A woman was raped in northwest DC near Washington Circle early on the morning of October 7th near the Embassy of Spain, police have confirmed. Police have not identified a suspect in the sexual assault, but have released a description of the woman's attacker.

The woman was forced into an alley at a location on the 2300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue just prior to the assault. The alley in which the woman was assaulted provides access to a garage entrance to the Spanish Embassy, so several closed circuit security cameras were operating in the vicinity of the attack. Officer Istmania Bouilla told press that police were called to the scene just before 2 a.m., but did not say whether the incident or the suspect were caught on camera.

The rape occurred near George Washington University, but law enforcement officials did not disclose whether the rape victim is a student at the school. Officials at George Washington University sent out a campus alert later that day to warn students about the attack.

Police say the woman's attacker is a Hispanic male, weighing between 135 and 145 pounds and standing at around 5 feet, 9 inches tall. The suspect has short black hair and wore a black jacket and blue jeans. Authorities say the man was not acquainted with the victim prior to the attack. Anyone with information regarding the incident or about the suspect is urged to call police at 202-727-9099.

This article is presented by Price Benowitz, LLP, serving Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC. For more information, please visit our Maryland Criminal Attorney and Washington DC Criminal Lawyer websites.

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Charges against a Mitchellville woman accused of driving while intoxicated have been upgraded after one of the pedestrians she struck before crashing into the front of an Adams Morgan restaurant died of her injuries. Twenty-three-year-old Chamica Adams was originally charged with aggravated assault and driving while intoxicated, but an additional charge of involuntary manslaughter was added on September 20th.

The US Attorney's Office for the District amended charges against Adams after twenty-six-year-old Julia Bachleitner died September 14th due to injuries sustained in the collision. Court documents indicate that Adams was traveling south on 18th Street NW at approximately 8:30 p.m when the accident occurred. She was turning onto Florida Avenue when her 2007 Dodge Charger "mounted" the center island of the road, colliding with two women waiting at the median to cross. Adams' vehicle continued on, colliding with a small tree before crashing into Keren Restaurant at 1780 Florida Avenue NW. The restaurant was unoccupied at the time of the accident. Court papers indicate that Adams had a blood alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit at the time of her arrest.

At an initial hearing in the case, a DC Superior Court judge released Adams from jail, ordered that she attend a "high-intensity supervision program," and forbade her from consuming any alcohol. The judge also imposed a longer than standard curfew on the 23-year-old woman, from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. instead of the usual 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. curfew. Adams had no prior convictions for Washington DC DUI charges. It was not disclosed whether she had assigned or been retained a Washington DC DUI Attorney to face the upgraded charges against her.

A preliminary hearing in the case was originally scheduled for September 28th, and it is not yet known if that has changed along with the number of charges against Adams.

This article is presented by The Law Office of David Benowitz, serving Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC. For more information, please visit our Maryland DUI Lawyer and Virginia Criminal Defense Lawyers websites.

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Unless you are passionate, and sometimes compulsive, about criminal defense work, you can't be successful at it. I equate it to my feelings about fantasy football. I love football. I've been a Giants fan since I was three years old. I don't think I've missed watching a game since 1984, including when I was in Australia during their fabulous Super Bowl run in 2007. Loving football is about passion, and you must have passion to be a criminal defense attorney.

So how does loving fantasy football equate to criminal defense work? Fantasy football is about the love of the game, but it is also about being a bit compulsive. I say that as I sit screaming at my 52" screen for Austin Collie, who I started over Steve Smith, to please score the next touchdown in a meaningless Week 3 Colts/Broncos late game. Unless you're waking up at 3:00 am to write down the idea you had about your possession of marijuana case, unless you're idea of a fun Saturday night is to see clients at the jail, unless you bring new Court of Appeals opinions to read at the beach on vacation, you need more passion. Go Big Blue!

Thoughts by Washington DC Criminal Defense Lawyer and managing partner of Price Benowitz LLP, David Benowitz. Price Benowitz LLP has Virginia Criminal Lawyers, Maryland DUI Lawyers and DC DUI Lawyers to assist you.

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The fact that Lindsay Lohan recently returned to jail is absolutely no surprise. Unfortunately, like so many of our clients, she has a substance abuse problem that no amount of lawyering or advocacy on her behalf can cure. Her actions, like those of so many clients, are a cry for help. All her attorney, or any attorney, can do in such a situation is continue to fight. Sometimes what finally helps a client to conquer the demon that seems to rear its head at the most inopportune moments is the knowledge that someone cares, no matter what, and will continue to believe in you, no matter what.

Written by David Benowitz, a Washington DC Criminal Lawyer and managing partner of Price Benowitz LLP. Price Benowitz LLP represents clients charged with reckless driving, Maryland DUI or any other criminal charge in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia.

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