Bonne Terre, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Bonne Terre, MO

DUI attorney near me in Bonne Terre, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Bonne Terre, 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 Bonne Terre and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, a sharp Bonne Terre, MO DUI attorney near you may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, reduce the charges to lesser offenses, fight the conviction in a trial or work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Their principle responsibility is to use the law to your benefit and guide you through the entire legal process for your Bonne Terre, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after being arrested of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Bonne Terre, MO?

Though many people refer to it as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, Missouri courts actually call the offense a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 lay forth what constitutes the crime of driving while intoxicated and lays forth the rules for sentencing and punishments for DWI offenders 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 Bonne Terre, MO to fight for your freedom and help you navigate what can be an intimidating Missouri court process.

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 many DWI arrests in Missouri are done based on drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly operating a vehicle while impaired by some kind of mind-altering drug.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while intoxicated by psychoactive substances or substances that impair skills necessary to driving including motor skills, reaction time and decision making. That means that you can be subject 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 driving under the influence in Missouri, reach out to a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Bonne Terre-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is accessible, diligent and sharp. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

DUI Stops and Arrests in Bonne Terre, MO

It is critical that you know your rights in the event that you are stopped for operating a vehicle while under the influence. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Bonne Terre, MO DUI attorney near you and understand your rights and what to do 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 Bonne Terre, MO defense attorneys will shield you from injustice in court.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Bonne Terre, MO

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

A police officer is not able to lawfully conduct a traffic stop unless they can identify reasonable suspicion that you are breaking the law by driving while intoxicated meet the higher burden of probable cause before they can place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you feel that you were unlawfully stopped or arrested for your Bonne Terre, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you at your earliest opportunity. If you were stopped by an officer without giving them reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving drunk, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Bonne Terre, MO who 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 Bonne Terre, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer due to suspected inhebriated driving, they will likely try to get you to do a test to prove that you are intoxicated. There are two types of tests Bonne Terre, MO police officers typically use in traffic stops for driving under the influence: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.

1. Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)

   When police officers stop drivers in Bonne Terre MO for drunk driving or driving under the influence, chemical tests are often used as evidence to collect evidence that the driver was intoxicated at the time of the stop. There are a few different types of chemical tests using blood, breath, saliva or urine that are meant to identify the presence of and/or measure the concentration of various substances including alcohol.

   Like most US states, Missouri has in place an implied consent law, pursuant to which, as a Bonne Terre, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically consent to participate in chemical sobriety tests simply by operating a vehicle. A smart DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to submit to a breathalyzer or other chemical test, but refusal can carry a criminal charge in itself. You cannot be physically forced to produce a sample.

   If you do take a breathalyzer test, consult an experienced Bonne Terre, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your DUI attorney near Bonne Terre, MO, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to determine whether the breathalyzer or other test was performed 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 designed to determine whether you are impaired through a series of demonstrative tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has specified three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Bonne Terre, MO and all over 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 a police officer stops you and asks you to perform field sobriety tests, contact a DUI attorney near you in Bonne Terre, MO as soon as you can. If you have already agreed to and participated in a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Bonne Terre, MO DUI attorney 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 Bonne Terre, MO

A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway as a way to systematically screen drivers for driving under the influence. Federal law allows the use of DUI checkpoints by police departments, but they must meet certain standards. Missouri legislators have discussed banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Checkpoints in Bonne Terre and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but it is still prudent to educate yourself on your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. When it doubt, turn to a DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP.

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

• announced 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

Perhaps most importantly, there must be a logical reason for implementing the checkpoint related to public safety, usually because the area has an abnormally high rate of drunk driving accidents.

If you approach a checkpoint in Bonne Terre, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our skilled Bonne Terre, MO attorneys will tenaciously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to discuss 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 Bonne Terre, MO area. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and navigate the legal process when you have been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Bonne Terre or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Bonne Terre, MO defense lawyers can help you with a wide range of other case types, including:

Learn more about the different DUI charges in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Bonne Terre, MO can defend you.

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• Other Criminal Defense Cases

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

Do not waste any time. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Bonne Terre, MO, you need to hire a trustworthy DUI attorney near you. A Missouri DWI and similar charges are serious accusations that can carry significant consequences. Your future and freedom are on the line, and a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Bonne Terre, MO will defend you. Contact our Bonne Terre, MO defense law firm right away to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.