Hazelwood, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Hazelwood, MO

DUI attorney near me in Hazelwood, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Hazelwood, MO is a serious matter. Regardless of the circumstances, 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 quality legal representation from an attorney who has a track record of winning in Hazelwood and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, a savvy DUI attorney near Hazelwood, MO will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the charges dropped, reduce the charges to lesser offenses, fight the conviction in a trial or negotiate a lesser punishment through a plea bargain. Their principle responsibility is to navigate the law and all legal proceedings for your Hazelwood, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation when you have been accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Hazelwood, MO?

Commonly referred to 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 define what constitutes the crime of driving while intoxicated and specifies the rules for sentencing and punishments for those convicted of a DWI for operating a vehicle with a BAC (blood alcohol content) over the legal limit or while otherwise intoxicated. If you have been arrested in Missouri for a DWI, you may need a DUI attorney near Hazelwood, MO who will stand up on your behalf and help you navigate what can be an intimidating Missouri court process.

A police officer may arrest someone for a DWI in Missouri for a long list of reasons. The law outlaws driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. While DWI arrests are often accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI on suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the influence of some kind of psychoactive drug.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while impared by intoxicating 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 while intoxicated in Missouri, speak to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Hazelwood-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 Hazelwood, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are stopped for operating a vehicle while under the influence. Call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Hazelwood, MO DUI attorney near you and learn about your rights and what to do if an officer ever stops you while you are driving in Missouri. And if you have already gone through a traffic stop and were arrested for intoxicated driving, our unstoppable Hazelwood, MO defense lawyers will protect your rights and freedoms.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Hazelwood, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Hazelwood, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be things like splitting the lane, traveling on a road going in the wrong direction and any other behaviors such as inconsistencies 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 more stringent burden of probable cause in order to actually place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you believe that you were improperly stopped or arrested for your Hazelwood, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving intoxicated, a DUI attorney near Hazelwood, MO will fight to get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Hazelwood, MO

If a law officer stops you under suspicion of drunk or drugged driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are intoxicated. When it comes to roadside tests used by Hazelwood, 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)

   In Hazelwood, MO stops for driving while intoxicated, they often turn to chemical tests 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 various substances including alcohol.

   Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have what is known as an implied consent law, via which, as a Hazelwood, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically agree to participate in chemical sobriety tests just by operating a vehicle. A smart DUI attorney near you will counsel you to know that you can refuse to submit to a breathalyzer or other chemical test, 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, speak to an experienced Hazelwood, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Hazelwood, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them 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 attempt to determine whether you are intoxicated through a series of demonstrative tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has defined three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Hazelwood, 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

   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, call a DUI attorney near you in Hazelwood, MO immediately. If you have already performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Hazelwood, MO will build a 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 Hazelwood, MO

A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway as a way to randomly check 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 discussed banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows their use.

Police departments in Hazelwood and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they used to, but it is still wise to familiarize yourself with your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. If you are not sure, 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 roadway 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
• visibly associated with law enforcement

In addition, 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 Hazelwood, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our skilled Hazelwood, MO attorneys will ferociously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to review your case with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Hazelwood, MO through Combs Waterkotte. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and provide you with an infallible defense when you have been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Hazelwood or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Hazelwood, MO attorneys have expertise in a wide range of other kinds of cases, 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

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

• DWI/DUI Lawyer in St. Louis
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• Felony DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
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• Other Criminal Defense Cases

Hire a DUI Attorney Near Me in Hazelwood, MO | Combs Waterkotte

There is no time to waste. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Hazelwood, MO, find a trustworthy DUI attorney near you. 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 Hazelwood, MO can protect you. Contact our Hazelwood, MO defense law firm right away to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.