DUI
What Field Sobriety Tests May You Face on the Roads?
Over the years, police across the nation have worked to improve their detection of drivers in order to weed out those who are operating their vehicles under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. In order to establish grounds for breathalyzer tests and evidence for arrest, field sobriety tests are commonly administered to drivers who have been pulled over.
What are these tests? Each of these are meant to measure a subject’s physical abilities to see if he or she has been driving under the influence. However, other factors, such as disabilities, can cause wrongful arrests after a test.
Drunk Driving Crash Leads to Arrest, Injuries in Long Beach
A 27-year-old woman from Bellflower has been arrested for an alleged driving under the influence (DUI) incident that led to multiple injuries in Long Beach. As reported by The Long Beach Press-Telegram, the incident occurred around 7:15 am when the suspect’s vehicle crashed into three parked vehicles on Palo Verde Avenue.
The collision led to a man and a woman, who were sitting in one of the parked vehicles, to suffer non-life threatening injuries. The two were taken to a local hospital, but the alleged drunk driver did not suffer any injuries.
Suspect Arrested for Fatal Anaheim DUI Crash That Killed 3
Anaheim Police recently arrested a 40-year-old man from Buena Park after a car crash that resulted in the deaths of three women, all from the same family. According to The Long Beach Press-Telegram, the suspect was allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) when he struck the pedestrian, a mother, daughter, and cousin, on an Anaheim street.
During the course of the accident, the pedestrians received injuries that proved fatal while at local hospitals. The man and his female passenger also suffered injuries in the crash and had to be hospitalized. Now, the suspect has been arrested on suspicion of DUI and vehicular manslaughter.
How Can a Police Mistake Lead to Your DUI Charge?
Police are always on the lookout for possible drunk drivers on the roads. Whether it is while on patrol or through a driving under the influence (DUI) checkpoint, officials look for possible signs of intoxication. While officers have received training on how to spot a possible drunk driver and what steps must be completed to make a legal arrest, they can still make mistakes. Unfortunately, these mistakes can lead to the arrest of someone that violates his or her legal rights.
There are many law enforcement errors that may be made during the course of a DUI arrest. Knowing what they may be can help protect your rights and lead to a favorable court decision.
Gearing Up for Super Bowl XLVII? So is Law Enforcement
Super Bowl 47 is only weeks away and if you are a football fan, you are already getting prepared for that traditional Super Bowl party. If you are hosting a party, this means loading up on burgers, hot dogs, hot wings, and any other “Super Bowl food” you can think of in addition to making sure there are enough beer and other beverages to go around. If you are planning on attending a Super Bowl party, then you are looking forward to all of these things. But football fans aren’t the only people gearing up for February 3, law enforcement will be prepared also.
Super Bowl Sunday is a fun event, but the risk of drivers possibly hitting the road after a few beers is not one police are willing to take lightly. There will likely be increased DUI enforcement the whole weekend, but especially on Super Bowl Sunday. The trouble with increased DUI enforcement is that police are specifically looking for drunk drivers and this can lead to misinterpretations of signs or evidence and the arrest of innocent individuals. To avoid being on the radar of a DUI patrol, experienced California DUI defense lawyer Joseph Low urges everyone to follow the below safety tips:
Dallas Cowboys Defensive Tackle Charged with DWI
USA Today reports that Jay Ratliff, defensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys NFL team has been arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI) after he allegedly crashed his pick-up into a big rig and then a barricade in Texas. Neither he nor the big rig driver was injured in the collision.
According to police who responded to the scene, Ratliff failed a field sobriety test after the crash. But field sobriety tests, as any experienced DWI defense attorney knows, are less reliable than they are made out to be.
LA County “Avoid the 100” DUI Crackdown Campaign Leads to 621 Arrests So Far
A DUI checkpoint has the power to make any driver nervous, and for good reason. The Los Angeles County-wide DUI enforcement campaign “Avoid the 100” has been in effect since December 14, 2012 and will continue until January 1, 2013, but it has already led to a large number of arrests, according to the Baldwin Park Patch.
The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department reports that police have arrested 621 people on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs from December 14 through December 20 and this number may increase as the Department receives information from other agencies. During the same time period in 2011, there were 894 arrests.
Avoiding the “Gift” of a DUI Arrest this Holiday Season
December is one of the highest travel months of the year thanks to everyone heading to and from family get-togethers, Christmas parties, and other holiday events; and because it is one of the highest travel months, it is also one of the worst months to be pulled over by a police officer. This is not because you could get a speeding ticket, but because police are on high-alert for potential drunk drivers.
Law enforcement has a tough job, but in their efforts to take drunk or otherwise dangerous drivers off the road, they may see signs that are not actually there and make mistakes that can cost an innocent driver their driving privileges and months of their freedom. If you are going to be attending holiday parties or travelling this holiday season, taking the following precautions can help you avoid a California DUI arrest:
The Biggest Misconception after a DUI Arrest
There are always two sides to every story and, contrary to popular belief, the story told by a DUI arrest in Southern California is not necessarily true, regardless of what a blood alcohol test may reveal. Many people who are arrested for driving under the influence automatically believe that their best course of action is to plead guilty. After all, an illegal BAC percentage is infallible, right?
As an experienced DUI defense attorney, Joseph H. Low, founder of The Law Firm of Joseph H. Low IV, can disagree. There are many more complexities that are involved in a DUI arrest than people realize and there are a number of circumstances under which a person may be subjected to unjust prosecution and/or excessive penalties. For example:
Watch Out for DUI Checkpoints and Patrols during Thanksgiving Holiday
Thanksgiving is coming up and with it, one of the biggest travel weeks of the year. People will be driving to and from Thanksgiving celebrations and events all week which puts law enforcement on edge. Wine, beer, and other alcoholic beverages are common at holiday celebrations and police officers will be on the lookout for potential drunk drivers, but trying to catch drivers who are under the influence of alcohol can lead police to sometimes target people who are not impaired.
As an experienced Beverly Hills DUI defense attorney, Joseph H. Low IV is aware of the common mistakes law enforcement can make during a DUI arrest, as well as the effective defenses that may be used to dismiss or reduce charges, but it is always best to avoid the arrest to begin with.