Law enforcement officers in and around Boca Raton know that drunk driving tends to increase over holidays. Many people tend to use the long weekend to travel to Florida to hit the beach, visit restaurants and nightclubs, go out on boats, and more. People who already live in the area often have barbecues or other gatherings or take advantage of the Monday off work to go out on the town on Sunday night. For this reason, police officers ramp up efforts as usual to try to stop and arrest people who were driving drunk.
If you are now facing charges of driving under the influence (DUI) under Florida law, you should never take these charges lightly and you should call an experienced DUI defense attorney as soon as possible. There are many ways to defend against DUI charges, including the following:
- Your traffic stop was unlawful and in violation of the 4th Amendment;
- A DUI checkpoint was not properly conducted and was therefore unlawful;
- The officer who conducted field sobriety tests was not adequately trained to do so or made other errors during the testing that led to false results;
- If you submitted to a breath test, the breathalyzer device was not properly calibrated or was otherwise faulty and led to an inaccurate result;
- There was another explanation for the officer’s observations of intoxication, such as you were fatigued, ill, or on medication;
- The forensic lab did not properly process a breath or blood test, which led to an inaccurate result;
- The officer did not have probable cause to place you under arrest;
- Your blood alcohol level was under the legal limit of 0.08 percent while you were operating your vehicle, however, it had naturally risen by the time you underwent a breath or blood test.
The above are only some ways to defend against DUI charges and the defense that you can use will depend on the individual circumstances of your case. In addition, even if you cannot successfully fight your charges, an attorney can negotiate with the prosecutor to agree to a more favorable plea agreement. Terms of a plea bargain can include allowing you to plead guilty to the lesser charge of a “wet reckless,” allowing you to avoid jail time, or agreeing to a more favorable sentence in general. Regardless of your circumstances, you should not wait any longer to discuss your case with a DUI defense lawyer if you were arrested for DUI.
Call a Boca Raton DUI Defense Attorney As Soon As Possible
At the law office of Lavalle, Brown & Ronan, our experienced DUI defense lawyers have been defending against DUI charges in Boca Raton courts for many years. Please call our office at 888-646-1315 if you need help today.