DUI Attorney Near Me Herculaneum, MO

DUI attorney near me in Herculaneum, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Herculaneum, MO is a serious matter. Whatever the situation, when you are arrested 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 a track record of winning in Herculaneum and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, a sharp DUI attorney near Herculaneum, MO will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the charges dropped, reduce the charges 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 all legal proceedings for your Herculaneum, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after being accused of driving under the influence, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Herculaneum, 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 define the definition of the crime of driving under the influence and establishes the law Missouri courts must follow to sentence and punish 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 Herculaneum, 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 number of reasons. The law prohibits driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. Though DWI arrests are often accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly driving a vehicle while under the influence of another mind-altering 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 you can be subject 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 or a family member have been arrested for driving under the influence in Missouri, contact a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Herculaneum-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.

DUI Stops and Arrests in Herculaneum, MO

It is critical that you know your rights in the event that you are stopped for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Herculaneum, MO DUI attorney near you and understand your rights and what you should do if you are ever stopped when driving in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to a traffic stop and were arrested for intoxicated driving, our unstoppable Herculaneum, MO defense attorneys will protect your rights and freedoms.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Herculaneum, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Herculaneum, MO. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be things like splitting the lane, going on a road going in the wrong direction and any other 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 satisfy the more stringent burden of probable cause in order to actually place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you feel that you were unlawfully stopped for or accused of your Herculaneum, 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 under the influence, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Herculaneum, MO who will help get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Herculaneum, 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. When it comes to roadside tests used by Herculaneum, 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)
In Herculaneum, MO stops for DUIs, chemical tests are often used as evidence to prove that the driver had ingested drugs or alcohol. There are a few different types of chemical tests using bodily samples from blood to breath to saliva to urine that check for the presence and concentration of substances like alcohol.

Like most US states, Missouri has in place an implied consent law, pursuant to whichHerculaneum, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically consent to participate in chemical sobriety tests just by driving a vehicle. A smart DUI attorney near you will counsel you to know that you can refuse to submit 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, speak to an experienced Herculaneum, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your DUI attorney near Herculaneum, MO, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to conclude if 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 are subjective tests sometimes used during a DWI stop that attempt 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 Herculaneum, 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
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 Herculaneum, MO as soon as you can. If you have already performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Herculaneum, 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 Herculaneum, MO

A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway as a way to systematically screen drivers for 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. Lawmakers in Missouri have discussed banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows police to use them.

Checkpoints in Herculaneum and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but you should still familiarize yourself with your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. When it doubt, 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. DUI checkpoints should be:

announced to the public in advance
sanctioned or planned 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, such as an area where a higher-than-average rate of drunk driving-related accidents has occurred.

If you approach a checkpoint in Herculaneum, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our experienced Herculaneum, MO attorneys will ferociously 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 Herculaneum, MO through Combs Waterkotte. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and defend you when you have been accused of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Herculaneum or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Herculaneum, MO attorneys have expertise in a wide range of other case types, including:

Click below to learn more about different kinds of DUI charges in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Herculaneum, MO can do to help you.

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

There is no time to waste. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Herculaneum, 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. When your freedom and future are at risk a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Herculaneum, MO will protect you. Contact our Herculaneum, MO defense law firm now to discuss your rights, your case and your future.

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