DUI Attorney Near Me Bowling Green, MO

DUI attorney near me in Bowling Green, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Bowling Green, 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 fight on your behalf and protect your future.

You deserve a talented defense attorney who has a track record of winning in Bowling Green and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, a sharp DUI attorney near Bowling Green, MO will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the charges dropped, 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 navigate the law and the entire legal process for your Bowling Green, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice when you have been accused of driving under the influence, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Bowling Green, MO?

Commonly referred to as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, Missouri courts actually call the offense a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 outline what constitutes the crime of driving while intoxicated and specifies the rules Missouri courts must follow to sentence and punish 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 Bowling Green, 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. Under Missouri law, it is illegal to drive while intoxicated, and that covers more than just driving under the influence of alcohol. While DWI arrests are often drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly operating a vehicle while under the influence of another mind-altering drug.

The same Missouri law prohibits 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 driving under the influence in Missouri, speak to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Bowling Green-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is responsive, experienced and sharp. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Bowling Green, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights in the event that you are pulled over for driving under the influence. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Bowling Green, MO DUI attorney near you and learn about your rights and what steps to take if an officer ever stops you while you are operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to a traffic stop and were arrested for driving drunk or high, our incredible Bowling Green, MO defense law firm will fight for your freedom and justice.

Become familiar with the rules and procedure for regular traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Bowling Green, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Bowling Green, MO. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like drifting out of lane, traveling the wrong way down a road and other erratic driving behaviors such as driving extremely slow or fast, swerving or stopping and going.

A police officer is not permitted to conduct a traffic stop unless they can identify reasonable suspicion that you are committing the crime of driving while intoxicated satisfy the higher burden of probable cause before they can arrest you for a DWI.

If you feel that you were unlawfully stopped or arrested for your Bowling Green, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving intoxicated, a DUI attorney near Bowling Green, MO can help get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can move on with your life.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Bowling Green, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer under suspicion of drunk or drugged driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are intoxicated. There are two types of tests Bowling Green, MO police officers typically use in traffic stops for driving under the influence: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.

1. Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)

   In Bowling Green, MO stops for driving while intoxicated, they often turn to chemical tests to prove that the driver had ingested drugs or alcohol. Chemical tests include tests of the bodily samples from blood to breath to saliva to urine that are meant to identify the presence of and/or measure the concentration of various substances including alcohol.

   Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have in place an implied consent law, via whichBowling Green, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply by getting behind the wheel. A good DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to a breathalyzer or other chemical test, but refusal can carry a criminal charge in itself. Still, the police cannot physically force you to take the test.

   If you do take a breathalyzer test, speak to an experienced Bowling Green, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your DUI attorney near Bowling Green, MO, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to determine if the breathalyzer or other test was performed lawfully and whether it should or should not be 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 impaired by asking the driver to perform motor tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has spelled out three standardized field tests police officers subject drivers to in Bowling Green, 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

   It is your right in Missouri to refuse to perform a field test. If you are stopped and asked to perform field sobriety tests, contact a DUI attorney near you in Bowling Green, MO as soon as you can. If you already agreed to and performed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Bowling Green, MO DUI attorney will design an unwavering 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 Bowling Green, MO

A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway as a way to systematically screen 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 debated banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Checkpoints in Bowling Green and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but it is still prudent to 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 directly related to public 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, .

If you find yourself at a checkpoint in Bowling Green, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our determined Bowling Green, MO attorneys will fearlessly defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to review your case with a compassionate and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Bowling Green, MO through Combs Waterkotte. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and navigate the legal process when you have been arrested for driving under the influence in Bowling Green or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Bowling Green, MO attorneys have expertise in a number of other case types, including:

• Drivers License Reinstatement Attorney
• Careless Imprudent Driving Attorneys
• Weapons Crime Attorney

Learn more about the different DUI charges in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Bowling Green, 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

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

Do not waste any time. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Bowling Green, MO, find a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust. A Missouri DWI and similar charges are serious accusations that can carry significant consequences. Your future and freedom are on the line, and a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Bowling Green, MO can defend you. Contact our Bowling Green, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.