DUI Attorney Near Me Bridgeton, MO

DUI attorney near me in Bridgeton, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Bridgeton, MO is a serious matter. Whatever the situation, when you are facing a conviction for driving drunk or high, 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 a track record of winning in Bridgeton and Missouri. Depending on the circumstances, a sharp DUI attorney near Bridgeton, MO 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, fight the conviction in a trial or work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will navigate the law and the entire legal process for your Bridgeton, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation after being accused of driving under the influence, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Bridgeton, 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 civil and criminal law. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 lay forth what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and lays forth the guidelines Missouri courts must follow to sentence and punish 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 may need a DUI attorney near Bridgeton, MO to fight for your freedom and protect you from unfair treatment by Missouri courts.

A person can 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 due to allegedly driving a vehicle while under the influence of some kind of intoxicating substance.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while intoxicated by drugs 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 or a family member have been arrested for a DWI in Missouri, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Bridgeton-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is accessible, experienced and sharp. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

DUI Stops and Arrests in Bridgeton, MO

It is critical that you know your rights in the event that you are stopped for driving intoxicated. Speak to an experienced Bridgeton, 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 operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to being pulled over and arrested for driving drunk or high, our outstanding Bridgeton, MO defense attorneys will shield you from injustice in court.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Bridgeton, MO

In order to pull someone over, a Bridgeton, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. For 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 alternating extremes in speed, swerving or braking.

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

If you feel that you were improperly stopped for or accused of your Bridgeton, 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 under the influence, a DUI attorney near Bridgeton, MO can help get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can move forward in your life.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Bridgeton, MO

If a law officer stops you under suspicion of inhebriated driving, they will likely try to get you to do a test to prove that you are under the influence. When it comes to roadside tests used by Bridgeton, 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 Bridgeton 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 substances like alcohol.

   Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have what is known as an implied consent law, via which, as a Bridgeton, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically agree 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 a chemical test like a breathalyzer, 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, consult an experienced Bridgeton, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Bridgeton, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to determine if the breathalyzer or other test was administered 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 are designed to gauge whether you are intoxicated through a series of demonstrative tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has defined three standardized field tests police officers subject drivers to in Bridgeton, 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 a police officer stops you and asks you to perform field sobriety tests, call a DUI attorney near you in Bridgeton, MO as soon as possible. If you have already completed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Bridgeton, MO DUI attorney will design 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 Bridgeton, MO

A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway 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 debated banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows police to use them.

Checkpoints in Bridgeton 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 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
• 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

In addition, 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 Bridgeton, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our experienced Bridgeton, MO attorneys will tenaciously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact 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 Bridgeton, MO area. A Combs Waterkotte 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 Bridgeton or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Bridgeton, MO defense lawyers can help you with a wide range of other case types, including:

• Drivers License Reinstatement Attorney
• Careless Imprudent Driving Attorneys
• Weapons Crime Attorney

Click below to learn more about different kinds of DUI cases in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Bridgeton, MO can do to help 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 Bridgeton, MO | Combs Waterkotte

Do not waste any time. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Bridgeton, MO, you need to hire a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust. 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 Bridgeton, MO can protect you. Contact our Bridgeton, MO defense law firm right away to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.