By Brandon Blanco
WOODLAND, CA – In two separate misdemeanor cases in Yolo County Superior Court this week, both accused people were ordered to serve time in county jail—one for numerous traffic violations and drug charges, and the other for false imprisonment and domestic violence.
In the first trial, the accused appeared in court being represented by Deputy Public Defender Eric Arias, facing 11 charges for driving with a suspended license, two charges for possession of narcotics, three charges for unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, one charge for possession of controlled substance, and one infraction for failing to stop at a flashing red signal.
The accused pleaded no contest to the charges of driving under a suspended license, while Deputy District Attorney Aaron Rojas successfully motioned to dismiss the remaining charges in light of the plea agreement. Judge Timothy L. Fall dismissed the other remaining charges, including the possession of narcotics and the possession of drug paraphernalia.
Also, the accused admitted in court to having a prior suspended driving license conviction and was sentenced to one-year probation and ordered to serve 30 days in Yolo County Jail, where he is expected to surrender on May 31.
“Your vehicle, you are not to drive unless you’re licensed and insured. When you do drive any vehicle it must be equipped with an ignition interlock device for the next two years. You are also subject to search and test for controlled substances and controlled substance paraphernalia,” said the judge to the defendant.
In addition to the sentence, the accused. was also fined $2,050 for penalty assessments, $40 operations, $30 conviction, $4 vehicle code assessment, $10 DMV recording fee.
In Judge Fall stated, “I want to be clear for you. You can’t drive unless you have a license and you are insured. If you are picked up on another suspended license charge even though it’s a misdemeanor, I will consider whether to have you held in jail without bail until that case is resolved. You can’t drive at all unless you have a valid license and you have valid insurance.”
In the other case scheduled for its morning session, the accused appeared in court alongside PD Arias, facing three misdemeanor charges, one charge of battery against a cohabiting spouse, one charge of false imprisonment, and possession of narcotics.
The accused pleaded no contest to false imprisonment, while the motion from DDA Rojas to dismiss other charges was granted by Judge Fall.
In accordance with the plea agreement, the accused was sentenced to two years of probation and must serve four days in Yolo County Jail, where his surrender date is May 1. He also is subject to eight hours of community service and needs to be evaluated for a batterers intervention program
The accused was also fined $820 in fine and penalty assessment, $40 operations $30 conviction assessment plus a $750 domestic violence.
Since there is a protective order for the victim, the judge stated, “So this allows peaceful contact with the protected people. If anything that is a type of contact that violates this protective order, it will also be taken as a violation of your probation conditions.”
