What do police officers in Michigan look for regarding drunk drivers?
Some drunk drivers are arrested after a routine traffic stop. Others are stopped for erratic driving. Police look for telltale signs of drunk driving such as driving without headlights, swerving, driving well below than the speed limit, braking erratically and making sweeping turns. However, sometimes police have no legitimate reason for stopping your vehicle. In those cases, the validity of the stop can be challenged and if successful the case will be dismissed. If the stop is improper then all subsequent evidence, such as the breath test, becomes inadmissible by the prosecutor and they cannot proceed.
A police officer who stops your vehicle for any reason is trained to use all senses to observe the condition of the driver and look for signs of drunk driving. If the officer smells alcohol on your breath, sees an open container of alcohol or hears slurred speech, the officer likely has probable cause to detain you to conduct a DUI investigation. The officer also may ask if you have been drinking. If you say “Yes,” that gives the officer sufficient cause to conduct a DUI / OWI / DUI investigation.
The officer may ask you to perform a series of field sobriety tests to look for physical signs of intoxication and help the officer decide whether to charge you with drunk driving or OWI.
Contact a Bloomfield Hills DWI Defense Lawyer For Help
If you have been charged with DUI / DWI / OWI, contact a Bloomfield Hills DUI defense attorney who can make a difference. Criminal defense attorney Paul Tafelski has a passion for helping good people get past difficult situations. He has been a criminal defense lawyer in Michigan since 1995 and helped many clients navigate the Michigan criminal justice system successfully. An experienced drunk driving defense lawyer, Paul Tafelski has obtained Not Guilty verdicts in felony and misdemeanor cases. He is skilled at challenging questionable evidence and often is able to negotiate dismissals, plea bargains or sentencing agreements that allow clients to put a legal matter behind them and move on with their lives.
Michigan criminal defense attorney Paul J. Tafelski, P.C., assists drivers charged with DUI, DWI, or OWI in Michigan, including, but not limited to Bloomfield Hills, West Bloomfield, Rochester Hills, Troy, Canton, Plymouth, Novi and Royal Oak, Oakland County, Wayne County and Macomb County.
313-915-5532 to speak today to a knowledgeable DUI arrest lawyer. For the quickest response at night or on weekends, please send an e-mail to Paul Tafelski’s cell phone or call him directly at 248-563-5305.
