Drunk Driving Catches up to Cardinals Player
Former St. Louis Cardinals utility player Scott Spiezio pleaded guilty April 7 to DUI and hit-and-run charges in Newport Beach, California.
The charges stem from a December single-car crash in Newport Beach, a tony Los Angeles suburb. According to the Associated Press, Spiezio crashed his car into a curb and a fence, then fled on foot to his condo complex, where he punched a neighbor. He was sentenced to three years of probation, 80 hours of community service, alcohol education and treatment, and $1,700 in restitution and fines.
The plea agreement caps off a difficult year for Spiezio, son of 1967 World Series-winning Cardinal Ed Spiezio. According to the AP, the younger Spiezio was released from his contract by the Cardinals in February, after a warrant was issued for his arrest in connection with the DUI accident. Despite having played on two World Series championship-winning teams, including the 2006 Cardinals, Spiezio agreed to a minor-league contract with the Atlanta Braves in March.
In August of 2007, Spiezio had to drop out of a game against the San Diego Padres because of symptoms possibly related to substance abuse, according to MLB.com. He rejoined his team after 36 days on the restricted list and participation in an outpatient rehab program, but his problems clearly didn't end. We wish him a full recovery and the best of luck with the Braves organization.
It doesn't matter if you're a Cardinal or an ordinary person -- driving drunk puts your life and the lives of the innocent people around you in danger. Spiezio's accident could have been much worse. The federal Department of Transportation reports that alcohol-impaired drivers were responsible for 36% of U.S. traffic fatalities in 2006 -- that's a rate of one death from drunk driving every 39 minutes.
As St. Louis auto accident lawyers, we at Page || Cagle have seen drunk-driving accidents that caused deaths, brain injuries, serious burns and other serious, irreversible disabilities. That's too high a price to pay for someone else's irresponsibility. If you or someone you love was seriously injured or killed by a drunk driver in Missouri or Illinois, contact Page || Cagle today for a free evaluation of your case.
The call and consultation are free. I can be reached 24 hours a day at 314.322.8515 or toll free at 1.800.500.INJURY (4658). Call me personally and I will answer all the questions and concerns you may have. There is no fee unless we recover for you.
If you don’t want to call or you can't call, you can email me at john@pagecagle.com. I look forward to speaking with you and helping you through these trying times. You can also visit my website, http://www.missouricaraccident.com/ for more information.
