Township Board Hears Concerns on Green Lake, Passes 'Super Drunk' Law

Here's a brief recap of the West Bloomfield meeting Monday night.

Green Lake Homeowners Association members will go back to the drawing board in hopes of convincing the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to provide more control over watercraft there. The West Bloomfield Township Board voted unanimously in September to request the state DNR assist in enforcing a regulated speed limit of 10 mph on the lake, but were turned down in December in part due to a lack of reported problems or hazardous conditions to that point. "They were being proactive rather than waiting for a safety issue to arise," Clerk Catherine Shaughnessy said at Monday's meeting in Town Hall, where the board reiterated its support for the request. The board unanimously agreed to make a new request, for a 15 mph limit, in hopes the …

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West Bloomfield May Target 'Super Drunk' Drivers

Gov. Snyder's action allows penalties to be leveled at the local level and towns to increase the consequences related to drunken driving convictions.

The West Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees will consider an amendment to law at next Monday's meeting aimed at first-time drunk driving offenders with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.17 or higher — twice the .08 legal limit. Previously, such cases could only be handled under state laws passed in 2010 which allow for a jail term of 180 days. In February, Gov. Rick Snyder signed bills which allow municipalities to levy local penalties against so-called "super drunk" drivers. Since West Bloomfield is prohibited under another state law from imposing penalties greater than 93 days jail and fines exceeding $500, "super drunk" charges had to be filed under state law, resulting in fines and costs being paid to the state or to Oakland County…

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Police Blotter

False Report Allegedly Filed After One-Car Crash

The following information was provided by the West Bloomfield Township Police Department. Where arrests or charges are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction.

West Bloomfield Township Police Department reports from April 2-8 included 56 alarms, 16 crashes and nine arrests. Among the highlights: An 18-year-old West Bloomfield resident who was involved in a one-car crash April 7 while drunk allegedly lied to police and said he was carjacked, according to Lt. Tim Diamond. Officers responded to the supposed carjacking report at the 6100 block of Upper Straits Boulevard around 7:30 that morning, as the man claimed that two men in hoods and sweatshirts had taken his black Audi brand vehicle without the use of force, Diamond said. Officers suspected the young man was intoxicated and eventually traced the story to a friend's house, from where he possibly drove away and hit a tree at a nearby residence. …

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Police Blotter

Police Blotter: Holiday Drunken Driving Arrests, Party Host Cited

The following information was provided by the West Bloomfield Township Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction.

West Bloomfield Township Police Department reports from Dec. 27-Jan. 2 included 69 alarms, 26 crashes and 21 arrests. Among the highlights: Additional officers targeting impaired drivers over the holiday season directly resulted in five arrests Dec. 23-Jan. 2, including three on Dec. 31, according to West Bloomfield Police Department Lt. Tim Diamond. "That's probably the norm for the holiday season," Diamond said of the Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. crackdown funded with federal traffic safety grants administered by the Office of Highway Safety Planning. Extra patrols were in place in 26 counties in Michigan, including Oakland County. "I think we don't have more (arrests) because it's advertised heavily. People are more …

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Traffic Safety Leader Defends Judge Small, Expresses Outrage Over Criticism

Head of Traffic Improvement Association commends judge for her tough stance on drunken drivers.

The executive director of the Traffic Improvement Association today said he was angered by recent criticism of 48th District Court Judge Kimberly Small for her tough stance on even first-time drunken driving offenders. "As a victim of two crashes that were caused by a drunk driver, I am outraged that Attorney (Robert) Larin and Professor (Kenneth) Mogill are questioning Judge Small for her actions to keep innocent people safe from drunk drivers on our roadways," said Jim Santilli in a news release on the TIA website. "I commend Judge Small for her leadership to improve safety for all motorists." Small heard arguments last week from Mogill, a professor at Wayne State University, as to why she should step down from a pending case involving …

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Judge Small Hears Arguments of Due Process Violations on Drunken Driving Cases

Judge who sent basketball star Jalen Rose to jail is known for being hard on first-time offenders, lawyer charges.

A local defense attorney on Thursday asked 48th District Court Judge Kimberly Small to recuse herself from a pending drunken driving case, alleging that she is legislating from the bench by establishing an almost-mandatory minimum jail sentence. The Detroit Free Press reports that Wayne State University law professor Kenneth Mogill said Small's record of "sending a message" to first-time drunken driving offenders by sentencing them to jail denies his client due process during a motion hearing. “Our position is that you have by your very statements, you have made clear that you have a policy of presumptive minimum sentences. And that is a denial of due process," Mogill said, according to the report. Michigan law has no minimum mandatory …

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Judge Small Asked to Step Down for 'Bias' Against Drunken Drivers

Judge who sent basketball star Jalen Rose to jail is known for being hard on first-time offenders, lawyer charges.

A local attorney is asking 48th District Court Judge Kimberly Small to recuse from an upcoming drunken driving case because she's too tough on first-time offenders. Small is known for her record of "sending a message" to first-time drunken driving offenders by sentencing them to jail. Bloomfield Hills attorney Robert Larin cited Small's "inherent bias" and a precedent from 40 years ago in asking she step down from a case scheduled for Thursday, The Detroit Free Press reports. “This is nothing more than an elected judge legislating from the bench,” California-based attorney Keith Davidson said after Small sentenced former U-M and NBA star Jalen Rose to 20 days jail last summer for rolling his vehicle with a passenger in the car. During the …

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Jalen Rose Due in Court for Sentencing Today

The former pro basketball player faces up to 93 days in jail and a $500 fine after pleading guilty to operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated in West Bloomfield on March 11.

BLOOMFIELD HILLS — Former U-M Fab Five star and NBA player Jalen Rose faces up to 93 days in jail for drunken driving when he is sentenced today. Judge Kimberly Small of the 48th District Court is scheduled to sentence Rose in the incident in which he crashed his sport utility vehicle on a snowy road in West Bloomfield earlier this year. Rose pleaded guilty May 25 to operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. The professional basketball analyst for ESPN faces up to 93 days in jail and a $500 fine. Rose told Small that on March 11 he had had six “large” martinis. Small pointed out that they were probably doubles, meaning the equivalent of 12 drinks. Rose said that after 3½ or four hours of drinking, he got behind the wheel to drive. He …

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