By Alexander Ramirez
WOODLAND, CA – A much-delayed case from September 2021 involving misdemeanor driving under the influence and a drunk driving charge was once again in Yolo County Superior Court Department 1 under Judge David Reed after multiple postponements.
Apparently, the driver is a UC student and wants to make sure they don’t miss class, so the case has been continued.
After the incident occurred in September, a complaint was filed against the driver in December and they were ordered to appear in the same month, but when they failed to do so, a warrant was issued for their appearance.
* Note the Vanguard does not usually identify by name those charged with non-felonies. *
The warrant was held about a week after the inception date and the driver was arraigned but kept on NTA (Notice to Appear).
However, when they failed to appear once more for a plea in January of this year, another warrant was issued and quickly recalled on the same day.
Multiple letters were presented to the court, and multiple pleas were either vacated or continued between the driver’s own recognizance/no bail required release in January and appearance in court in April. But once again, the driver’s attorney, Nicole Denise Costen, requested a continuance for her client.
“Your Honor, while we’re resolving this, one of the main issues has been that the DA offer currently includes four days of a county jail and…so, we’d like to ask…if there is anything we can do about the jail time. He is a student and it’s very difficult for him to miss any classes, he currently attends UC Davis,” said Attorney Costen.
“Well, people can sign up for an alternative such as a work project and home arrest. There are legislatively mandatory minimum jail sentences on DUIs…so, what we would typically do is give him a jail sentence and give him a surrender date and give them an opportunity to sign up for an alternative.,” said the judge, who added, “he (also) can turn himself in and miss one or two days of school…”
The recalcitrant driver was again released on OR on the condition that they don’t drive unless legally licensed or insured.
The new court date is April 20 at 9 a.m. under Judge Reed once again.
