Stephanie Labarga was stopped and eventually arrested because she was allegedly driving erratically on Okeechobee Boulevard a few miles from her home in for DUI. Labarga is the daughter of Jorge Labarga who was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court by Governor Charlie Crist in 2009. Judge Labarga had previously been a former Palm Beach Circuit Judge at the time of his appointment to the state's highest court.
Ironically, Stephanie Labarga had just completed a safe driving class related to a prior reckless driving conviction a little more than two weeks before the current incident. During the prior incident, Labarga crashed though the wall of a home owned by Vamir and Irma Santos. The Santos couple was awakened in the middle of the night by a loud crash. The couple is currently in the process of suing Labarga and her insurance company for the damages to their home, which amounted to more than $20,000.
The couple were not surprised when they heard about Labarga's DUI arrest. "It was at, like, at 5 a.m. She just drove into their living room through the wall. Who does that?" said the Santo's attorney. Labarga was fined $166 for the incident and ordered to take a safe driving class.
When Labarga was stopped for allegedly driving erratically, she reeked of booze according to the arrest report. Authorities also indicated that her blood alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit under Florida DUI law. "While DUI charges are always serious, Ms. Labarga faces an even more difficult situation because of her prior conviction and the recentness of the prior conviction," said John Musca who routinely handles DUI cases in the Miami area. Musca points out that a driver who has prior convictions potentially faces a more serious sentence for a DUI conviction. In such a situation, the need for a DUI attorney is even more compelling.
If you have been arrested and charged with a DUI in Miami, contact an experienced Miami DUI lawyer, for help with your case. The Miami DUI attorneys at Musca Law have over 100 years of combined experience. Musca Law's team of criminal defense attorneys represents their clients with the most aggressive representation available. Contact Miami DUI attorneys at Musca Law for a free comprehensive consultation today.
