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Rolla, MO

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Last Updated: September 27, 2024

DUI Attorney Near Me Rolla, MO

DUI attorney near me in Rolla, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Rolla, MO is a serious matter. Regardless of the circumstances, when you are criminally charged for driving drunk or high, 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 successfully defended against DUI convictions in Rolla and Missouri. Depending on the circumstances, a savvy Rolla, MO DUI attorney near you may be able to get the charges dropped, reduce the charges to lesser offenses, lead your case to trial to fight the conviction or negotiate a lesser punishment through a plea bargain. Their principle responsibility is to use the law to your benefit and guide you through the entire legal process for your Rolla, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after being accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

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What is a DUI in Rolla, 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 law. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 define what constitutes the crime of driving while intoxicated 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 Rolla, MO to fight for your freedom and help you navigate what can be an intimidating Missouri court process.

A person can 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 many DWI arrests in Missouri are done based on accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI on suspicion of 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 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 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, reach out to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Rolla-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is dedicated, diligent and sharp. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

DUI Stops and Arrests in Rolla, MO

It is critical that you know your rights lest you are stopped for driving intoxicated. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Rolla, MO DUI attorney near you and understand your rights and what you should do 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 driving drunk or high, our unstoppable Rolla, MO defense lawyers will protect your rights and freedoms.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Rolla, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Rolla, MO. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like splitting the lane, going on a road going in the wrong direction and any other driving behaviors such as driving extremely slow or fast, 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 committing the crime of driving while intoxicated satisfy the higher burden of probable cause before they can place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you believe that you were unlawfully stopped for or accused of your Rolla, 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 under the influence, a DUI attorney near Rolla, MO can help get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Rolla, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer under suspicion of drunk or drugged driving, they will likely try to get you to do a test to prove that you are intoxicated. When it comes to roadside tests used by Rolla, 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 Rolla, MO stops for driving while intoxicated, chemical tests are often used as evidence 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 are meant to identify the presence of and/or measure the concentration of various substances including alcohol.

    Like most US states, Missouri has what is known as an implied consent law, via which, as a Rolla, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply by operating a vehicle. A good DUI attorney near you will counsel you to know that you can refuse to submit to a breathalyzer or other chemical test, but refusal can carry a criminal charge in itself. You cannot be physically forced to produce a sample.

    If you already did a breathalyzer test, consult an experienced Rolla, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Rolla, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to determine if the breathalyzer or other test was performed 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 meant to determine 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 Rolla, 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 Rolla, MO as soon as you can. If you have already performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Rolla, MO will design an unwavering 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 Rolla, MO

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

Police departments in Rolla and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they used to, but it is still wise to educate yourself on your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. 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. DUI checkpoints should be:

  • 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
  • clearly associated with law enforcement

In addition, there must be a logical reason for implementing the checkpoint related to public safety, such as an area where a higher-than-average rate of drunk driving-related accidents has occurred.

If you are going through a checkpoint in Rolla, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our experienced Rolla, MO attorneys will fearlessly defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to review your case with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Through Combs Waterkotte, you have access to some of the best criminal defense services in the Rolla, MO area. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and provide you with an infallible defense when you have been accused of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Rolla or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Rolla, MO defense lawyers can help you with a variety of other case types, including:

Learn more about different kinds of DUI cases in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Rolla, MO can defend you.

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

Do not waste any time. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Rolla, MO, find a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust. 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 Rolla, MO will protect you. Contact our Rolla, MO defense law firm now to discuss your rights, your case and your future.

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