Des Peres, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Des Peres, MO

DUI attorney near me in Des Peres, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Des Peres, MO is a serious matter. Whatever the situation, when you are facing a conviction for driving while intoxicated by drugs or alcohol, find an attorney you can trust to protect your rights and your future.

You deserve a talented defense attorney who has a track record of winning in Des Peres and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, a sharp Des Peres, 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 work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will navigate the law and the entire legal process for your Des Peres, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after you have been accused of driving under the influence, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Des Peres, MO?

Commonly referred to as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, the official nomenclature used in Missouri courts is a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 outline the definition of the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and establishes 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 deserve a DUI attorney near Des Peres, 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, including but not limited to driving under the influence of alcohol. While many DWI arrests in Missouri are done based on drunk driving allegations, 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 impared by intoxicating substances that impair your consciousness or motor skills. That means that a police officer can arrest you if they suspect that you are impaired, including due to ingesting marijuana or even narcotics or pharmaceuticals like opiates.

If you or a family member have been arrested for driving while intoxicated in Missouri, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Des Peres-based DUI attorney near you. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.

DUI Stops and Arrests in Des Peres, MO

It is critical that you know your rights lest you are stopped for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Des Peres, MO DUI attorney near you and learn about your rights and what you should do if you are ever stopped when operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to a traffic stop and were arrested for driving drunk or high, our incredible Des Peres, MO defense lawyers will shield you from injustice in court.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Des Peres, MO

In order to pull someone over, a Des Peres, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like drifting out of lane, driving the wrong way down a road and any other driving behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or braking.

A police officer is not allowed to stop you unless they can identify reasonable suspicion that you are breaking the law by driving while intoxicated satisfy the higher burden of probable cause before they can arrest you for a DWI.

If you suspect that you were improperly stopped for or accused of your Des Peres, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you at your earliest opportunity. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving drunk, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Des Peres, 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 Des Peres, MO

If a law officer stops you under suspicion of intoxicated 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 Des Peres, 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 Des Peres MO for driving while intoxicated, chemical tests are often used as evidence to prove that the driver had ingested drugs or alcohol. Chemical tests include tests of the blood, breath, saliva or urine that check for the presence and concentration of various substances including alcohol.

   Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have what is known as an implied consent law, via whichDes Peres, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply by getting behind the wheel. A smart DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to a breathalyzer or other chemical test, 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, speak to an exemplary Des Peres, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your Des Peres, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to examine whether the breathalyzer or other test was administered as according to law 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 attempt 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 that police officers can use to test drivers in Des Peres, 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 you are stopped and asked to perform field sobriety tests, call a DUI attorney near you in Des Peres, MO as soon as you can. If you already performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Des Peres, MO DUI attorney will build a 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 Des Peres, MO

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

Checkpoints in Des Peres and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but it is still wise to familiarize yourself with your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. If you are not sure, call a DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP.

A lawful sobriety checkpoint is justified when the police can show it is closely related to roadway safety. A lawful DUI checkpoint is:

• advertised 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
• visibly associated with law enforcement

Perhaps most importantly, there must be a legitimate reason for implementing 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 Des Peres, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our skilled Des Peres, MO attorneys will tenaciously 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 Des Peres, MO through Combs Waterkotte. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and navigate the legal process when you have been charged with driving under the influence in Des Peres or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Des Peres, MO attorneys have expertise in a wide range of other case types, including:

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

Learn more about the different DUI cases in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Des Peres, 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

Work with a Top DUI Attorney Near Me in Des Peres, MO | Combs Waterkotte

Do yourself a favor and act now. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Des Peres, MO, find a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust. A Missouri DWI and similar charges are serious accusations that can carry significant consequences. When your freedom and future are at risk a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Des Peres, MO will protect you. Contact our Des Peres, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.