Arnold, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Arnold, MO

DUI attorney near me in Arnold, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Arnold, MO is a serious matter. Whatever the situation, when you are arrested for driving drunk or high, a you need the best legal representation available to protect your rights and your future.

You deserve quality legal representation from an attorney who has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Arnold and Missouri. Depending on the circumstances, a sharp DUI attorney near Arnold, MO may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, have the charges reduced to lesser offenses, lead your case to trial to fight the conviction or negotiate a lesser punishment through a plea bargain. Their principle responsibility is to use the law to your benefit and guide you through all legal proceedings for your Arnold, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation after being accused of driving under the influence, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Arnold, MO?

Though many people refer to it as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, Missouri law actually calls the offense a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 outline what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and defines 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 may need a DUI attorney near Arnold, MO who will stand up on your behalf and protect you from unfair treatment by Missouri courts.

A police officer may arrest someone for a DWI in Missouri for a number of reasons. Under Missouri law, it is illegal to drive while intoxicated, and that covers more than just driving under the influence of alcohol. Though DWI arrests are often accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly driving a vehicle while impaired by another intoxicating substance.

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 due to ingesting marijuana or even narcotics or pharmaceuticals like opiates.

If you were arrested for a DWI in Missouri, reach out to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Arnold-based DUI attorney near you. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Arnold, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are pulled over for driving under the influence. Speak to an experienced Arnold, 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 being pulled over and arrested for driving drunk or high, our outstanding Arnold, MO defense attorneys will shield you from injustice in court.

Become familiar with the rules and procedure for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Arnold, MO

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

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

If you believe that you were wrongly stopped or arrested for your Arnold, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving under the influence, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Arnold, MO who can fight to get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Arnold, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer due to suspected intoxicated driving, they will likely try to get you to do a test to prove that you are intoxicated. When it comes to roadside tests used by Arnold, 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 Arnold, MO stops for drunk driving or driving under the influence, they often turn to chemical tests to collect evidence that the driver was under the influence at the time of the stop. There are a few different types of chemical tests using bodily samples from blood to breath to saliva to urine that are meant to identify the presence of and/or measure the concentration of substances like alcohol.

   Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have what is known as an implied consent law, pursuant to which, as a Arnold, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests just by operating a vehicle. A smart DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to a breathalyzer, but refusal can carry a criminal charge in itself. Still, the police cannot physically force you to produce a sample.

   If you already did a breathalyzer test, consult an exemplary Arnold, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your DUI attorney near Arnold, MO, 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 should or should not be admissible in court.

2. Field Sobriety Tests

   Field tests during a DWI traffic stop are subjective tests that are meant to gauge 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 Arnold, 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 Arnold, MO immediately. If you have already agreed to and participated in a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Arnold, MO DUI attorney will design a 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 Arnold, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used as a way to systematically screen drivers for 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. Lawmakers in Missouri have debated banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows their use.

Police departments in Arnold and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they did in the past, but it is still wise to educate yourself on your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. If you are not sure, call a DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP.

The police must be able to justify the use and location for a sobriety checkpoint by showing that the decisions are closely related to public safety. A lawful DUI checkpoint is:

• advertised to the public in advance
• organized 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

In addition, there must be a legitimate 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 Arnold, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our skilled Arnold, 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.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Arnold, MO through Combs Waterkotte. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and defend you when you have been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Arnold or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Arnold, MO defense lawyers can help you with a number 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

Click below to learn more about the different DUI cases in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Arnold, MO can defend you.

• DWI/DUI Lawyer in St. Louis
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• Felony DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
• Hit and Run DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
• Other Criminal Defense Cases

Hire a DUI Attorney Near Me in Arnold, MO | Combs Waterkotte

Do not waste any time. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Arnold, MO, you need to hire a trustworthy DUI attorney near you. 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 Arnold, MO can protect you. Contact our Arnold, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.