Phelps – the most gold-medal-decorated athlete in the Olympic history – who found himself under arrest for DUI in Baltimore two weeks ago, after police stopped him for driving 80+ miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone and weaving across lanes.

Phelps allegedly behaved in a gentlemanly fashion and cooperated with officers. He even took to Twitter and apologized to his fans around the world. But that was not good enough for USA Swimming, the official governing body of his sport, which suspended Phelps for six months from competing. That means that he won’t be able to represent the U.S. during the FINA World Championships next year.

The Huffington Post dramatically framed the situation: “It’s possible that USA Swimming didn’t just remove Michael Phelps from the 2015 World Championships. It’s possible USA Swimming just ended his career.”

Now, Phelps obviously has accrued tremendous wealth and prestige – and he had intimated previously that he wanted to retire from his sport. But USA Swimming dealt a very vigorous blow to its most well known athlete.

If a DUI could end Phelps’ career, what could it do to your?

To defend yourself from the scary consequences of a DUI charge, contact an experienced former prosecutor with the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers today to schedule a free consultation. Call a Los Angeles DUI defense lawyer immediately to protect and preserve your rights.

Published on: October 3, 2014

Most Decorated Olympian in History Gets a Second DUI: What’s Next for Michael Phelps?

by Michael Kraut

When ultra Olympian Michael Phelps got arrested in 2004 for DUI, he had not yet become an uber Olympic legend. When he got caught with a bong in 2009, he had already transformed the Olympics, but he had not yet become the most gold-decorated Olympian in history.

Today, however, Phelps has more gold medals than any one out of the 100 billion people who have ever walked the face of the Earth… and he also has not one but two DUIs under his belt.

According to Baltimore police, Phelps had been driving 84 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone on I-395 in his 2014 Land Rover. Police stopped him near the toll plaza of the Fort McHenry Tunnel at around 1:40 AM and charged him with driving under the influence. The swimmer allegedly behaved in a gentlemanly fashion and cooperated with the officer. He then almost immediately took to Twitter to apologize to his fans and to the world for what happened. He wrote a series of three tweets: “(1/3) Earlier this morning, I was arrested and charged with DUI, excessive speeding and crossing double lane lines. (2/3) I understand the severity of my actions and take full responsibility. (3/3) I know these words may not mean much right now but I am deeply sorry to everyone I have let down.”

The 29-year-old champion – who has 18 gold medals in his possession – may soon find himself struggling with corporate sponsors.

The New York Daily News quoted Dean Crutchfield, a brand consultant, about Phelps’ brushes with the law and what they might mean. Crutchfield said, “the difference between a rut and a grave is the depth – and Phelps is digging deep.” He also said “I hope Michael has saved a lot of money because… he is about to have his income curtailed and future sponsorships blocked.”

On the flip side, the Daily News quoted Darren Marshall, a top VP at a major Chicago sports marketing film, who said “Phelps won’t lose sponsors due to this.” Of course, while the financial implications of a DUI could be pretty severe for anyone – including a sports celebrity – the legal implications could be even more severe.

If you’re convicted multiple times for DUI in Los Angeles, you can face extra penalties, such as increased jail time, longer probation, steeper fines and fees, and the possibility that prosecutors may try to elevate what would ordinarily be a DUI misdemeanor to a felony charge (if you’ve had 3-plus DUIs within the last 10 years).

For help understanding what you can do to protect your rights and freedom after a DUI, contact an experienced Los Angeles DUI attorney here at the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers for a free and confidential consultation with a former high level Los Angeles city prosecutor.