DUI Attorney Near Me Maryland Heights, MO

DUI attorney near me in Maryland Heights, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Maryland Heights is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Whatever the details of your situation, when you are facing a conviction for driving drunk or high, find an attorney you can trust to protect your rights and your future.

You deserve a talented defense attorney who has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Maryland Heights and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, a savvy Maryland Heights, MO DUI attorney near you 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 work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Their principle responsibility is to use the law to your benefit and guide you through the entire legal process for your Maryland Heights, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation after you have been accused of driving under the influence, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Maryland Heights, MO?

Commonly referred to as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, the offense is actually referred to a DWI (driving while intoxicated) in Missouri civil and criminal law. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 define what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence and lays forth the rules for sentencing and punishments for DWI offenders 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 deserve a DUI attorney near Maryland Heights, MO who will stand up on your behalf and help you navigate what can be an intimidating Missouri court process.

A person can be arrested for a DWI in Missouri for a variety 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 due to allegedly driving a vehicle while impaired by another mind-altering drug.

The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while intoxicated by intoxicating substances that impair skills necessary to driving including motor skills, reaction time and decision making. 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 were arrested for driving under the influence in Missouri, speak to a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Maryland Heights-based DUI attorney near you. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Maryland Heights, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are pulled over for driving under the influence. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Maryland Heights, MO DUI attorney near you and learn about your rights and what you should do if an officer ever stops you while you are operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you have already gone through a traffic stop and were arrested for intoxicated driving, our unstoppable Maryland Heights, MO defense attorneys will protect your rights and freedoms.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Maryland Heights, MO

In order to pull someone over, a Maryland Heights, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be represented by behaviors like like drifting out of lane, driving on a road going in the wrong direction and other erratic behaviors such as alternating extremes in speed, swerving or braking.

A police officer must have reasonable suspicion that you were driving under the influence in order to stop you, and are required to satisfy the higher burden of probable cause before they can arrest you for a DWI.

If you suspect that you were wrongly stopped for or accused of your Maryland Heights, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. If you were stopped by an officer without giving them reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving under the influence, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Maryland Heights, MO who can fight to get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Maryland Heights, MO

If a law officer stops you 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 Maryland Heights, 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)

   When police officers stop drivers in Maryland Heights MO for drunk driving or driving under the influence, chemical tests are often used as evidence to collect evidence that the driver was under the influence at the time of the stop. There are a few different types of chemical tests using blood, breath, saliva or 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 Maryland Heights, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically agree to participate in 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, you cannot be physically forced to produce a sample.

   If you already did a breathalyzer test, speak to an experienced Maryland Heights, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Maryland Heights, 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 is or is not admissible in court.

2. Field Sobriety Tests

   Field tests are subjective tests sometimes used during a DWI stop that are meant to gauge whether you are intoxicated through a series of demonstrative tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has defined three standardized field tests police officers subject drivers to in Maryland Heights, MO and throughout 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

   As a Missouri driver, you have the right 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 Maryland Heights, MO as soon as possible. If you have already agreed to and performed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Maryland Heights, MO 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 Maryland Heights, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used as a way to randomly check drivers for behaviors like driving under the influence. Federal law allows the use of DUI checkpoints by police departments, but they must meet certain standards. Missouri legislators have discussed banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Checkpoints in Maryland Heights and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but it is still prudent to familiarize yourself with your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. If you are not sure, call 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 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
• visibly associated with law enforcement

In addition, 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 are going through a checkpoint in Maryland Heights, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our experienced Maryland Heights, MO attorneys will ferociously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to discuss your case 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 Maryland Heights, MO area. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and navigate the legal process when you have been charged with driving under the influence in Maryland Heights or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Maryland Heights, MO defense lawyers can help you with a variety of other case types, including:

• Criminal Defense Lawyer with Payment Plans

Learn more about different kinds of DUI charges in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Maryland Heights, 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

Work with a Top DUI Attorney Near Me in Maryland Heights, MO | Combs Waterkotte

Do yourself a favor and act now. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Maryland Heights, MO, you need to hire a trustworthy DUI attorney near you. 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 Maryland Heights, MO can protect you. Contact our Maryland Heights, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.