Bridgeton, MO

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. Regardless of the circumstances, when you are arrested 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 knows their way around DUI cases in Bridgeton and Missouri. Depending on the circumstances, a sharp Bridgeton, MO DUI attorney near you will make the best of your situation. They 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. Most importantly, they will use the law to your benefit and guide you through the entire legal process for your Bridgeton, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation after you have been arrested 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 courts. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 lay forth what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and specifies the rules for sentencing and punishments for 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, you deserve a DUI attorney near Bridgeton, 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 number of reasons. The law prohibits driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for 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 mind-altering drug.

The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while impared by drugs that impair skills necessary to driving including motor skills, reaction time and decision making. 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 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 skilled Bridgeton-based DUI attorney near you. 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 lest you are pulled over for driving under the influence. Speak to an experienced Bridgeton, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to learn about your rights and what to do if an officer ever stops you while you are operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you have already gone through being pulled over and arrested for driving drunk or high, our unstoppable Bridgeton, MO defense attorneys will shield you from injustice in court.

Become familiar with the rules and what to expect for regular traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Bridgeton, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Bridgeton, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like splitting the lane, traveling the wrong way down a road and other erratic behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or braking.

A police officer is not able to lawfully conduct a traffic stop unless they can identify reasonable suspicion that you are committing the crime of driving while intoxicated meet the more stringent burden of probable cause in order to actually place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you believe that you were unlawfully stopped or arrested for your Bridgeton, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving intoxicated, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Bridgeton, MO who will help get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Bridgeton, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer due to suspected drunk or drugged driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. There are two types of tests Bridgeton, 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)

   In Bridgeton, MO stops for drunk driving or driving under the influence, chemical tests are often used as evidence to collect evidence 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 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 whichBridgeton, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically consent 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 submit to a chemical test like a breathalyzer, but you can face legal consequences for the act of refusing the test. Still, you cannot be physically forced to take the test.

   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 DUI attorney near Bridgeton, MO, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to conclude 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 are subjective tests sometimes used during a DWI stop that are designed 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 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

   As a Missouri driver, you have the right to refuse to perform a field test. If you are stopped and asked to perform field sobriety tests, contact a DUI attorney near you in Bridgeton, MO immediately. If you already performed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Bridgeton, MO DUI attorney will design an impenetrable defense to your case or ensure that evidence that does not meet Missouri’s rules of evidence such as improperly obtained sobriety tests are not used against you in Missouri court.

Traffic Checkpoints in Bridgeton, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used 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 explored banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Checkpoints in Bridgeton and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but you should still educate yourself on your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. If you are not sure, turn 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 roadway 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

Perhaps most importantly, there must be a logical 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 find yourself at a checkpoint in Bridgeton, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our experienced Bridgeton, MO attorneys will ferociously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to discuss your situation with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Bridgeton, MO through Combs Waterkotte. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and defend you when you have been arrested for driving under the influence in Bridgeton or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Bridgeton, MO attorneys have expertise in a number of other kinds of cases, including:

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

Click below to learn more about different kinds of DUI charges 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
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• 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 Bridgeton, MO | Combs Waterkotte

Do not waste any time. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Bridgeton, 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 Bridgeton, MO will protect you. Contact our Bridgeton, MO defense law firm now to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.