Santa Barbara judge pleads innocent to DUI charges
Friday February 07, 2003SANTA MARIA, Calif. (AP) Superior Court Judge Diana Hall pleaded innocent Friday to drunken driving and other charges that authorities say were the result of a dispute with her girlfriend.
Hall, 52, was arrested Dec. 21 by Santa Barbara County Sheriff's deputies responding to a disturbance involving her girlfriend, Deidra Dykeman, at the couple's Santa Ynez home.
Deputies who pulled over Hall's car on Highway 246 said that while questioning her about the disturbance call they smelled alcohol on her breath. She was arrested after she failed a field sobriety test.
The judge pleaded innocent to two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence and having a blood-alcohol level above the state's legal limit of .08.
She also pleaded innocent to two felony counts of preventing a victim from reporting a crime and destruction of a telephone, and two misdemeanor counts of battery and showing a firearm.
Hall allegedly pulled a loaded .38 caliber handgun and threatened to shoot Dykeman's dog as the two argued.
The judge isn't currently hearing cases, but continues to train for a new assignment taking over civil cases.
(