Laurel Canyon Criminal Defense Attorney

LAUREL CANYON CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY AND DUI LAWYER

Located on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City, the Law Offices of Nicholas Loncar provide passionate, aggressive and affordable criminal and DUI defense services to Laurel Canyon, Studio City, Hollywood Hills, Hollywood, and other locations throughout the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles.  Also nearby are Coldwater Canyon, Runyon Canyon, Cahuenga Pass and West Hollywood.

Laurel Canyon is both centrally located, and quaint.  Located in the prestigious Hollywood Hills region of Los Angeles, Laurel Canyon is much more than just a gateway between Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley (specifically, Studio City).  Home to extravagant homes, celebrities, and lots of nature and scenery, Laurel Canyon is unique and beautiful.  Historically, Laurel Canyon has been home to famous rock stars, and the party lifestyle that goes with that.  While not the same scene that existed in those hills in the 1960s and 1970s, locals and visitors still lead exciting, eventful lives in the heart of the Hollywood Hills.

Gangs and violent crimes that plague much of Los Angeles do not have a strong presence in this upscale neighborhood.  Nonetheless, arrests do happen.  This is where the help of a skilled criminal defense attorney comes in. DUI and DRUG CRIMES are most common.  Additionally, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE cases are aggressively prosecuted throughout LA county, and Laurel Canyon and the Hollywood Hills are no exception.  If the police are called due to a domestic disturbance, an arrest is likely, and serious criminal charges may follow.  THEFT CRIMES, SEX CRIMES, and other crimes are less common, but do occur.

If you have been arrested or charged with a crime in Laurel Canyon, Hollywood Hills, Hollywood, Studio City or anywhere in Los Angeles, contact the Law Offices of Nicholas Loncar for a free consultation.  Arrests, or criminal charges, do not have to lead to convictions.  You may have strong defenses, or the government may simply not have enough reliable evidence to convict.  After discussing your case one on one with an attorney, you will have a better understanding of what to expect in court, whether you can avoid jail, what defenses you have available to you and more.  LAPD patrols the area and criminal cases proceed to LA Superior Court.

EXAMPLE OF A LAUREL CANYON ARREST AND CRIMINAL CASE:
Geno, a Studio City resident, is driving home from a night out in West Hollywood.  He had consumed two alcoholic beverages that night, but did not feel impaired, and felt safe to drive.  While driving down the windy Laurel Canyon Boulevard through the hills, Geno's tire blows out, and he loses control of his vehicle, crashing into a median.  He is not injured, but there was a nail in his tire and some damage to the front of his car.

Geno attempts to call for help, but has no cell reception.  After some time of attempting to reach assistance, Geno decides to try to change the tire.  Just as Geno is finishing up, a police officer drives up and begins speaking with him about what happened.  Geno tells the officer that he got a flat tire, and replaced it.  Seeing the damage to the front of the vehicle, the officer begins to ask whether Geno had been drinking.  Geno states that he had two drinks prior to driving, but cannot confirm the time.  Geno is then asked to perform some field sobriety tests, which he refuses (as is his legal right).  Next, the officer asks Geno to blow into a preliminary alcohol screening ("PAS") device, a handheld breathalyzer used by police as a sobriety test at the scene.  Geno refuses this test, as is his right, pointing to the nail in his tire, and arguing that he has done nothing wrong.

The officer places Geno under arrest for DUI and takes him back to the police station.  At the station, Geno agrees to submit to a blood sample, and is transported to a nearby hospital for a blood draw.  Geno is released the next morning and hires a Los Angeles DUI Lawyer to help him with the situation.  The lawyer schedules a DMV Administrative Per Se Hearing within 10 days of the arrest to stop the automatic license suspension that would come out of his DUI arrest. 

The blood results come back at .10, above the legal limit, but not by much.  Geno's attorney is able to persuade the DMV hearing officer that the arrest was not a lawful arrest.  Without any evidence of bad driving (negated by the nail in the tire), without field sobriety tests, and without a PAS reading, the officer had very little evidence upon which to reach the probable cause necessary for arrest.  Geno's suspension is set aside by the DMV and he is able to get his license back.

Geno could still lose his license if convicted of DUI in court.  While the prosecution did offer Geno a "wet reckless" reduction in exchange for a guilty plea, Geno's lawyer also files a motion to suppress evidence on grounds that the arrest was unlawful.  Geno wins the motion, the evidence is suppressed and his DUI case is dismissed.  This is the best possible outcome in this case, as Geno ends up with no conviction, no license suspension, no points on his license, and no fines or probation to the court.

Being arrested or charged with a crime is frightening.  We can help.  You need a lawyer who can fight for you and assert your rights and defenses, and work tirelessly to get you the best outcome possible in your case. 

Nicholas M. Loncar, Esq.
Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney
12198 Ventura Blvd, Suite 207
Studio City, CA | 91604
t: 818-646-8788 | f: 818-646-8772
MOBILE: 323-803-4352
TOLL FREE: 888-200-9454
www.iDefendLosAngeles.com

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