A Camarillo man will remain in prison for the DUI death of a Ventura County Sheriff’s deputy in 2014. A three-judge panel ruled that media about the case did not taint the jury pool. They also ruled that the man’s attorney did not commit an error by not filing to move the trial.

Kevin Hogrefe argued that his Attorney should have sought a change of venue following the crash. Hogrefe argued that a memorial to the trooper unfairly prejudiced the jury pool.

Hogrefe struck and killed the deputy while driving drunk on Highway 101 in 2014. Shortly after striking the deputy, Hogrefe crashed his car. Hogrefe also argued that the judge erred by allowing the prosecutor to use his prior DUI convictions. Hogrefe claimed that they should be suppressed because he was a minor at the time.

A jury convicted Hogrefe of second-degree murder in 2016. A judge sentenced the man to 15-years to life in prison. Currently, he is incarcerated at Avenal State Prison in Avenal.

Ventura DUI attorney

This case illustrates one of the worst possible outcomes for a drunk driving case – second-degree murder charges. When you face charges for impaired driving, hire an experienced DUI attorney like Robert Helfend. Mr. Helfend has more than 30 years of experience in DUI defense. He takes cases in Ventura County and throughout Southern California.

Most drunk driving cases in California result in misdemeanor charges. For those cases that involve serious injury or death, the prosecutor will seek felony charges. A drunk driving death can result in second-degree murder charges depending on the circumstances.

When you face these charges, your best defense is to hire an experienced attorney. Mr. Helfend will work hard on your case to get the charges against you reduced or dropped. This can have a significant impact on sentencing, if your case goes to trial.

Don’t rely on an inexperienced attorney, and don’t assume that you have no options besides a guilty plea. Contact Robert Helfend or call toll-free at (800) 834-6434, (805) 273-5611, (310) 456-3317 or (818) 591-2809 for an immediate consultation on your Ventura DUI case.

Photo Credit: James Palinsad, via Flickr.com

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