DUI Attorney Near Me Wildwood, MO

DUI attorney near me in Wildwood, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Wildwood, MO is a serious matter. Whatever the circumstances, when you are facing a conviction for driving under the influence by drugs or alcohol, find an attorney you can trust 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 Wildwood and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, a savvy DUI attorney near Wildwood, 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 work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will navigate the law and the entire legal process for your Wildwood, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice when you have been arrested of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Wildwood, MO?

Though people often refer to it as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, Missouri law actually calls the offense a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 define what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and establishes the rules for sentencing and punishments for DWI offenders, with the latter specific to driving with a BAC, or blood alcohol content, over the legal limit. After your Missouri DWI arrest, you may need a DUI attorney near Wildwood, 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 variety of reasons. The law prohibits driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. While many DWI arrests in Missouri are done based on drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly operating a vehicle while impaired by some kind of mind-altering drug.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while intoxicated by drugs or substances that impair skills necessary to driving including motor skills, reaction time and decision making. That means that you are liable to arrest if a police officer believes that you are impaired, including due to ingesting marijuana or even narcotics or pharmaceuticals like opiates.

If you were arrested for driving while intoxicated in Missouri, reach out to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Wildwood-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is dedicated, experienced 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 Wildwood, MO

It is critical that you know your rights in the event that you are pulled over for driving intoxicated. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Wildwood, 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 being pulled over and arrested for intoxicated driving, our incredible Wildwood, MO defense attorneys will shield you from injustice in court.

Know the rules and what to expect for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Wildwood, MO

In order to pull someone over, a Wildwood, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be things like drifting out of lane, traveling the wrong way down a road and any other driving behaviors such as driving extremely slow or fast, swerving or alternating between braking and accelerating.

A police officer is not able to lawfully conduct a traffic stop unless there is reasonable suspicion that you are breaking the law by driving while intoxicated satisfy the higher burden of probable cause before they can arrest you for a DWI.

If you believe that you were improperly stopped or arrested for your Wildwood, 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 have proof that you were driving intoxicated, a DUI attorney near Wildwood, MO will help get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Wildwood, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer due to suspected 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 Wildwood, 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 Wildwood MO for driving while intoxicated, they often turn to chemical tests to collect evidence 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 substances like alcohol.

   Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have what is known as an implied consent law, via whichWildwood, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically consent to participate in 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 you can face legal consequences for the act of refusing the test. You cannot be physically forced to take the test.

   If you already did a breathalyzer test, consult an exemplary Wildwood, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your DUI attorney near Wildwood, MO, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to examine if the breathalyzer or other test was administered as according to law 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 attempt to gauge whether you are impaired by asking the driver to perform motor tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has defined three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, MO immediately. If you already completed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Wildwood, MO DUI attorney will build a defense to your case or make sure any illegally obtained evidence is thrown out and not used against you in Missouri court.

Traffic Checkpoints in Wildwood, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used 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 debated banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Police departments in Wildwood and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they did in the past, but it is still wise to educate yourself on your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. 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 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 carrying out the checkpoint related to public safety, .

If you approach a checkpoint in Wildwood, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our determined Wildwood, MO attorneys will fearlessly defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to discuss 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 Wildwood, MO area. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and navigate the legal process when you have been accused of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Wildwood or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Wildwood, MO attorneys have expertise in a number of other kinds of cases, including:

Learn more about different kinds of DUI cases in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, MO | Combs Waterkotte

Do yourself a favor and act now. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Wildwood, MO, find a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust. 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 Wildwood, MO will protect you. Contact our Wildwood, MO defense law firm right away to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.