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StumbleBail set at $100,000 for woman accused in fatal DUI crash
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 | 1:33 p.m.
Fatal crash
Paul Maidman was a decorated Air Force veteran. His sister says he wanted to be a congressman and was working toward finishing a second college degree.
But instead of celebrating another achievement in Maidman’s life, his family is mourning his death.
Maidman, 29, died in a crash Friday morning in the northwest valley after police say an impaired driver rear-ended his car at the intersection of Cheyenne Avenue and Soaring Gulls Drive, which is west of Buffalo Drive.
Miranda Dalton, 28, was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on drunken driving charges. She appeared in court Tuesday, where bail was set at $100,000.
She cried softly at several points throughout the short hearing. Maidman’s family sat in the gallery while Dalton’s attorney, James Gallo, and Chief Deputy District Attorney Bruce Nelson addressed the judge.
Gallo had requested a bail of $50,000, saying Dalton, a graduate of Cheyenne High School, has strong ties to the community, including a 3-year-old daughter, and doesn’t pose a flight risk.
In arguing for a higher bail, Nelson pointed to a 2001 conviction in Clark County for driving under the influence, which Dalton received when she was 20 years old. She also has a battery conviction for an altercation with a police officer, he said.
Justice of the Peace Deborah Lippis set bail at $100,000. If Dalton makes bail the judge ordered her to wear a SCRAM alcohol-monitoring device and surrender her driver’s license.
Authorities said a preliminary breath test conducted shortly after the wreck showed an alcohol level more than double the legal limit of .08.
Maidman’s family says the conditions imposed on Dalton aren’t strict enough. His sister, Dawn Fullerton-Buist, said her family has reached out to STOP DUI and other groups because they want to see more stringent penalties in Nevada for intoxicated drivers.
“She killed my brother from behind. He never even had a chance to see what was coming,” Fullerton-Buist said after the hearing. “She intentionally got into her car intoxicated. She intentionally killed my brother.”
Family friend Bill Baker said he didn’t want people to feel sorry for Dalton.
“She’s not the victim -- it can’t be said enough. The family has been destroyed, just ruined,” he said. “This was a person that deliberately drove drunk, and she killed someone, and it’s not OK.”
According to Dalton’s arrest report, she told the investigating officer she had been at Stoney’s bar, where she had consumed two alcoholic beverages. She later told the officer she “probably had four” Jack and Cokes, and had started drinking at 10 p.m. The wreck happened at about 3:18 a.m.
Dalton, the police report said, told police she was driving home from the bar to her home near the intersection of Gowan Road and Durango Drive. She said she had stopped drinking at midnight.
The officer said in his report that he smelled a strong odor of alcohol on her breath. She was swaying and her speech was slurred, the report said; she also failed several field sobriety tests.
When officers searched Dalton’s purse, they found three hydrocodone pills and one darvocet pill, none of which she had a prescription for, the report said.
Blood samples were taken after Dalton was brought to jail and complete toxicology results are pending, the report said.
Maidman’s gold 2003 Buick Century was struck from behind and was so mangled it was difficult to tell what it was, the report said.
Maidman died from his injuries at University Medical Center. His funeral will be Thursday in Suffern, N.Y., his family said.
A preliminary hearing in the case was set for Oct. 12.
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It is unfortunate that Nevada laws do not allow the bar to be prosecuted as well.
I hope they take her child away from her. She seems to have a substance abuse problem.
Why oh why oh why do the perpetrators in drunk driving homicides always seem to survive, and the innocent victims die??????
Her second DUI- Throw the book at her! She took someone's life. Her daughter deserves to be raised by someone that doesn't abuse alcohol and drugs.
Kuntakente, the article only discloses what the suspect admits to have been drinking. My suspicion is that, if she started drinking five hours earlier and failed more than one sobriety test, she was drinking more heavily.
Do state laws require that bars keep track of alcohol consumed by each patron? (In other words, does the bar have to take any accountability for how much alcohol someone consumes?)
This is another tragic accident where the driver was killed by someone who must have been standing on the gas pedal and hit him from behind.
Newcomer,
The legal term is "dram shop liability," which basically means that bars can be held legally liable if they knowingly kept serving an intoxicated person who then caused injury or death.
Only a handful of states do not have dram shop liability laws on the books. Not surprisingly, Nevada is one of those states.
lets see her mug shot.
On the bright side, probably the best thing to happen for the 3 year old.
My heartfelt sympathy for the Maidman family.
I agree with Kuntakente. I think the combination of alcohol and the pain killers most certainly caused her to be very intoxicated and to slur her speech so badly. Without a doubt, she will get at least 10 years in prison just like Anita Mann. Kevin Miranda shoudl get the same as well.
Being truthful about ones consumption of alcohol or other drugs is not characteristic of an alcoholic. Of course she is going to minimize her consumption. And of course depending on her body weight, being a woman, and mixing any amount of alcohol with vicodin or other prescription pills would make her a tragedy let alone behind a wheel of a car. The Maidman family will bear the scars of her impaired judgement for the rest of our lives.
It is sad. This girl gets loaded and kills a guy and 3 days later is out on bail. Sad to see that the judge didn't see the danger and signs of a drinking problem. Now my family and friends are at risk because she is back on our streets. The justice system seems messed up at times.
4Fairness,
Did you read the article?
"If Dalton makes bail, which Gallo said is unlikely"
She is NOT OUT ON BAIL and they don't expect that she will be.
Do you remember Jennifer who killed six kids on I15, She got a lot more time than 10 years and she was'nt as impaired as this woman,she fell asleep, I think that $ 100,000 bail is not enough and should be a mil,, this drunken woman had no idea (I would assume)where she was, what she was doing and did'nt give a damn about who what where or her daughter when she killed Mr. Maidman.. She deserves a lot more than a slap on the wrist....As a disabled vet...I salute you Mr. Maidman May you rest in pease
And now to add salt to the wound she's out of jail and with her loved ones even before Paul is burried. How is it fair she gets freedom for six months until her first hearing when shes a repeat offender and killed my family member
vegaslee,
"Did you read the article?
"If Dalton makes bail, which Gallo said is unlikely"
She is NOT OUT ON BAIL and they don't expect that she will be."
Did you check the Clark County Detention Center?
She's out.
She is out, and being one of the Maidman family at the wake tonite, withheld this information from my brother, Pauls Dad until after Pauls funeral tomorrow. We will be doing everything we can to ensure she gets the maximum charges thrown her way for vehicular manslaughter, aggravated DWI felony, and posession of controlled substances to name a few. RIP Paul, we love you and will honor your memory.
It's a shame.
It's a shame that Paul had to die. I didn't know him, but it appears he was an accomplished young man, with a good future ahead of him. He did not to deserve to die this way.
It's a shame Miranda's little daughter, is too young to understand why her Mother will not be around.
It's a shame, Miranda cared so little about her little daughter, that she engaged in activities, that had foreseeable consequences of separating them, during her formative years.
It's a shame, alcohol and drugs were more important to Miranda, than being with her child while she grows up.
It's a shame Miranda didn't learn anything from her first DUI.
It's a shame.
The only positive that could come out of this, is if they put Miranda away long enough, her daughter's life isn't influenced by her. The daughter should be at least 12 by the time she gets out, and her personality, for the most part, formed.
Not knowing the family that will be raising her, it's hard to say. But, I can't imagine it being worse that letting her be raised by someone that abused alcohol and drugs, battered a police officer and killed an innocent person.
To the Judge:
Your Honor, for her daughter's sake, please sentence Miranda to the maximum. The daughter deserves to be raised by responsible people.
To: granda7_8
I believe you're referring to Jessica, not Jennifer. Jessica Williams killed six kids on I-15, while they were cleaning up trash.
To CASAC101,
My condolences to you and your family, on your lose. I didn't know Paul, but it appears if he was a wonderful person. It is always hard to lose a loved one, but especially so under these circumstances. I can't imagine what you and the family are going through.
My thoughts and prayers are with you.
I wish you the best in your pursuit of justice.
Thank you VegasBear........the pain our family is sufferning is , ..well, there are no words...Paul was a good man, son, brother, uncle, cousin, and my nephew. A gentle soul, he touched the lives of all who knew him. I dread the funeral this morning. Alcohol kills, and destroys families. I have no sympathy for Miranda, she took my nephews life, because she wanted a good buzz, well, she did, and I know she will be mentally tormanted for the rest of her life., and yes, her daughter will also be forever affected. Thats it. People minimize alcohol due to its legality. This is another sad example of how the almighty dollar is more important than the impact on peoples lives...I could go on, but todays not the time....with much sadness, :(
If she was .08% alcohol at testing time,,,, and she had been drinking for 5 hours,,,,in which the liver absorbs .02% per hour on average... means she had at least 8 drinks, NOT just 4... unless she drank the 4 within the hour prior to being arrested.
Having possible drugs (hydro, darv, weed, whatever)in her system would not affect the alcohol reading..but would HIGHLY affect her ability to reason and operate a vehicle. I have dealt with this type of senario way too much over my career. And it's not going to go away anytime soon.
God Bless the Maidman family.
I knew Paul personally and i am still in shock over the whole thing and i cant even imagine what his family is feeling my heart goes out to you all Paul was a great person he could make almost anyone laugh or smile and he cared about all of his friends and most of all his family but it was all taken away due to Miranda getting behind the wheel. I feel no sympathy for this person she took away my friend she chose to get behind that wheel and drive, she chose to get drunk and take those pain killers no one made her do it she did it herself. People trying to defend Miranda would say she is a good mom well a good mother would not teach their child it is ok to drink and drive and getting drunk is more important then spending time with your kid. I hope the judge gives her the maximum sentence and i hope if she ever gets out her kid would feel nothing but disgust for her because she killed my friend.
RIP Paul and god bless the Maidman family.
"Only a handful of states do not have dram shop liability laws on the books. Not surprisingly, Nevada is one of those states."
Interesting. I didn't know this. And you know damn well the casinos are behind that.
legalize stoning on convicted DUI with homicide!
I have to say my heart goes out to the family of the Maidmans. Nothing could be as sad, as to lose a loved one over a freak accident like this one.
I think Miranda deserves what ever is coming her way as far as the court systems go. There is no excuse for driving impaired, & she should definitely know better with a prior DUI on record.
That being said, I don't think she deserves some of the personal attacks that she has gotten. The Maidmans friends &/or family have hacked into some of her online accounts & started to really bash her, her friends, & her family, & are really making a mess of things.
She's not an escort like they've posted on a popular web-site. Don't these guys have anything better to do? Your friend/family memeber just died & you're wasting your time posting jokes like that? You're not going to ruin her life any worse than she already did!
It's gotten completely out of control!
I understand retribution, I can understand their thirst for vengeance & revenge, but why attack everyone that's involved with her as well?
Paul's sister said he was going to become a congressman. After everything they've done (who ever these aquantences of Paul's are)on the computer after just a couple short days, I'm kind of relieved that they wont have access to the most powerful government on the Earth now.
Imagine what they could do if they had a congressman in their midst! That would be scary!!
Maybe they aren't as good of people as they'd like to portray huh? Just something to think about...
I'm seeing a lot of rocks being thrown here at Miranda. A lot of comments about her & her daughter & none of you know them.
Some of you seem like you think she did this on purpose! That's rediculous! It was an accident!!
I know her & her family. They are just like all the rest of us! They're not broken up, they aren't a bunch of crackheads. They are caring, honest, hardworking, Americans!!
Additionally, Miranda doesn't have a substance abuse problem like some of you are so freely insinuating. She has had some bumps in the road of life just like everyone else. She made a huge irrevocable mistake! Yes it was her decision to get behind the wheel & completely her fault! I'm not defending the decision at all. Just the person.
Her daughter is a beautiful little ray of sunshine who will probably suffer the most out of everyone involved with this case. I know some will say that's ignorant for me to say this because the Maidmans have suffered a huge loss, but he's gone! He doesn't have to live through any of this.
Miranda & her daughter have to live with this & deal with it now for the rest of their lives! I think that's much worse! (Just my opinion)
For those that care, "T" (her daughter) will be taken care of. She will not be a part of the foster care system. Her father is very much a part of her life & will now, more than likely, have full custody!
He's a great guy, with a good head on his shoulders, so she'll be fine.
Please consider the fact that this could've happened to your mother, or your sister. The Dalton's family is suffering as well. Mistakes in life are made all the time, that cost lives in return.
Miranda isn't a bad person. She wouldn't even hurt a fly on purpose. She made a decision, a bad one, but that doesn't make her a menace!
Its not just Las Vegas or Nevada...its a sign of our times...some people think they know it all and no one can tell them what to do and have no respect for authority or others. I was involved in a traffic accident in Las Vegas. The young female driver who had just left a club who was at fault,immediately tore into ME calling me every name in the book! Like it was my fault I was driving on HER road. I just sat back and laughed...her attitude changed quickly when Las Vegas Metro arrived. A accident is something that happens entirely by unexpected chance. A traffic crash is usually not a accident but something that occurs by a series of events and mistakes that cause the "crash" or "accident". People need to take more personal responsility over their actions and these "accidents' will be less likely to occur.
Clearview, I cannot hold my tongue now....anyone who drinks and drives never plans to "have an accident". This is not an accident, it is a total lack of responsibility. One drink is all it takes to start the impairment process...one drink is too many, and ten is not enough. PLEASE!! you mix alcohol and benzodiazepenes or opiates and get behind the wheel of a car? I dont care what kind of person you are, its russian roulette and the gun just went off. Everybody has 20-20 vision in hindsight "I made a bad decision". Not a menace??? Anyone who makes the decision to be that intoxicateed and drive certainly is a menace!! Perhaps if your family member was the victim, you might be feeling differently today. Fortunately in NY, our DWI Laws have become very harsh, and gladly so. Well, perhaps some of you Miranda cheerleeders should have attended my nephews funeral today.
CASAC101:
I have to say that I completely agree with you!
To call me a cheerleader shows that you are completely capable of making the same stupid mistake that she did.
Don't get me wrong! I absolutely DO NOT condone what she did & what millions of others do on a daily basis!
I have had more than a few friends & family members die because of someone elses bad decision on the road! I DO KNOW exactly how you all feel & honestly I really do send you all my prayers, best wishes & speedy contentment.
I wish they would change the laws here to be more stringent like your fine state of New York. There should be no tolerance in the law for stupid actions like these.
I'll bet my life you have driven while under the influence of something as well, at one time or another. I'll bet that 90% of the people reading & or commenting have as well. It's always the ones guilty of the same crime that will cast the first stone!
My point being that none of us are inocent.. But does that make us all menaces? I don't think so.. That's where we'll disagree.
I am not cheering her on! In fact I'm probably the most critical of her! Throw the book at her! Give her a life sentance!! She'll be forced to live with what she's done to your nephew for the rest of her life!
She absolutely needs to pay harshly for her actions, but her family doesn't need to be attacked, nor do their accounts need to be hacked into & messed with!
clearview,
Why, if you believe that things have gotten out of hand and should stop, are you changing forums and coming over here with the same cr@p. You are only going to start the same situation over here. I hope that people on this side can see through it. RIP PAUL...the kids and i will miss you
clearview..
What is it that makes you think we don't already have access to the most powerful form of governmet there is? Did you really just make a comment that there is an upside to Paul's death. That is disguting. I have never driven drunk or under the influence of anything EVER in my life so I can feel free to cast all the stones I want to. This discussion page and the people who support Paul's murderer make me sick so I will not return but just for the record enough of the stupid hacking accusations no one is hacking anything stop googling 10 year old articles and trying to form a defense or drum up sympathy for a killer. Stop attempting to slander the name of my dead brother, it is just disgusting. I can say that Paul's family does wish that she serve a maximum penalty and we have no sympathy for anyone other then her child. No one who claims to love her so much tried to get her help all these years not even when she had a child NOW she is a killer and her child should be raised by responsible people and not subjected to her influence.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10...
A blogger on another site posted:
"Miranda will only get 2-4 years??? How is that possible?? The man who hit my son, had he not taken his own life, was looking at 7 years, and my son lived. And I thought for sure they were going after a lighter sentence, because he was a firefighter. There is something wrong with this picture!!! Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.
To which I posted:
"Did the man take his life as a result hitting your son?
If so, you may have inadvertently stumbled on a solution to the conflicts in this blog.
1. It would show contrition by Miranda.
2. It would satisfy the concerns of her getting a light sentence.
3. It would prove she actually was a good person, who did what she could to make things right.
It would not bring Paul back, but it would be a large step toward closure for the victims, and certainly more justice than the court system would provide."
And I haven't even brought up how much safer the roads would be for us and our children, if she is never again on them.
Miranda is a good woman and it breaks my heart that both families have to carry the burden of what happened. It is easy to understand how hard it is for those that mourn the loss of the fatality but also challenge your selves to consider for a moment what it might be like to know you took a life. What it might be like to endure the guilt and the relentless harassment of the friends and family of the deceased, to have to leave your child whom you love and to know that you will be used as a cautionary tale in their life. It was a horrible situation for everyone and nobody is left uneffected. Miranda made a very bad decision, one that many of you have likely made your selves a time or two before rather than torturing her for the wrongs of the world look to yourselves and ask what can you do to make the difference. Judge not lest you all be judged, and bless both families for their tragedy.
MerryMary, yes on the one hand you are right, both families are scarred forever. HOWEVER, this woman appears to have a substantial history of substance abuse that she never addressed. Addiction crosses all disciplines, but needs to be addressed, and when it isnt, there are consequences, many consequences. She caused the death of an innocent man, and has devastated our family. She will enter prison, and possibly may be forced to look at herself and the life she leads. Paul will never come back to us. I DONT drink and drive, and many people DO NOT. Let alone mix alcohol and drugs. And, if she is such a great mother, why was she so bombed at 3 am in the morning? What kind of mother is that?? There is no excuse, and as far as we are concerned, it is murder. Perhaps if it were your son or brother that was in that car, you might feel differently. Perhaps after her first DWI she should have reevaluated her life and her addiction before she committed murder. There are always choices, and there are consequences for bad choices as you put it. And, she shows no remorse. She should feel the pain for the rest of her life, because we will.
@MerryMary
Seriously she should have thought of that and her child BEFORE she drove to a bar with the intention of drinking and driving home. Why is it now that we should consider her or anything that she brought upon herself. She was out Thursay night laughing and seemed not to have a care in the world. has she apoligized?....Not that I would accept her apology. Granted most of us care when we do wrong and are humble and feel bad. Going right back out is not the act of someone who feels remorse for her action. Why dont you imagine this....
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0Afl_6Q...
Then tell us again how good of a person is and how sorry I should feel for her. FOR THE RECORD NO ONE has harrassed her from our family and friends SHE AND HER "FRIENDS" have harrassed us relentlessly. My brothers memorial at the sire was trashed..yeah there is a sign of "good people"...NOT
Oh I forgot. I have never ever in my life Drank and Drove. EVER. I am alot older then Miranda and have yet to make such a "poor decision" let alone twice IMAGINE HOW MY MOTHER FELT WATCHING THEM LOWER HER BABY INTO THE GROUND. Mirandas child will be ok yes she has to suffer because of her mother but she will rebound and with the proper support system be fine. Miranda should live with the pain and guilt of what she did FOREVER
Miranda Dalton, DUI suspect who killed veteran Paul Maidman, was rearrested yesterday for going to bars and tampering with her alcohol monitoring device merely 2 weeks after she was arrested in the DUI death. She was partying in a DISGUISE which is the most blatant showing of zero remorse for taking a life drunk. -TEAM PAUL
I notice there was no follow up in this paper, too bad... what goes around hopefully will come around...... No remorse over killing a man...Happy Mothers Day Miranda!