Visalia, CA asked in DUI / DWI for California

Q: I am being charged with a DUI and the city sent me a bill to cover expenses incurred by the P.D Emergency response. $806

I am going to court for this and have NOT been found guilty. Ive asked, e-mailed, and even wrote a letter to the city to stop harassing me. They continue to send letters stating that they will begin collection proceedings if i dont start making payments. What can I do?

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4 Lawyer Answers
Mr. Richard Orville Middlebrook
PREMIUM
Answered

A: Not much. If an accident you caused while intoxicated caused an emergency response, by law, you are responsible for the costs. While you can dicker over priced, most of the time it’s not a winning proposition.

A: MORE INFO NEEDED.

HOWEVER, SOME CITIES HAVE BEEN DOING THAT RECENTLY..........

YOU PROBABLY WILL BE STUCK WITH THE BILL

A: If there was an accident, then there was a valid emergency response and you will ultimately have to pay the bill or they will take you to Small Claims Court. Courts have also held that if somebody called in to say that you were driving under the influence and the police agency responded to that, it is also an emergency response.

Some cities will try to send you an emergency response bill on any DUI and that may be worth fighting.

A: Until you're convicted you can fight the bill, the recovery of costs is only triggered when the accident is caused by a person driving under the influence.

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