BREAKING: Joe Felz Charged with DUI, Hit and Run
Updated 4:55 PM:
The Orange County District Attorney’s office has issued a press release: FORMER FULLERTON CITY MANAGER CHARGED WITH DUI AND HIT AND RUN ON ELECTION NIGHT:
Case # 17NM03367
Date: March 3, 2017
FORMER FULLERTON CITY MANAGER CHARGED WITH DUI AND HIT AND RUN ON ELECTION NIGHT
FULLERTON, Calif. – The former city manager of Fullerton was charged today with driving under the influence and hit and run on election night. Joseph Burt Felz, 58, Fullerton, is charged with one misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of alcohol and one misdemeanor count of hit and run with property damage. If convicted, Felz faces a maximum sentence of one year in county jail. The defendant is scheduled to be arraigned on April 3, 2017, at 8:30 a.m. in Department N-8, North Justice Center, Fullerton.
On Nov. 8, 2016, Felz is accused of driving a vehicle under the influence in a residential area of Fullerton, driving over a curb and striking a tree. A witness to the incident called 911 and the Fullerton Police Department (FPD) responded and located Felz nearby. Felz is accused of unlawfully failing to stop his vehicle immediately.
FPD initially responded to the scene and then transferred the case to the OCDA for further investigation and legal review.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Cynthia Nichols of the Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting this case.
Updated 4:50 PM:
An anonymous source has sent in the following regarding the DA’s decision to charge Joe Felz with two misdemeanors.
Updated 4:45 PM:
View the criminal complaint – California v. Joe Felz
Original Post:
Former Fullerton City Manager Joe Felz is being charged with TWO Misdemeanors, DUI and Hit & Run, for his wild ride on 09 November 2016. After nearly 4 months of nothing and obfuscating from the Fullerton City Attorney as well as the Orange County District Attorney’s Office it looks like something is finally being sorted out.
We will update you as more information comes out.
So… a tree felled Felz?
More charges against city official for covering for him?
Totally winnable criminal case…because no evidence was collected at the time of the incident. The real crime here is the obstruction of justice between the Mayor, Chief Hughes and Sgt. Corbett.
How are they able to charge him now if there was never a breathalizer or blood test? How can they prove he was drunk without the evidence? It seems like they are setting themselves up to look good before having the case thrown out. I mean, there was definitely the hit and run, but how can they prove his guilt on the DUI with their earlier cover-up efforts?
Felz was charged with 23152 (a) Driving while impaired. 23152(b) is driving with a BAC greater than the legal limit or on drugs…we will never know what the BAC was or if drugs were in his system because Hughes, Corbett and the Mayor made sure no one would ever know.
The officers videos must be convincing of impairment…Let’s see them!
I want see see Fitzgerald’s phone records from that night.
No evidence, no case.
Yet IF there were evidence why did the cops let’ him go?
Plenty of evidence of obstruction of justice T-Rack just stepped on his own weenie. Again.
This is going to hurt Joey’s blossoming career as a lobbyist in Fullerton.
The evidence is video of Felz stumbling out of the car and slurring his words as captured on the cops’ video recorders.
And the DA doesn’t think to probe into the reason Wild Ride Joe is NOT suspected of DUI and a Breathalyzer is NO administered??
Too bad there is now an ongoing criminal case. NO evidence will be forthcoming for a year or two – if ever. You guys are getting played.
Felz was super fucked up by 1:33AM. Jeremy was buying Felz shots all night. And now we know why the Slidebar has no restrictions and no CUP.
No trips to Canada for Joey now.
Burt?!
Damn, that was going to be my reply.
That’s short for Haliburton. Joe Haliburton Felz. The heart and soul of the City according to my former mistress. Notice how she skipped out before the pooch got screwed?
“FPD initially responded to the scene and then transferred the case to the OCDA for further investigation and legal review.”
Well, let me rephrase that so it sounds more like, ya know, THE TRUTH:
FPD initially responded but were told by Police Chief Dan Hughes to drive Felz home and forget about it, thereby committing a felony – obstruction of justice that we are not going to prosecute because there REALLY IS EVIDENCE OF THAT, whereas charges against Felz are unprovable and will help everybody in authority stall for time, and so that Messrs. Felz and Hughes can get on with their well-pensioned lives without being annoyed by irrelevant stuff like justice.
This will never amount to anything.
But congrats to FFFF for getting rid of Felz. And congrats on ANOTHER scoop. You guys are badass!
It says his attorney is Bob Hickey. Why didn’t he get Shawn Nelson to defend him?
Nelson is busy trying to forget the perverts he defended so he can become a judge.
You can thank the Zone 1 officers for their excellent commentary captured on the notorious “DAR.” Now go after Hughes and Corbett!!! Put Corbett on admin leave so he has to explain this to his wife and girlfriend narc he got caught banging on duty.
So this basically confirms that it was a total whitewash by Hughes and whatever supervisor(s) were working that night. As someone else pointed out, the lack of the 23152(b) charge or any mention in the press release of a blood alcohol content confirms what I learned a couple weeks ago…..no PAS or formal breath test was conducted despite obvious impairment. No FSTs, either.
It was only the attention brought upon the situation by the resurrection of FFFF that this came to light and made enough people uncomfortable enough to try to cover their own asses by trying to recreate what should have been immediately done at the scene (i.e.: a thorough investigation and arrest). I’m no fan of the excessive shit calling and nitpicking that goes on here, but it serves a purpose, and there can’t be enough attention focused on all the supervisors and decision makers involved in this.
I hope that additional investigation will be undertaken and everyone involved in the whitewash gets charged with obstruction and any other appropriate charges.
You tarnish your badge, you tarnish it for all of us. Fuck you.
Yes. The DA has cooked up a case bound to fail. Fullerton. Why does that remind me of Kelly Thomas on a small scale.
I still believe there was no criminal intent regarding Kelly Thomas. Incompetence and unprofessionalism by some of the officers and possibly gross negligence, but certainly not murder. No need to rehash—read my old posts.
To me this is actually far worse. This clearly shows criminal intent and conspiracy (PC182). Conspiracy can be charged as a felony, but with the underlying crime likely a misdemeanor (PC148(a)(1)), it’s unlikely.
Nonetheless, careers need to end over this. Start at the top (Hughes), work your way down.
My point was that from the DA’s perspective the Kelly Thomas case was meant to fail.
I disagree that there was no criminal intent: Ramos and Wolfe deliberately baited and physically threatened Kelly. Why, if there was no intent to punish him or run him off? That’s what led to the killing. And why did Cicinelli bash in Kelly’s face with a Taser butt? Having a bad day?
But, as you say there is nothing to be gained by rehashing this anymore.
How would you like to apply for the Chief job?
Blind eye, brain dead leadership from the top down is the problem with the Fullerton Police Department and the City of Fullerton.
“We will have to wait and see what the legal system makes of it,” Fullerton City Councilwoman Jennifer Fitzgerald said Friday about Felz’s charges. “Joe Felz is a dear friend of mine and was a fantasic city manager. Regardless of what happened that night, regardless of what the legal system shows those facts will never change.”
What utter garbage from Fitzgerald. He mowed a tree over, tried to drive home, leaving the scene, was witnessed by the homeowner doing so and is beyond reproach from her?? WTF? This is above the law, city official corruption par excellence.
One more thing, I drove home from the gym last night, turning left up Lemon from Brea Blvd. Sadly, there were two cars in the left turn lane so I didn’t think I could rip up the hill in the Bimmer, but as I stopped, there was a Parks and Recreation Ford Escape in front of me. I followed it up the hill and by golly, it was hauling some ass. This was at about 10:20pm. Why the eff is a parks and rec city vehicle being driven at this time? Why was it being driven so fast? Not that I care about enjoying a car, but why do we, the taxpayer have to pay for non essential use of city vehicles? Why are they not treated as the city’s property and used gently? I drive my cars hard, but I am careful, lawful and pay to maintain them. The Fullerton government has grown accustomed to a sleepy populace I think. No mas.
I Am SoDoNoCha
This looks like a complete screw up from the start. Felz was not administered a breathalyzer, was taken home and now is charged with DUI? What evidence is there that would stand up in court? Fitzgerald’s comments about Felz being a great friend tell us all we need to know. A favor was called in somehow, something no other citizen of this city would be afforded. This appears like a repugnant mess, the very opposite of what Fitzgerald claims to stand for and is a complete embarrassment to the taxpayers of Fullerton. Unprofessional shitheads, that’s all I can say to this conduct.
I Am SoDoNoCha
There will be no trial for the DA to screw up. Felz will take a plea deal. Can’t have the whole story coming out in court.
Possibly, but if there is no evidence there isn’t much the DA can do.
Maybe Wild Ride Joe will take the Roland Chi “spit and acquit” deal.
The one thing Felz does NOT want coming out is the cop video of him staggering around.
Based on my training and experience, and back yard training at my godfathers house (DRE expert Chocek), The simple fact that Felz was charged with 23152a VC makes this an easy case. It also shows clearly that FPD Sgt Corbett did nothing to obtain evidence. Sub-section “a” only requires impairement while driving. A simple body cam video will show this. The misconception is you need to be over .08 to get a DUI….. For instance; let’s just say “Joe light weight” doesn’t drink and goes out and has a couple of shots. He will no doubt be impaired bcuz of his low tolerance, but won’t necessarily be over .08. So when the light weight drives home and crashes but is under .08 he still gets a DUI… Now, let’s look at the other side of the coin. Let’s say alcoholic, let’s call him “Barry C” drinks ever night after his shift at heroes and has a high tolerance. Barry C. Is driving fine but someone hits him. Barry C. Is over the limit , will get a DUI, even though “technically” he was driving without impairment and technically the other party was at fault.
Any questions? I’ll be available to respond for the next 15 minutes. I have internet access in the San Bernadino jail during visiting hours. Uncle Mike is here with his LT phone telling me how to beat the case!!! Lol
So what? Felz’s lawyer just says Joe hit his head on the steering wheel and was confused and stumbling around. That’s also why he drove off.
It would help Joe if he were a Hero but still, no jury is going to convict him.
Why would Corbett risk his career for a slug like Felz?
True, there’s many variables. Reality is he will get the case reduced to a wreck less driving and pay a fine. There’s no way Felz will
allow the DA to show body cam video of him
Showing obvious signs of intoxication or surveillance video from the bar(which I hear is good), or let them show text messages/call logs-which the DA no doubt obtained.
Lastly, this isn’t Corbetts first rodeo. It was the McKinley, Hughes regime and how they did things. For instance, that guy arrested in Pasadena?-Corbett was in charge of that detail also.
Also, why risk it? Goodrich, Cheblowski, Chocek, Corbett, Diaz, Crum=promotions, better details, more $….
Goodrich for crying out loud is a Lieutent. Goodrich wouldn’t be a good mall cop anywhere else but somehow is a LT at Fullerton.
@FFF post the Hughes new job info I sent you
“Goodrich wouldn’t be a good mall cop anywhere else but somehow is a LT at Fullerton.”
It’s very hard to imagine that slug being good at anything. He’s not even a good liar.
If Hill Billy was still a commander this would have never happened. He knew how to obstruct an investigation. Now he’s the Chief of police in a desert city. Just like devil he is.
That’s ok. Crum’s sister is still here. Nepotism out the ass at FPD.
…and the fools of Fullerton pay her ( ex-Captain Crum’s sister, Katheryn Hamel ) over $200,000.00 a year to be a mouthpiece for the police department.
http://transparentcalifornia.com/salaries/2015/fullerton/kathryn-e-hamel/
$200,000 a year is the norm at FPD
And a “mouthpiece” she definitely is.
FPD captain? FPD Sgt? Irvine Captain?
And who knows what other “mouthpiece” she was at her former Department she sued for 2million dollars… but hey, let’s hire her at FPD!! Woo hoo
Speaking of nepotism, isn’t Milo Yiannopolous the son of a former Captain. The same Captain who’s girlfriend worked at Heroes. The same Captain who was involved in a DUI crash on the freeway with his city owned vehicle. That went unreported from my sources. Yup, alive and well.
Chief Crum, you and your confederate flag tattoo are sorely missed at FPD. The way you taught at FJC police academy when you should of been the weeken watch commander, the way you would have DRE training on duty so you could double dip(paid by citizens to be watch commander and paid to be DRE instructor), not to mention your pursuit tactics… no one knows how to chase a car “balls to the wall” on a freeway only to crash into a vehicle disabled on the shoulder like you, and narrowly kill your self, not to mention the people smart enough to exit said vehicle you crashed in to…..Sorely missed, Sorrely Missed, all 5’4″ of you… National City got a winner!
10-7
The only one who misses Crum is Sgt Wren. Who’s going to save Wren the next time he placed on criminal probation? Maybe Siko since their nieghbors . Siko saved Wren when he killed the cities dog.
“Siko saved Wren when he killed the cities dog.”
Please explain.