NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — A Newport Beach judge denied a request to reduce fines for a nursing student who pleaded guilty to driving under the influence, ruling that a payment plan would make the financial penalty manageable despite her limited income.
In a pretrial hearing at the Harbor Justice Center, Judge Richard Pacheco denied the request for a reduction of fine assessments in the DUI case. The accused is currently a part-time employee funding herself through nursing school and said she cannot afford the high fine amount. Additionally, he provided the accused with only one week to deliver proof of her driver’s license, despite scheduling conflicts due to her school and work commitments.
In the hearing, the accused pleaded guilty to two charges of driving under the influence with representation by Deputy Public Defender Jessica Arbgast. She was released on her own recognizance with one year of informal probation, which included no new law violations and 40 hours of community service. Additionally, she was ordered to pay a fine of approximately $1,000…