November 8, 2017
Driving under the influence of alcohol is a serious crime that can land you in a great deal of legal trouble. Not only is it a crime, but it also places you and anyone else in your vehicle at risk of serious injury. Worst of all, drunk driving can potentially harm completely innocent pedestrians or occupants of other vehicles. Naturally, the easiest way to avoid such tragedy is for one to exercise good judgment and refrain from getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol. You should certainly err on the side of caution and call a friend or a taxi or Uber.
Of course, we do not live in a perfect world, and sometimes we make poor decisions and drive after having had one too many. In addition, aggressive enforcement can result in people who are not legally drunk facing a driving under the influence (DUI) case simply because an officer smelled alcohol on the driver’s breath.
So, what should you do if you are pulled over by the police for driving under the influence? A person could not do much worse than a Florida man who was recently charged with bribery. After being observed driving erratically and getting stopped by Tampa Police, this man behaved rudely and belligerently toward the officer and resisted arrest. After failing a breathalyzer test, he was arrested and placed in the back of the police car. On the way to the station, this individual offered to give the arresting officer $10,000 in exchange for immediate release from custody. This was clearly the wrong move, as it only hurt his case and increased the chance of additional charges.
If you are ever arrested for DUI, don’t do what this man did. Remain calm, respect the police, and obey their lawful orders. Most importantly, however, you should call a lawyer as soon as possible. A DUI is a complicated issue under Florida law, but avoiding maximum penalties is possible if you are represented by a strong, knowledgeable attorney experienced with DUI cases.
You might be under the impression that a DUI arrest automatically means your driver’s license will be revoked, leaving you without a means to travel to work or otherwise carry out your daily activities. However, your attorney should know that she can petition the courts for a hardship license which restores driving privileges provisionally, allowing a person to drive to work, medical appointments, church, or to his children’s school.
A second common misconception is that those facing DUI convictions are automatically subjected to lengthy jail sentences. We educate our clients to know, however, that there are numerous administrative penalties the court might impose before criminal penalties or serious jail time even become an option for the prosecutor. Your precise BAC (blood alcohol content) and length of time since any previous occurrences of a DUI (“washout period”) are crucial factors. If represented by Khonsari Law Group, you will know your precise status in the complex web of DUI laws
Finally, it is important to keep in mind that not every DUI arrest results in a conviction. In many cases, there are legal defenses available. For example, it may be possible to challenge the breathalyzer results, the reason for the initial stop, or even the officer’s version of events.
Call a St. Petersburg DUI Defense Lawyer Today to Discuss Your Case
The lawyers at Khonsari Law Group have experience handling every level of DUI and drunk driving charges, including assistance with license reinstatement. Don’t wait another minute. Contact us immediately on our website or by phone at (727) 269-5300 if you need our help.