Florida DUI Defense Lawyers Whittel & Melton :: Ex-ESPN Analyst Matthew Barnaby Pleads Guilty to DWI

January 6, 2012

Former NHL player Matthew Barnaby plead guilty to four violations connected to a DWI arrest that got him fired from ESPN Tuesday evening in the town court in Clarence in suburban Buffalo.

The former hockey analyst apologized for driving while intoxicated, refusing a breath test, driving with unsafe tires and for failing to notify the Department of Motor Vehicles of an address change.

A judge sentenced Barnaby to 100 hours of community service, alcohol abuse counseling and fines and surcharges in the amount of $1,950.

Barnaby was arrested in the early morning hours of Dec. 5 near his Clarence home after Erie County sheriffs supposedly found him in the driver’s seat of a Porsche Cayenne that had front-end damage and was giving off sparks due to a missing front tire.

Barnaby apparently refused a breath test and failed field sobriety tests resulting in his license being revoked.

The missing front tire is believed to have been located near an Interstate exit ramp a short distance away from where Barnaby was arrested. A fifth charge of leaving the scene of an accident was dropped because no evidence was found to support Barnaby caused any injuries or additional damage.

The NHL veteran was fired by ESPN from his four-year career as a hockey analyst the day after his arrest.

Barnaby, 38, allegedly reached the plea agreement to avoid a potential one-year jail term for DWI.

In the state of Florida a DUI charge equates simply to drunk driving. The laws regarding drunk driving vary depending on the state and can even have different names including DWI – Driving While Impaired and OUI – Operating Under the Influence, just to name a few. No matter what it’s called, drunk driving charges can seriously impact your life by imposing heavy fines, loss of your driver’s license, jail time and public humiliation.

DUI laws in Florida, as well as most states, are based on blood alcohol content or concentration. It is considered a crime to operate a vehicle with a BAC of more than .08. It is important to note that you do not have to be over the legal limit to be charged with DUI. Florida DUI laws can be extremely complex, which is why it is so important to consult with a Florida DUI Defense Lawyer. Even if you were arrested for DUI or failed a field sobriety test, this does not always mean you are guilty. Prosecutors and police officers usually have added pressures from legislators to aggressively arrest and prosecute those believed to be guilty of driving drunk. With that said, not every DUI arrest is justified and an experienced DUI Lawyer can spot any evidence of reasonable doubt that can possibly mitigate the consequences of being convicted of DUI.

For help fighting your Florida DUI charge, contact the Florida DUI Defense Lawyers at the Law Offices of Whittel & Melton, LLC online or reach us statewide and toll-free at 1-866-608-5LAW (5529).