April 13, 2011

• Steven Topazio wrote this April 27, 2014 at 11:57 am

The defendant, a local businessman, was arrested at a local towing company after he called the police for help when he complained that his car had been illegally towed and now the tow company wouldn’t let him drive off in it, hired Attorney Topazio to represent him. According to police, the defendant, who was visibly upset and who appeared to have been drinking, got within inches of the officer’s face, took a fighting stance and began screaming and yelling at the officer, insulting him. The towing attendant thereafter informed the police that the company viewed the defendant on surveillance video trying to break into one of the tow trucks. Attoreny Topazio argued that his client was only looking for his keys and couldn’t be convicted of disorderly conduct in a deserted tow lot where he couldn’t create a public inconvenience. Attorney Topazio attempted to obtain the surveillance video but when he was told that it had been destroyed, he convinced the district attorney to dismiss both charges on the condition that his client write a letter of apology to the police officer, and the court agreed.