A Bakersfield lawyer who specializes in drunken driving cases was arrested in San Rafael on suspicion of DUI, police said.
Mark Joseph Madrigali, 53, was booked into Marin County Jail on Friday night after an incident on northbound Highway 101 near the Marin Civic Center.
Madrigali was stopped by a U.S. Park Police officer who saw the lawyer's silver 2008 Lexus go out of control, said Officer Kevin Kershaw of the California Highway Patrol.
"He basically entered the freeway, lost control, spun out and accelerated away," Kershaw said. "He almost got in a crash, essentially."
Madrigali was "very cooperative" and told police he was on his way to the Embassy Suites after visiting family in Larkspur, according to Kershaw. He said he'd had one or two beers earlier with dinner.
Police found a small amount of suspected marijuana in the car and an open bottle of vodka in the trunk, Kershaw said. The vodka was not a violation of the open-container law because it was out of immediate reach.
Madrigali was released from jail pending an initial court appearance on Jan. 15. He declined to comment when reached by telephone Monday.
Madrigali's Web site offers an aggressive defense against DUI cases, traffic tickets, drug violations and other criminal matters.
"To challenge the presumption (of legal intoxication) you need a lawyer who is knowledgeable about the technical areas of chemical testing," the site says. "Don't let one drink too many ruin your life."