DUI Attorney Near Me Oakville, MO
DUI attorney near me in Oakville, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Oakville is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Regardless of the situation, when you are facing a conviction for driving drunk or high, find an attorney you can trust to fight on your behalf and protect your future.
You deserve a talented defense attorney who has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Oakville and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, a sharp Oakville, MO DUI attorney near you will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, reduce the charges to lesser offenses, lead your case to trial to fight the conviction or work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Their principle responsibility is to navigate the law and the entire legal process for your Oakville, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation when you have been accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.
What is a DUI in Oakville, MO?
Commonly referred to 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 outline the definition of the crime of driving while intoxicated and specifies the rules Missouri courts must follow to sentence and punish those convicted of a DWI, 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 Oakville, MO to fight for your freedom 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 operating a vehicle while under the influence of some kind of intoxicating substance.
The same Missouri law prohibits driving while intoxicated by drugs or substances that impair skills necessary to driving including motor skills, reaction time and decision making. 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 or a family member have been arrested for driving while intoxicated in Missouri, speak to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Oakville-based DUI attorney near you. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.
DUI Stops and Arrests in Oakville, MO
You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are pulled over for driving intoxicated. Speak to an experienced Oakville, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to understand your rights and what steps to take if an officer ever stops you while you are driving in Missouri. And if you have already gone through being pulled over and arrested for intoxicated driving, our unstoppable Oakville, MO defense lawyers will fight for your freedom and justice.
Learn the rules and what to expect for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.
DUI Traffic Stops in Oakville, MO
In order to pull someone over, a Oakville, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like splitting the lane, driving on a road going in the wrong direction and any other behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or alternating between braking and accelerating.
A police officer is not able to lawfully conduct a traffic stop unless there is reasonable suspicion that you are breaking the law by driving while intoxicated satisfy the higher burden of probable cause in order to actually arrest you for a DWI.
If you believe that you were improperly stopped or arrested for your Oakville, MO DWI, reach out to 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 drunk, a DUI attorney near Oakville, MO will help get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can move on with your life.
Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Oakville, MO
If a law officer stops you due to suspected inhebriated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. There are two types of tests Oakville, MO police officers typically use in traffic stops for driving under the influence: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.
- Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)
When police officers stop drivers in Oakville MO for DUIs, they often turn to chemical tests to prove that the driver was under the influence at the time of the stop. Chemical tests include tests of the blood, breath, saliva or urine that check for the presence and concentration of substances like alcohol.
Like most US states, Missouri has in place an implied consent law, pursuant to whichOakville, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to submit to 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, but refusal can carry a criminal charge in itself. Still, you cannot be physically forced to take the test.
If you already did a breathalyzer test, consult an experienced Oakville, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Oakville, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to conclude whether the breathalyzer or other test was performed as according to law and whether it is or is not admissible in court.
- Field Sobriety Tests
Field tests during a DWI traffic stop are subjective tests that are meant to determine whether you are impaired by asking the driver to perform motor tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has spelled out three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Oakville, MO and throughout the United States.
- Walk and turn – walk heel to toe in a straight line for nine steps, turn around and repeat in the opposite direction
- 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
- 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, call a DUI attorney near you in Oakville, MO as soon as you can. If you already agreed to and performed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Oakville, MO will build a defense to your case or make sure any illegally obtained evidence is thrown out and not used against you in Missouri court.
Traffic Checkpoints in Oakville, MO
A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway to randomly check drivers for behaviors like driving under the influence. There are federal laws that regulate the carriage of DUI checkpoints, but each state has its own rules and some prohibit the use of checkpoints. Lawmakers in Missouri have entertained banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.
Checkpoints in Oakville and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but it is still wise to educate yourself on your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. When it doubt, speak to 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. 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
In addition, there must be a legitimate reason for carrying out the checkpoint related to public safety, usually because the area has an abnormally high rate of drunk driving accidents.
If you are going through a checkpoint in Oakville, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our determined Oakville, 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.
Through Combs Waterkotte, you have access to some of the best criminal defense services in the Oakville, MO area. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and defend you when you have been accused of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Oakville or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Oakville, MO attorneys have expertise in a variety of other case types, including:
Learn more about different kinds of DUI charges in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Oakville, 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
Hire a DUI Attorney Near Me in Oakville, MO | Combs Waterkotte
Do not waste any time. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Oakville, MO, find 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. When your freedom and future are at risk a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Oakville, MO can protect you. Contact our Oakville, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.