Orlando Drunk Driving Attorneys

Drunk Driving Arrest

The 2007 arrest of actor Mickey Rourke for driving under the influence (DUI) on a Vespa in Miami Beach illustrates the borderline case of Breathalyzer tests and how charges hold up. Rourke first registered a blood alcohol content reading of .081, just over the limit (.08), but a second test read at .074. His attorney effectively argued to have the charges dropped.

For anyone facing a drunk driving arrest in Orlando, how do you know the numbers will read in your favor? And what happens when a DUI arrest is made simply because an officer claims your driving was erratic?

Breathalyzer tests are accepted science and are applied consistently to every Orlando DUI arrest. But as the Rourke case illustrates, the test is sensitive to slight changes in blood alcohol levels and can be used to dismiss charges, particularly if it is borderline.

Your choices when stopped by the police

If you are stopped by the police and asked to submit to a blood alcohol reading test, you have two choices:

• Submit to the test. If the reading is .08 or higher, you can expect a charge of driving under the influence.
• Refuse the test. If you refuse to submit to a breath, urine, or blood test, that fact can be evidence in a DUI criminal proceeding and you can have your license suspended for one year (on a second or subsequent refusal, it is considered a misdemeanor of the first degree and the license suspension can be for 18 months).

But in Orlando, DUI stop circumstances can sometimes be a gray area open to interpretation. There are two reasons for police stopping a suspected DUI driver:

• The driver committed a civil traffic infraction, such as running a stop light or speeding. Either the arresting officer—or another officer who observed the infraction (under the fellow officer rule)—can lawfully stop the vehicle and ask the driver to take a sobriety test.
• The driver was suspected of committing a crime. Most often, this includes the crime of DUI, as evidenced by abnormal or careless driving patterns (weaving, speeding, driving too slowly, and extended stops for no apparent reason).

A better understanding of Orlando DUI law

If you fail to successfully fight a DUI arrest in Orlando, it can be costly and even involve jail time. The penalties can be life altering if you are a repeat offender.  It is vital to contact a local Orlando drunk driving attorney.

As should be obvious, anyone facing a DUI charge needs an effective legal defense. Mickey Rourke got lucky, but not everyone else does.

Defend against Orlando DUI charges

Contact Orlando DUI attorney John Namey when you get hit with a drunk driving charge. The office can help mitigate the damaging effects of a DUI offense on your life and reduce the expenses a conviction incurs.

Keep your license. Keep your mobility. Keep your cash. Talk to John Namey.