Having defended hundreds of motorists over the years, my law firm’s legal team literally has decades of trial and courtroom experience under its collective belt. As such, we understand how typically law-abiding citizens can find themselves facing a drunk driving charge for the very first time. Most people charged with DWI probably did not start the day thinking that they were going to operate their vehicle while intoxicated. Even more likely never considered the possibility of being arrested on the spot for drunk driving or drug DUI.
Sadly, the time when all the would-a, should-a, could-a thoughts come streaming through one’s mind is about the same time as the officer in charge asks that you step out of the car to perform a field sobriety test. At that point, considering whether or not to drive after taking even one drink prior to heading home is a little overdue.
As New Jersey DWI defense lawyers, I and my colleagues devote ourselves to defending the rights of those individuals who have been accused of breaking the law. Our job is to represent individuals charged with operating a vehicle while under the influence of beer, wine, hard liquor and any other alcoholic beverage. The same goes for those drivers accused of being impaired by doctor-prescribed meds (drug DUI), certain illegal substances or even possessing a controlled dangerous substance (CDS), such as cocaine, meth or marijuana in an automobile.
When it comes to motorists arrested for intoxication by beer, wine or hard liquor, following after the initial stop, the driver will most likely be taken into custody and transported to police headquarters where he will probably be asked to submit to a breathalyzer test using a machine like the Alcotest 7110.
Should you ever find yourself in this situation, it is important to try and remember everything that takes place during the arrest; most critical being the events surrounding the taking of the breath sample, as well as the exact blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) reading that the machine provides police.
For those who have been arrested by the police for a DWI-related offense, you may agree with us that such an experience can be both embarrassing and potentially costly. For many people, simply being stopped by a policeman can prove rather nerve-racking. The following police blotter items, pulled from various news sources, might be instructive in illustrating the circumstance surrounding a drunken driving arrest.
Westfield Driver Arrested in Garwood, NJ
Police stopped a 22-year-old driver early on a Tuesday morning in Union County along a stretch of North Ave. The stop, which occurred around 2am, was preceded by the police officers noticing a Toyota Corolla whose driver was apparently unable to keep the vehicles on his side of the double-yellow line. Based on news reports, police observed the Toyota being operated in what apparently was a dangerous manner. Following the traffic stop, the officer in charge determined the driver to be intoxicated by alcohol. Police arrested the suspect and took him to headquarters where he was hit with DWI and a number of other related violations.
Clark Woman Fails Sobriety Test, Charged with DWI
According to news articles, a 23-year-old female driver from the Clark area of Union County was stopped by police along a stretch of South Martine near Coriell Ave. most likely for a minor motor vehicle infraction. During the roadside stop, the patrolman noticed that the driver reported had a strong odor of alcohol emanating from within the car. Following this, the patrolman reportedly asked the driver to step out of the vehicle to perform some field sobriety tests. Having been unable to complete any of them, the policeman arrested the woman and charged her with drunk driving.
Out-of-State Driver Charged with Drunk Driving in Berkeley Heights
After a 47-year-old Pennsylvania woman nearly struck a stationary police vehicle, officers pulled her vehicle over and arrested the driver for intoxicated driving, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, no insurance and failing to maintain her lane. Following processing at the local police headquarters, the driver was eventually released to the custody of a relative pending her hearing date.
Unlicensed Watchung Man Arrested for Drunk Driving in Union County
According to news reports, Berkeley Heights police officers pulled a vehicle over after the driver apparently could not stay within the lane markers. The stop, which occurred a little before 3am on a Wednesday morning, resulted in the suspect being charged with drunken driving, as well as careless driving and driving on a suspended license.
Westfield man charged with DWI after traffic stop, NJ.com, May 08, 2013
Fanwood Police charge driver from Clark with DWI, NJ.com, May 05, 2013
Woman charged with DWI in Berkeley Heights after nearly hitting patrol car, NJ.com, April 15, 2013
Berkeley Heights Police: Unlicensed driver charged with DWI, NJ.com, April 15, 2013