Felony DUI

Crime Rates and Warm Weather: A Closer Look at Summer 2024 in Las Vegas

September 6, 2024 | Hofland & Tomsheck

Crime figures rise and fall for a number of reasons. One common connection between the level of reported crimes is the weather. Crime reports commonly fluctuate season to season and summer months, particularly in places like Las Vegas, see notable changes in the types and frequency of criminal offenses.

Crime rates in Las Vegas are up during the warm summer of 2024 in Las Vegas, which is reflective of general trends of rising crime during warmer months. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) has reported a notable uptick in violent crime, particularly in densely populated areas like the Strip corridor and Fabulous Fremont Street area downtown.

According to recent news reporting by Nevada Public Radio (KNPR), year-over-year crime in Las Vegas has also seen a 14% rise, and the city’s violent crime rate is now 40% higher than the national average. The connection between crime and temperature has been the subject of numerous studies. One well-known study that establishes the link between warmer weather and increased crime rates is the “Heat and Violence” study conducted by Craig A. Anderson and his colleagues, published in the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science (2001). This study examined the relationship between temperature and aggression, proposing that higher temperatures are linked to increased aggressive behavior, which in turn can lead to higher rates of violent crime.

Marijuana DUI Charges Can Have Serious Consequences

December 12, 2016 | Hofland & Tomsheck

In a previous entry on this Blog, I wrote about the passage of new Nevada State laws legalizing personal use marijuana and the possession of less than 1 oz. of marijuana – – – and further discussed the difference between “impairment” vs. “per se” DUI laws.

Nevada, unlike many states, has passed “per se” DUI laws setting acceptable levels of the presence of a drug in one’s system, over which the law presumes the driver is too impaired to drive safely. In many states a driver who is alleged to be under the influence of marijuana typically can’t be convicted of a “per se” DUI. In those states, drivers are usually charged with a theory of impairment – – – wherein the prosecutor has to point to documented evidence that the driver cannot perform driving related tasks safely. The law requires prosecutors in these jurisdictions to show that marijuana consumption had an effect on the driver and not simply prove up the presence of a specific amount of THC in the driver’s system. Nevada commonly charges the “impairment” theory as their first theory of criminal liability in a DUI case. In Las Vegas and throughout the State of Nevada, prosecutors have the burden of proving the person charged (the Defendant) is impaired “to a degree that rendered him incapable of safely driving or exercising actual physical control of a vehicle.” (NRS§ 484C.105 (2016)). In the States that ONLY charge the impairment theory of Marijuana DUI there has been no need to take action in changing their DUI laws following the recent trend towards the decriminalization of marijuana.

Nevada is the exception to this general rule however. Nevada is one of the small number of states that have legislation on the book utilizing the “per se” DUI theory to DUI of marijuana. In Nevada a driver can be convicted of DUI simply by driving with a minimum concentration of the active agent in marijuana (“THC”) or the breakdown metabolite of THC in their system as detected through a blood test.

When Driving Under the Influence Becomes a matter of Life and Liberty – – DUI Resulting in Substantial Bodily Harm or Death.

September 22, 2013 | Hofland & Tomsheck

Accidents involving motor vehicles are a very common occurrence in the Las Vegas Valley. Most of us have come to accept fender benders on our streets and highways as a way of life and rarely give them a second thought nowadays. When the accident is alleged to have been caused by someone under the influence of drugs or alcohol however, the consequences become much more severe for the person causing the accident.

A 21-year-old Los Angeles woman was severely injured recently and admitted to the hospital in critical condition after being part of a two vehicle accident, allegedly caused by a person driving under the influence of alcohol.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan police department reported that this accident occurred shortly after 1:00 in the morning on September 21, 2013 in the vicinity of Las Vegas Boulevard and Siren’s Cove Boulevard near the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino.

A full summary of the accident can be found here.

According to witnesses and the review of evidence located at the scene, a BMW was turning left from Siren’s Cove Boulevard to northbound Las Vegas Boulevard. The driver of the BMW, who appears to be from Las Vegas, lost control of his vehicle and struck as which was abiding by traffic laws at a light signal. All three individuals in the taxi cab were injured and taken to an area hospital. One passenger in the taxi suffered severe injuries which are considered to be life threatening.