Blog Post

California's Ambriz Act Cautions Drunk Driving Accident Offenders


July 02, 2008
Topic: Drunk Driving Accidents

In death, Orange Councilman Steve Ambriz will forever have his name linked to a groundbreaking bill that will no doubt be a turning point in the way we view and treat drunk driving accidents. The Ambriz Act has been signed by Governor Schwarzenegger, and has officially come into force in the state of California. What it does is require all drivers who go to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get a new license, or renew their old one, to sign a document that says that they are completely aware that they could be held liable for any implications arising out of driving while intoxicated.

Ambriz himself became a victim of a drunk driving accident in May 2006. The car in which he was traveling was hit by another vehicle, driven by Sara Lynn Ward. Ambriz suffered severe injuries, and died soon after the drunk driving accident. After the car accident, it was found that Sara was high on methamphetamines at the time. She received a ten-year sentence in prison.

Ambriz's close friend, Todd Spitzer, R-Orange, played a pivotal role in formulating the act, which requires people applying for a license to be made fully aware of the dangers of driving while drinking, and making sure that they accept full responsibility for any consequences of their behavior. Persons will have to sign a declaration saying they are aware that they could be charged with second-degree murder if they cause a drunken driving accident and any fatalities result. They will be charged with behaving maliciously, instead of merely recklessly, as was the case earlier. This new treatment of a drunken driving offence also comes with an enhanced prison sentence - offenders could be looking at up to 15 years in prison.

The second-degree murder charge should prove a significant deterrent to drunken driving accidents. Now, careless, foolish people who get behind the wheel high as a kite won't have the "first time offender" shield to hide behind when they kill someone as a result of their lunacy.

There are those who will moan the comparison of a fatality causing drunken driving accident to second-degree murder. Isn't murder premeditated, they will whine, and how will the threat of murder charges really help solve the problem. To that we have to say that there's nothing "accidental" about getting drunk and then, knowing fully well that you could cause serious injury or harm to others, go right ahead and drive yourself on the street anyway, putting dozens of lives in danger. You might not have planned to take someone out, but if you are fully aware of the repercussions of what you do, and do it anyway, then you are as guilty as someone who planned to kill. It sounds harsh, but arrogance of the kind that we see in drunk driving accidents calls for harsh measures.

We've seen few results from the kind of slap on the wrist we do when we are faced with yet another DUI induced carnage. Victims rarely get justice. Ambriz was barely 35, and had a bright future ahead of him when he died. Ward, on the other hand, who remained unrepentant and entered a not guilty plea in court, will be eligible for parole in four years time. That makes it a total of barely 5 years that this woman will serve. 5 years for taking a man's life. If anything, the Act was too long in coming. At least now, DUI offenders won't be able to face an open court, and brazenly and fearlessly enter a not guilty plea -a blood alcohol test should be all the guilt evidence you need.

Steve Ambriz would definitely have approved.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.


The California personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group represent victims of accidents, injuries and wrongful death throughout California from our offices in Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Ventura County, Fresno County, Kern County, Sacramento County, San Fernando Valley, Long Beach, Antelope Valley, Torrance, Glendale, Bakersfield, Santa Ana, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Ontario, and Victorville.