Glendale, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Glendale, MO

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

You deserve a talented defense attorney who has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Glendale and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, a savvy Glendale, MO DUI attorney near you may be able to get the charges dropped, reduce the charges to lesser offenses, fight the conviction in a trial or work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will use the law to your benefit and guide you through the entire legal process for your Glendale, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after being accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Glendale, MO?

Commonly referred to as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, the offense is actually referred to a DWI (driving while intoxicated) in Missouri civil and criminal law. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 define what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and lays forth the law Missouri courts must follow to sentence and punish DWI offenders, with the latter specific to driving with a BAC, or blood alcohol content, over the legal limit. After your Missouri DWI arrest, focus on finding a DUI attorney near Glendale, MO who will stand up on your behalf and help you navigate what can be an intimidating Missouri court process.

A person can be arrested for a DWI in Missouri for a variety of reasons. Under Missouri law, it is illegal to drive while intoxicated, and that covers more than just driving under the influence of alcohol. While DWI arrests are often drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly driving a vehicle while under the influence of another psychoactive drug.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while intoxicated by psychoactive substances that impair your consciousness or motor skills. That means that you are liable to arrest if a police officer believes 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 or a family member have been arrested for driving while intoxicated in Missouri, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Glendale-based DUI attorney near you. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Glendale, MO

It is critical that you know your rights lest you are pulled over for operating a vehicle while under the influence. Call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Glendale, MO DUI attorney near you and understand your rights and what steps to take if an officer ever stops you while you are operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you have already gone through a traffic stop and were arrested for intoxicated driving, our unstoppable Glendale, MO defense law firm will fight for your freedom and justice.

Learn the rules and procedure for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Glendale, MO

In order to pull someone over, a Glendale, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like drifting out of lane, going on a road going in the wrong direction and other erratic behaviors such as alternating extremes in speed, swerving or alternating between braking and accelerating.

A police officer must have reasonable suspicion that you were driving under the influence in order to stop you, and are required to satisfy the higher burden of probable cause before they can place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you feel that you were improperly stopped or arrested for your Glendale, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you at your earliest opportunity. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving intoxicated, a DUI attorney near Glendale, MO will fight to get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can move on with your life.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Glendale, MO

If a law officer stops you due to suspected drunk or drugged driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. When it comes to roadside tests used by Glendale, 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)

   In Glendale, MO stops for DUIs, they often turn to chemical tests to prove that the driver had ingested drugs or alcohol. There are a few different types of chemical tests using bodily samples from blood to breath to saliva to urine that check for the presence and concentration of various substances including alcohol.

   Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have in place an implied consent law, via which, as a Glendale, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically consent to participate in chemical sobriety tests just by operating a vehicle. A good DUI attorney near you will counsel you to know that you can refuse to submit to a breathalyzer or other chemical test, but you can face legal consequences for the act of refusing the test. Still, the police cannot physically force you to produce a sample.

   If you already did a breathalyzer test, speak to an experienced Glendale, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your DUI attorney near Glendale, MO, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to determine if the breathalyzer or other test was administered legally and whether it is or is not admissible in court.

2. Field Sobriety Tests

   Field tests during a DWI traffic stop are subjective tests that are meant to determine whether you are intoxicated by asking the driver to perform motor tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has spelled out three standardized field tests police officers subject drivers to in Glendale, 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

   As a Missouri driver, you have the right to refuse to perform a field test. If a police officer stops you and asks you to perform field sobriety tests, contact a DUI attorney near you in Glendale, MO as soon as possible. If you already completed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Glendale, MO DUI attorney will build an insurmountable 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 Glendale, MO

A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway as a way to randomly check drivers for behaviors like driving under the influence. Federal law allows the use of DUI checkpoints by police departments, but they must meet certain standards. Lawmakers in Missouri have discussed banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows police to use them.

Police departments in Glendale and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they did in the past, but it is still wise to familiarize yourself with your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. If you are not sure, 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 public 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
• clearly associated with law enforcement

Perhaps most importantly, there must be a logical reason for implementing the checkpoint related to public safety, such as an area where a higher-than-average rate of drunk driving-related accidents has occurred.

If you find yourself at a checkpoint in Glendale, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our determined Glendale, MO attorneys will tenaciously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to discuss your situation with a compassionate and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Glendale, MO through Combs Waterkotte. 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 charged with driving under the influence in Glendale or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Glendale, MO attorneys have expertise in a variety of other case types, including:

• Gun Crime Lawyer
• Child Abuse & Neglect Lawyer
• Homicide Lawyer
• Assault Lawyer
• Rape Defense Lawyer
• Sex Offense Lawyers
• DWI Attorney
• Crime Defense Lawyers
• Domestic Violence Defense Attorneys
• Child Pornography Defense Lawyer

Learn more about different kinds of DUI charges in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Glendale, MO can defend you.

• DWI/DUI Lawyer in St. Louis
• CDL DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
• DWI Accident Lawyer in St. Louis
• First Offense DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
• Marijuana DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
• Second Offense DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
• DWI with Drugs Lawyer in St. Louis
• Felony DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
• Hit and Run DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
• Other Criminal Defense Cases

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

Do yourself a favor and act now. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Glendale, MO, you need to hire a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust. Being arrested and convicted of a DWI or similar charge in Missouri is a serious matter that can carry significant consequences. Your future and freedom are on the line, and a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Glendale, MO can protect you. Contact our Glendale, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.