DUI attorney near me in Crawford County, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Crawford County is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Whatever the details of your situation, when you are criminally charged for driving drunk or high, find an attorney you can trust to fight on your behalf and protect your future.
You deserve quality legal representation from an attorney who has a track record of winning in Crawford County and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, an astute Crawford County, MO DUI attorney near you will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, have the charges reduced to lesser offenses, fight the conviction in a trial or negotiate a lesser punishment through a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will navigate the law and all legal proceedings for your Crawford County, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation after being arrested of driving under the influence, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.
Legal Videos

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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
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Long Term Consequences of a DWI
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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 Crawford County, MO?
Commonly referred to as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, the official nomenclature used in Missouri legislation 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 rules for sentencing and punishments for those convicted of a DWI, 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 Crawford County, MO to fight for your freedom and help you navigate what can be an intimidating Missouri court process.
You could be arrested for a DWI in Missouri for a long list of reasons. The law prohibits driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for 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 psychoactive 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 being high as a result of marijuana or THC use or under the influence of 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 right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Crawford County-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is accessible, diligent and sharp. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.
Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Crawford County, MO
You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are pulled over for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Crawford County, MO DUI attorney near you and understand your rights and what steps to take if you are ever stopped when driving in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to being pulled over and arrested for driving drunk or high, our incredible Crawford County, MO defense law firm will fight for your freedom and justice.
Become familiar with the rules and what to expect for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.
DUI Traffic Stops in Crawford 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 Crawford County, MO. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be represented by behaviors like like drifting out of lane, traveling the wrong way down a road and any other driving behaviors such as alternating extremes in speed, swerving or alternating between braking and accelerating.
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 higher burden of probable cause before they can arrest you for a DWI.
If you believe that you were improperly stopped for or accused of your Crawford County, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving intoxicated, a DUI attorney near Crawford County, MO can help get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can move on with your life.
Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Crawford 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 under the influence. When it comes to roadside tests used by Crawford County, MO police officers to determine intoxication, there are two primary types they may utilize: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.
- Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)
When police officers stop drivers in Crawford County MO for drunk driving or driving under the influence, 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 whichCrawford County, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply by getting behind the wheel. A smart DUI attorney near you will counsel you to know that you can refuse to a chemical test like a breathalyzer, 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 already did a breathalyzer test, consult an experienced Crawford County, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Crawford County, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to determine whether the breathalyzer or other test was performed lawfully 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 impaired through a series of demonstrative tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has defined three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Crawford 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
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 Crawford County, 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 DUI attorney in Crawford County, MO will design an insurmountable defense to your case or ensure that evidence that does not meet Missouri’s rules of evidence such as improperly obtained sobriety tests are not used against you in Missouri court.
Crawford County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Crawford County and Missouri.
Traffic Checkpoints in Crawford County, MO
A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway 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 legislators have explored banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows their use.
Checkpoints in Crawford County 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.
A lawful sobriety checkpoint is justified when the police can show it is directly related to public safety. A lawful DUI checkpoint is:
- announced 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
- clearly associated with law enforcement
In addition, there must be a logical reason for carrying out 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 Crawford County, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our skilled Crawford County, MO attorneys will ferociously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to review your situation with a compassionate and cunning DUI attorney near you today.
Through Combs Waterkotte, you have access to some of the best criminal defense services in the Crawford County, MO area. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and defend you when you have been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Crawford County or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Crawford County, MO attorneys have expertise in a number of other case types, including:
Learn more about the different DUI charges in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Crawford County, MO can do to help 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 Crawford County, MO | Combs Waterkotte
There is no time to waste. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Crawford County, MO, find a trustworthy DUI attorney near you. Being arrested and convicted of a DWI or similar charge in Missouri is a serious matter that can carry significant consequences. Your future and freedom are on the line, and a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Crawford County, MO can protect you. Contact our Crawford County, MO defense law firm now to discuss your rights, your case and your future.

