Two recent cases across the United States draw attention to the fact of DUI’s and how quickly they can knock your life off track. Jack Swagger, of WWE Wrestling fame was arrested for possession of marijuana and DWI/DUI after he was pulled over for speeding after leaving a wrestling match.
In other news, the mother of Phillip Phillips, American Idol contestant was arrested for this offense again after she was seen swerving on the road by an undercover car. She failed to complete a field sobriety test.
Both of these cases point out how quickly things can turn from a fun, successful night into a legal nightmare in the course of just a few minutes. The sad thing is, even though DUI’s have decreased slightly in California, thousands of people are arrested each year for DUI’s involving alcohol, marijuana or other drugs. Many of them are unaware that they are under the influence when alcohol alone is involved, as it is easy to misjudge what you blood alcohol level is.
No matter who you are, there are a few things you need to remember when you are arrested for DUI or DWI. In the case of Phillip Phillips’ mother, she has been arrested for this charge before. This makes things even worse; the statutes provide for harsh sentences including jail for repeat offenders.
The very first thing you should do once the cuffs go on is take deep breaths and calm down. Especially for someone who has never been arrested before, the experience of getting cuffed and taken to the the police station and county jail can be terrifying. It is important that you remember not to volunteer any information other than basic, general facts: your name, your address, and that the statement that you want to call your lawyer.
Then call your lawyer. Jonathan Franklin was a former prosecutor who knows how vital it is to be represented on these types of charges, especially if the charges involve a Beverly Hills DUI or Beverly Hills hit and run charge. Attorney defense services will be essential to help you achieve your best possible outcome.
Consult a Los Angeles DUI attorney or Los Angeles hit and run attorney immediately. Once you are involved in the legal system, it becomes a series of steps that you should handle alone.
The arrest was the first step, and before you get to the next one, legal counsel should to be involved. A lawyer can do many things to help in the defense of DUI’s and hit and run charges, and the biggest and most essential is challenging the evidence of the breathalyzer and field sobriety tests.
This involves things such as maintenance of the breathalyzer machines, and officer training in the operation of the machines and in administering field sobriety tests.
There are many other areas of the law that the person arrested for DUI may not be familiar with, such as the ten day rule. In the State of California, you must request a DMV Administrative Hearing within 10 days in order to retain your driving privileges while you wait to have the matter heard by the hearing officer.
This is just one of the things that Beverly Hills and Los Angeles DUI defense lawyer Jonathan Franklin can do for you. So if you are arrested for DUI, hit and run or other driving or criminal offenses, call our offices immediately for a free consultation!
