29 Arrested In Easter DUI Crackdown
Alcohol and holidays seem to go well together. People like to get together with loved ones and celebrate with beer, wine, and other spirits. While this is legal, it’s not legal to get behind the wheel of a vehicle afterward and drive.
Intoxicated driving is never safe. Even a few beers or glasses of wine can reduce judgment and reaction times, causing serious accidents. Unfortunately, drunk driving is still a problem on Florida roadways, which is why police officers like to find ways to get these drunk drivers off the road.
They do this through crackdowns and sting operations, typically on holiday weekends. This was recently the case in Hillsborough County during Easter weekend. The DUI Enforcement Squad made 29 arrests and gave out 241 warnings to drunk drivers from April 7-9. The squad was founded in 2019 to target intoxicated drivers.
Of those arrested during the holiday weekend, several were repeat offenders who were charged with felony DUIs. One of those arrested was a man who was driving the wrong way on Interstate 75. He blew a .218 on the Breathalyzer test. In comparison, those with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or above are considered legally drunk under Florida law, so the man was more than 2.5 times the legal limit.
Defenses to DUI
It can be scary to get arrested for a DUI, but the good news is that an arrest does not have to be a conviction. DUI charges often get reduced or dismissed after all the facts become known. Criminal defense attorneys have the experience and knowledge to get their clients the best possible outcome.
Your lawyer can come up with many defenses to your DUI charge. Some possible defenses include:
- Driver not under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or chemicals
- Unlawful traffic stop
- No probable cause to arrest
- Not driving or in actual physical control
- Illegal field sobriety exercises
- Inadmissible statements due to Miranda violations
- Lack of maintenance or calibration of the breath test machine
- Arresting officer failed to preserve evidence
- Prescription drug defense
- Involuntary intoxication
These defenses can get your DUI charge reduced or dismissed altogether. The most common reduction in DUI cases is when the prosecutor reduces the DUI charge to reckless driving. However, a reduction to reckless driving does not come easy. It requires the skill of an experienced DUI lawyer that can identify weaknesses in a case and can work to suppress or exclude valuable evidence.
Seek Help for Your DUI Case
Drinking and driving can be deadly, which is why police officers will often conduct sting operations. They tend to do them especially around holidays, when people have been drinking.
Still, there are rules that must be followed when it comes to DUI arrests. Were you properly arrested? A Dade City & Zephyrhills DUI defense attorney from Madonna Law Group can assist you with your case. Schedule a free consultation by filling out the online form or calling (800) 557-0411.
Source:
patch.com/florida/brandon/easter-dui-crackdown-nets-29-arrests-hillsborough-county-roads
