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CCN reporter arrested on DUI charge for .06 blood alcohol level

August 21, 2013
Josh Walsh

Josh Walsh

By JOSH FRIEDMAN and DANIEL BLACKBURN

CalCoastNews reporter and co-founder Karen Velie was taken into custody on Aug. 13 after a San Luis Obispo police officer arrested her on suspicion of driving under the influence. Officer Josh Walsh placed Velie under arrest after her blood alcohol test showed a .06. California’s drunk driving laws require an arrest if a driver has a .08 alcohol level.

The arrest comes during CalCoastNews investigations into activities at CAPSLO, the county’s nonprofit that serves homeless persons as well as wrongdoing over the handling of hazardous wastes.

Walsh said at the time of the arrest that he would have arrested her even if she had a blood alcohol level of as little as .01, Velie said. California law prohibits driving while intoxicated no matter what the blood alcohol level.

At the time of the arrest, Velie had just finished teaching a bridge class at a San Luis Obispo restaurant.

Twenty-four people attended the class, several of whom saw Velie minutes before the traffic stop. After the arrest, Velie spoke to the majority of the class members, all of whom said she was clearly not intoxicated.

“I only saw her have one glass of wine and she looked fine,” said San Luis Obispo attorney Stew Jenkins. “She did not appear to be under the influence at all.”

Medical doctor Gary Foresman agreed.

“I witnessed her. She was coherent,” Foresman said. “She was teaching bridge to myself and my wife and she was unequivocally not drunk when I left that night.”

Foresman left the restaurant shortly before Velie did.

Former San Luis Obispo police officer Mike Brennler said the arrest of Velie was out of the ordinary.

“In my 33-year law enforcement career, the standard procedure was to release someone who submitted to a breath test that demonstrated they were under the state limit,” Brennler said.

“Bookings in such misdemeanor cases were very rare.”

The arrest and its aftermath appeared to be directly connected to the news agency’s recent reporting on county homeless issues. It came following a months-long series of articles by CalCoastNews detailing activities of Dee Torres, CAPSLO homeless services director. Torres is the fiancé of County Supervisor Adam Hill.

Since the arrest, CalCoastNews opponents have used the alleged DUI as the focal point of a smear campaign targeting CalCoastNews and its advertisers.

Hill sent text messages to CalCoastNews advertisers Tuesday morning informing them of Velie’s arrest.

The text message and email campaign targeting advertisers followed directly in the wake of CalCoastNews reporting on a slander suit filed by Torres against Brennler, who is represented by Jenkins.

CalCoastNews reported on Aug. 19 that Brennler had challenged a sworn statement that Torres filed in her suit. Torres was not truthful in her statement, Brennler said. A hearing on a motion to dismiss the suit is scheduled for Thursday morning.

CalCoastNews also recently published text messages sent by Hill to a key witness in the case, in which the supervisor attempted to get the witness to change his story. That story, which appeared on Aug. 16 showed exchanges between Hill and Ralph Almirol, a former boyfriend of Torres. In the texts, Hill tried to get Almirol to withdraw his statement that he and Torres used gift cards that were intended for the homeless for themselves.


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She should consume the same amount of alcohol over the same period of time next Tuesday and challenge them to arrest her again. I think the bridge term is to “double”. In any case I guarantee Hill is behind this as payback for the cancelled meeting/coffee shop incident. The fact that he has the SLOPD in on this is disturbing. Better not say the wrong thing or risk a DUI arrest after sharing a pitcher at Woodstock’s with a couple of teammates after the game.


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What does it take to initiate a recall of a BOS member?


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I say get the BEST attorney in the county. Jeff Stein….a true RESPECTABLE man that has the balls and BRAINS to fight our crooked system in this county. When do we stop writing comments and start doing some recalling. If there is a fund to donate to Karen I will be the FIRST to donate. And be the FIRST to recall some of those asses on our county board of supervisors.


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Oh and SLO police……I feel much safer now. You JERKS.


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Here, here! Jeff Stein is the guy to go to. He’s a very good lawyer, fearless and specializes in DUI cases. Call him Karen, he’s a good guy.


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This case reminds me of the case in Santa Barbara where investigative reporter Peter Lance got arrested for DUI under dubious circumstances. Lance then went to town on the SBPD with a multi-part expose on their illegal practices and ended up getting his case dismissed and a grand jury investigation of the police department. (google “peter lance dui” for details)


Let’s hope Karen is able to do as much with this case.


P.S. When reporting on a DUI arrest, most news websites post the mug shot or other picture of the person who got arrested. Only CalCoastNews would post the pic of the arresting officer instead and hide the picture of the person who got arrested! LOL


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About the pic, LOL


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Oh wow bmax….what in the world does the “far right” have to do with this? This is political corruption at the highest level in our county. Maybe some people have to be put on the other side of iron bars if and when all of this corruption is dismantled.


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“Maybe some people have to be put on the other side of iron bars if and when all of this corruption is dismantled.”


Who ? When ? Why?


Your assertion that the “far right” is removed from these questions is suspect.

They have infiltrated and inserted their corrosive agenda in all sorts of public policy disputes, often with the intention of just charging up an unruly mob of disinformed know-nothings.


They’ll use whoever they want, and they do.


Too many victims here to name, but one can guess.


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By your definition, Adam Hill is far right.


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I think he defies categorization, except by perhaps the DSM-5.


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btw, my above comment was to scoopone.


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i’ll say it again. take a look at Costa Mesa, Orange County, and see how a council member was set up a couple of years ago. make sure you vote the right way or you have no opinion at all.


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There is no continuity of to how and when they throw you in jail for DUI. I have seen some just under the limit released and then some, like my Dad thirty years ago that had a .03 and was put in jail overnight. Go figure. Kind of like the rest of our laws for robbery and murder.


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I see a promotion.


And perhaps a “wet and reckless”


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Why should someone plead guilty to a wet and reckless when they made (what sounds like) an illegal lane change? The insurance companies treat a W&R just like a DUI and it’s a 3 or 4 point DMV ticket.


Seems to me that a person is either legally DUI or they aren’t. We have developed a system of testing that is intended to take the subjective opinion out of the mix. .08 BAC is considered impaired for an adult. The entire charge should be dismissed and I seriously doubt that a jury will find an adult guilty of DUI with a .06 BAC when the law clearly sets the limit at a .08.. This was an unlawful arrest and the public has a right to be protected from police harassment.


Now if there is medication involved, then that is another story but medication wasn’t a factor in this case, she said that she doesn’t take any medications at all on Congalton today. If that happened to me, I’d get an attorney and draw the line.


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Your logical flaw is outlined in the first sentence of your second paragraph; “Seems to me that a person is either legally DUI or they aren’t.” That’s not how the law works.


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Boy oh boy, I smell a set up, and it stinks to high heaven.

Sounds like mr. Hill is stalking our Karen, Me thinks Karen needs a camera to show how much she is stalked by these no good SOB’s. Keep up the good work Karen, only the important people matter. The rest can go to , well you know. ;) JMO


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Andrea Seastrand agrees with Velie and Congalton. It’s the collective voice of the far right.


Enough said.


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Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!


Idiot.


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Dave Congalton and Karen V. are very RIGHT WING??


Gosh, you must be sitting on Castro’s left to say that!


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Have you listened to either of them much? Especiaily lately? They cozy up to the likes of Debbie Arnold and COLAB on a regular basis.


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Seastrand ‘s opinions aren’t based on “right” or “left.”


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LOL !!! she is a cheerleader for GOP and anti choice,personally pickets the planned parenthoods! totally nice lady but puhleez jeeze she is to the right of right, for decades.


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