DUI attorney near me in Carroll County, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Carroll County, MO is a serious matter. Regardless of the situation, when you are arrested for driving while intoxicated by drugs or alcohol, a you need the best legal representation available to fight on your behalf and protect your future.
You deserve quality legal representation from an attorney who knows their way around DUI cases in Carroll County and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, a savvy Carroll County, MO DUI attorney near you 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 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 Carroll County, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation after being arrested of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.
Legal Videos

DWI Stop Advice – Always Have Your Paperwork Ready
DWI/DUI Stop Advice and Tips. Attorneys Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte provide a real-time walkthrough of the proper actions to take—and crucial mistakes to avoid—during a DWI/DUI …

(Making Of) DWI Behind the Scenes Video – Bonus Footage
Before we could shoot our behind-the-scenes video, there was… this. A quick glimpse at the setup, the laughs, and everything that didn’t quite make the final cut. While this is a fun video …

Behind the Scenes of a DWI/DUI Traffic Stop (Step-by-Step Walkthrough)
Missouri criminal defense and DWI attorneys Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte provide a real-time walkthrough of the proper actions to take—and crucial mistakes to avoid—during a DWI/DUI …

What Is the Process of Going to Court for a DWI?
What happens when you go to court for a DWI or DUI charge? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte outline what to expect when going to court for a DWI or DUI.

Long Term Consequences of a DWI
What are the long-term consequences of a DWI? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss the potential long-term consequences of a DWI or DUI conviction on your …

What to Do If You Are Pulled Over for DWI in Missouri
What actions should you take if you are pulled over for suspicion of a DWI in Missouri? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss how to handle the difficult situation of …
What is a DUI in Carroll County, MO?
Though people often refer to it 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 law for sentencing and punishments for DWI offenders, with the latter specific to driving with a BAC, or blood alcohol content, over the legal limit. If you have been arrested in Missouri for a DWI, focus on finding a DUI attorney near Carroll County, 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. Under Missouri law, it is illegal to drive while intoxicated, and that covers more than just driving under the influence of alcohol. Though 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 impaired by another psychoactive drug.
The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while intoxicated by drugs or 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 a DWI in Missouri, contact a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Carroll County-based DUI attorney near you. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.
DUI Stops and Arrests in Carroll County, MO
You owe it to yourself to know your rights in the event that you are pulled over for operating a vehicle while under the influence. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Carroll County, MO DUI attorney near you and learn about your rights and what to do if an officer ever stops you while you are operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to being pulled over and arrested for intoxicated driving, our incredible Carroll County, MO defense law firm will shield you from injustice in court.
Become familiar with the rules and procedure for regular traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.
DUI Traffic Stops in Carroll County, MO
A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Carroll County, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like splitting the lane, driving the wrong way down a road and other erratic driving behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or stopping and going.
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 before they can place you under arrest for a DWI.
If you suspect that you were unlawfully stopped for or accused of your Carroll County, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you at your earliest opportunity. If you were stopped by an officer without giving them reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving intoxicated, a DUI attorney near Carroll County, MO can 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 Carroll County, 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 intoxicated. There are two types of tests Carroll County, MO police officers typically use in traffic stops for driving under the influence: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.
- Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)
In Carroll County, MO stops for driving while intoxicated, chemical tests are often used as evidence to prove that the driver was intoxicated at the time of the stop. There are a few different types of chemical tests using bodily samples from blood to breath to saliva to urine that are meant to identify the presence of and/or measure the concentration of substances like alcohol.
Like most US states, Missouri has what is known as an implied consent law, via which, as a Carroll County, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically consent to participate in chemical sobriety tests just by driving a vehicle. A good DUI attorney near you will counsel you to know that you can refuse 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 take the test.
If you do take a breathalyzer test, consult an exemplary Carroll County, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your Carroll County, 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 performed as according to law and whether it should or should not be admissible in court.
- Field Sobriety Tests
Field tests during a DWI traffic stop are subjective tests that are designed to gauge whether you are intoxicated through a series of demonstrative tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has specified three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Carroll County, MO and all over the United States.
- Walk and turn – walk heel to toe in a straight line for nine steps, turn around and repeat in the opposite direction
- 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
- 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 a police officer stops you and asks you to perform field sobriety tests, contact a DUI attorney near you in Carroll County, MO immediately. If you have already agreed to and performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Carroll County, MO will build an impenetrable 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.
Carroll County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Carroll County and Missouri.
Traffic Checkpoints in Carroll County, MO
A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway to systematically screen drivers for behaviors like driving under the influence. There are federal laws that regulate the carriage of DUI checkpoints, but each state has its own rules and some prohibit the use of checkpoints. Missouri legislators have explored banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows police to use them.
Police departments in Carroll County and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they did in the past, but you should still educate yourself on your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. If you are not sure, speak 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. A lawful DUI checkpoint is:
- advertised 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
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 approach a checkpoint in Carroll County, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our determined Carroll County, 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.
Through Combs Waterkotte, you have access to some of the best criminal defense services in the Carroll County, MO area. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and provide you with an infallible defense when you have been arrested for driving under the influence in Carroll County or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Carroll County, MO attorneys have expertise in a variety of other case types, including:
Click below to learn more about the different DUI cases in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Carroll County, 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 Carroll County, MO | Combs Waterkotte
Do yourself a favor and act now. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Carroll County, MO, you need to hire 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 Carroll County, MO can defend you. Contact our Carroll County, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.

