The CEO of Horace Mann Educators Corp. has made headlines from Florida to the Springfield Journal-Register after late-breaking news that he is accused of driving drunk and hitting another driver head-on in a Memorial Day weekend car accident.
The 65-year-old executive has been placed on a leave of absence while he serves a 60-day jail sentence in Indian River County. The media reports he pleaded guilty last week to driving under the influence of alcohol and causing an accident involving personal injury or property damage. He is slated to be released from jail on Oct. 26.
Fort Lauderdale DUI defense attorneys are aware that job concerns are a factor in an increasing number of drunk driving cases. We are often called to work with clients to seek an outcome that will permit them to keep their job. Sometimes, this involves fighting the charge and avoiding a conviction. At other times, we may work with you and the state to arrange for alcohol treatment and other requirements to be fulfilled on the weekend or when they will not conflict with work.
In this case, no one was hospitalized. The executive refused a breathalyzer test and also declined to provide an account of the accident. A court-ordered blood sample was taken. Motorists have every right to refuse breathalyzer examinations or to decline to take field sobriety tests. In cases where accidents are involved, authorities may seek a court order to obtain a blood sample. However, if this process is not conducted properly, the evidence may not be admissible in court. The amount of time it takes to coordinate the blood sample may also be an issue: the longer a defendant goes without testing, the lower his blood-alcohol content will generally be upon testing.
The Treasure Coast Palm reported the sentence also includes one year probation, a license suspension and DUI school. The arrest made national news from the Wall Street Journal to the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday and it required a material event filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The stock was down slightly upon news of the arrest but is up about 40 percent on the year and trading at about $17.65 late in the week.
Fort Lauderdale DUI Attorney Carlos Canet is an aggressive and experienced drunk driving defense attorney, representing clients facing DUI charges in Fort Lauderdale, Miami and West Palm Beach. Call 866-7ASKDUI to discuss your rights.
