Jim Righeimer is a Costa Mesa Councilman with a somewhat controversial political agenda, but according to the police, he is not a DUI offender. A driver called 911 on August 31st, alleging that Righeimer left a bar and stumbled into his car. He claimed that the politician then drive off, and was probably under the illegal influence of alcohol. When he was pulled over by Orange County police, Righeimer was declared sober. Now, he claims that a private investigator set up the 911 call in order to stifle his political agenda and give him a bad reputation.
]The private investigator who placed the 911 call is named Chris Lanzillo, and his does private work for a law firm that represents police unions in California. Lanzillo has denied that he made the 911 call for that purpose. Investigators showed up at the tavern where Righeimer allegedly left intoxicated, and interviewed employees to determine whether or not they had seen the man leave drunk that night. The D.A. also subpoenaed a security video from the tavern.
The Costa Mesa police say that the investigator with a white SUV followed Righeimer home the night he left the tavern. Images of both cars leaving the parking lot of Skosh Monohan’s can be seen in the security footage. The video shows a few frames of the councilman leaving, and there is no evidence that he was stumbling. As well, Righeimer claims that he only had Diet Coke at the bar, and didn’t consume any alcohol that night. He later produced a receipt which proved that his only beverages were two Diet Cokes at the restaurant.
Lanzillo is challenging the validity of Righeimer’s claims, saying that it was not a fair DUI check because the police did not issue a breathalyzer test. While Lanzillo works for a law firm that represents police unions throughout California, he claims that none of his cases had anything to do with the call he placed.
Righeimer recently blasted the police association’s former firm, which is part of what may have led to the incriminating call form Lanzillo. Allegedly, Righeimer said that Dammeier & McGill’s negotiating tactics are having a chilling effect on the elected officials throughout Southern California who want to reform the pay and pension packages for public safety workers. Righeimer announced that this particular law firm and its clients have harassed city officials in recent months.
Ironically, investigators were able to determine that the law firm Lanzillo worked for was Dammeier & McGill. The law firm denies that Lanzillo was working for them when the call was placed, and Lanzillo says that he was on a separate investigation at the time, He says that he only decided to follow Righeimer and call the police because he was concerned. He also claims that he was meeting a friend in the general area where Righeimer was driving. Dammeier & McGill reportedly represented the Costa Mesa Police Association in a case recently, but the police department claims that they have cut all ties with the law firm and were not being represented at the time of Righeimer’s DUI.
If you were reported for a DUI because of an incriminating phone call, then you may be able to take legal action. If your case is similar to Righeimer’s, maybe you weren’t even intoxicated, and the police promptly let you go. If you were drunk and were arrested, then you still may be able to use the incriminating phone call as defense. Talk to your DUI lawyer to discuss this issue and how to best defend you DUI case.