Hit and Run

On Wednesday, May 25, 2016, a 76 year old driver was booked for felony hit-and-run and felony driving under the influence, after he allegedly hit a CHP officer as she stood in the road directing traffic. The driver then fled the scene. The CHP officer suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken by helicopter to the hospital.

Responding CHP officers observed the driver, based on license plate information they had received from a tow truck driver, and pulled him over. It was later determined that he was suspected of driving under the influence and he was arrested for DUI and hit and run. The driver was apprehended several miles north of the hit-and-run collision location.

California law enforcement officers encourage people to not to drive after drinking and say that if you chose to drink then arrange for a designated driver or a safe ride home. If a driver is arrested for a DUI a long and expensive process starts that can result in the automatic administrative suspension of the person’s driving privilege, probation, fines, possible jail time and mandatory attendance at a DUI school.

26 year old Clinton Mark Dahms of Sonoma was arrested on Monday after driving his van through front yards and hitting a house in a Novato neighborhood.

Novato Police Officers said that Mr. Dahms drove his 1994 Pontiac through multiple lawns hitting shrubs, a tree, a parked car and retaining wall before smashing into a home on Rowland Blvd. Mr. Dahms ran from his Pontiac Van after hitting the parked car an pushing it into the residence.

It took three Novato Police officers to arrest Mr. Dahms after he ran through another home. He apparently did not cooperate with the officers and was booked into the Marin County Jail on a charge of resisting arrest. He was also booked for DUI, hit and run, being under the influence of a controlled substance, battery on a police officer and trespassing.

The case will now be reviewed by the Marin County District Attorney’s Office for a formal charging determination. The charges for which Mr. Dahm’s was arrested are mix of misdemeanors and felonies and if convicted he could be placed on probation with county jail time or he could be sent to the California Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, prison. Being under the influence of a controlled substance in violation of Health and Safety Code section 11550(a) carries a minimum sentence of 90 days in jail. If convicted in this case Mr. Dahms may be required to attend a driving under the influence program, make restitution for the damages he caused, and attend drug treatment.
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Articles Posted in Hit and Run

Driver Hits CHP Officer and Flees – Arrested for DUI

Marin DUI lawyer – Man arrested for drunk driving in Novato after plowing into a house