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DUI Attorney Near Me Gentry County, MO

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Last Updated: September 27, 2024

DUI attorney near me in Gentry County, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Gentry County, MO is a serious matter. Regardless of the details of your situation, when you are facing a conviction for driving while intoxicated by drugs or alcohol, a you need the best legal representation available to fight on your behalf and protect your future.

You deserve a talented defense attorney who has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Gentry County and Missouri. Depending on the circumstances, a savvy DUI attorney near Gentry County, MO may be able to get the charges dropped, reduce the charges to lesser offenses, fight the conviction in a trial or negotiate a lesser punishment through a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will navigate the law and the entire legal process for your Gentry County, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation when you have been arrested of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

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What is a DUI in Gentry County, MO?

Though many people refer to it as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, the offense is actually referred to a DWI (driving while intoxicated) in Missouri courts. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 define the definition of the crime of driving under the influence and establishes the rules for sentencing and punishments for those convicted of a DWI for operating a vehicle with a BAC (blood alcohol content) over the legal limit or while otherwise intoxicated. After your Missouri DWI arrest, you deserve a DUI attorney near Gentry County, MO who will stand up on your behalf and protect you from unfair treatment by Missouri courts.

You could be arrested for a DWI in Missouri for a variety of reasons. The law prohibits driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. Though DWI arrests are often accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI on suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the influence of another intoxicating substance.

The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while intoxicated by psychoactive substances that impair your consciousness or motor skills. That means that a police officer can arrest you if they suspect that you are impaired, including being high as a result of marijuana or THC use or under the influence of narcotics or pharmaceuticals like opiates.

If you were arrested for driving while intoxicated in Missouri, speak to a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Gentry County-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is dedicated, experienced and skilled. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Gentry County, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are stopped for driving under the influence. Speak to an experienced Gentry County, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to understand your rights and what steps to take if you are ever stopped when driving in Missouri. And if you have already gone through a traffic stop and were arrested for intoxicated driving, our incredible Gentry County, MO defense lawyers will protect your rights and freedoms.

Find out about the rules and what to expect for regular traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Gentry County, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Gentry County, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be represented by behaviors like like drifting out of lane, going on a road going in the wrong direction and any other driving behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or braking.

A police officer is not permitted to conduct a traffic stop unless there is reasonable suspicion that you are committing the crime of driving while intoxicated meet the higher burden of probable cause before they can arrest you for a DWI.

If you suspect that you were unlawfully stopped for or accused of your Gentry County, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you at your earliest opportunity. If you were stopped by an officer without giving them reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving intoxicated, a DUI attorney near Gentry County, MO will fight to get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Gentry County, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer under suspicion of inhebriated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. When it comes to roadside tests used by Gentry County, MO police officers to determine intoxication, there are two primary types they may utilize: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.

  1. Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)

    When police officers stop drivers in Gentry County MO for driving while intoxicated, chemical tests are often used as evidence to prove that the driver had ingested drugs or alcohol. There are a few different types of chemical tests using blood, breath, saliva or urine that check for the presence and concentration of various substances including alcohol.

    Like most US states, Missouri has what is known as an implied consent law, pursuant to which, as a Gentry County, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically consent to participate in chemical sobriety tests simply by driving a vehicle. A smart DUI attorney near you will counsel you to know that you can refuse to submit to a chemical test like a breathalyzer, but refusal can carry a criminal charge in itself. Still, you cannot be physically forced to produce a sample.

    If you already did a breathalyzer test, consult an exemplary Gentry County, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your Gentry County, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to examine whether the breathalyzer or other test was performed lawfully and whether it is or is not admissible in court.

  2. Field Sobriety Tests

    Field tests are subjective tests sometimes used during a DWI stop that attempt to gauge whether you are intoxicated by asking the driver to perform motor tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has defined three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Gentry County, MO and throughout the United States.

    1. Walk and turn – walk heel to toe in a straight line for nine steps, turn around and repeat in the opposite direction
    2. One leg stand – lift one leg six inches above the ground and stand on the other leg for a period of time without losing balance
    3. Gaze tests – the officer holds an object and asks the driver to follow the object with their gaze as the officer moves the object

    It is your right in Missouri to refuse to perform a field test. If you are stopped and asked to perform field sobriety tests, contact a DUI attorney near you in Gentry County, MO as soon as you can. If you have already agreed to and performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Gentry County, MO will design an impenetrable defense to your case or may even be able to suppress the field test evidence if they do not meet the rules of evidence in Missouri court.

Traffic Checkpoints in Gentry County, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used to randomly check drivers for behaviors like driving under the influence. There are federal laws allowing but regulating the carriage of DUI checkpoints, but each state has its own rules and some prohibit the use of checkpoints. Missouri legislators have discussed banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Checkpoints in Gentry County and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but it is still wise to familiarize yourself with your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. When it doubt, speak to a DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP.

A lawful sobriety checkpoint is justified when the police can show it is closely related to roadway safety. DUI checkpoints should be:

  • announced to the public in advance
  • sanctioned or planned by supervising law enforcement officers
  • carried out in a way that is neutral to all drivers (i.e. randomly selected drivers)
  • limited in time
  • visibly associated with law enforcement

In addition, there must be a logical reason for implementing the checkpoint related to public safety, .

If you are going through a checkpoint in Gentry County, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our experienced Gentry County, MO attorneys will ferociously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to review your case with a compassionate and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Through Combs Waterkotte, you have access to some of the best criminal defense services in the Gentry County, MO area. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and provide you with an infallible defense when you have been accused of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Gentry County or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Gentry County, MO attorneys have expertise in a number of other kinds of cases, including:

Click below to learn more about different kinds of DUI charges in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Gentry County, MO can do to help you.

Work with a Top DUI Attorney Near Me in Gentry County, MO | Combs Waterkotte

Do not waste any time. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Gentry County, MO, find a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust. A Missouri DWI and similar charges are serious accusations that can carry significant consequences. When your freedom and future are at risk a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Gentry County, MO will protect you. Contact our Gentry County, MO defense law firm now to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.

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