Chesterfield County, Virginia Reported 102 DUI Arrests in September

              In the month of September, 102 drivers were arrested on suspicion of DUI in Chesterfield County, Virginia.  Police in the area are warning drivers that heavy DUI patrols will continue.  This number is far too high for a single month’s period, and police will continue to be on the lookout for possible drunk drivers in the county.  “Sobriety checkpoints, targeted patrols, and tips from the public” will continue to be employed by police officers.  This high number shows police that drivers simply are not afraid of current penalties in place for drunk driving.  Whether that is indeed the case remains to be seen, but drivers should know that if caught driving under the influence of alcohol, penalties include a $2,500 fine and/or one year in jail.  The penalties are much worse for drivers with multiple DUI convictions.  Police suggest that you should always have a designated driver if you plan to drink any amount of alcohol.  Other tips include: drinking in moderation (i.e. one drink per hour), eating before drinking, and if hosting a party, stop serving alcohol well before the party is over.

      

          If you have been arrested for a DUI/DWI it is important that you consult an experienced Virginia DUI attorney immediately because DUI is a criminal offense and carries potentially severe penalties.  An experienced attorney can guide you through the court process and find any possible defenses that can either mitigate the penalties in the case, or in some instances, lead to an acquittal or dismissal.

   If you or a family member has been charged with DUI or DWI in Virginia and would like a free legal consultation or if you would like more information on DUI or DWI please feel free to contact our office at (703) 916-1227 and schedule an appointment at our office in Tysons Corner or throughout Virginia, or visit us on the web at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Criminal-Defense/DWI-DUI/

Virginia Drunk Driver Kills Pedestrian and Crashes into Another Car

           Two weeks ago, a 22 year old Fredericksburg, Virginia man was charged with DWI after he struck and killed a woman in Springfield, Virginia.  The woman was waiting for the bus when the drunk driver lost control of his car and ran her over.  After hitting the woman, the driver continued up an embankment, reentered the roadway, and crashed into another car on the other side of the road.  The driver in this other car suffered minor injuries.  The drunk driver and his two passengers also suffered minor injuries.

             

           As of right now, the drunk driver has been charged with his second DWI within 5 years and driving on a suspended license.  Additional charges may be pending for the driver depending on further police investigation.  A second DWI arrest in such a short period of time will result in more severe consequences and penalties, including a 3 year suspension of your driver’s license. 

            

           As for the victims of the accident, they deserve compensation.  The woman who was killed as a result of the driver’s negligence in choosing to drink and drive for a second time deserves compensation. This was the driver’s second DWI offense within 5 years, but who knows how many other times he drove under the influence of alcohol and did not get caught.  His actions killed somebody and injured another this time, and nothing can be done to reverse that. 

             

           If you or a family member has been injured or killed in an accident caused by the fault or negligence of a drunk driver and would like to consult an experienced Virginia personal injury attorney for free, contact us at (703) 916-1227 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Fairfax or throughout Virginia or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Car-Accidents/Fatal-Car-Accidents.shtml

Roanoke, Virginia Man Charged with DUI After Leading Police on Low-Speed Chase

          Virginia police were alerted of a reckless driver heading north on Route 221 during the afternoon of Labor Day Monday.  The car crashed in someone’s front yard, but continued on driving.  Police tried numerous times to pull the driver over, but were unsuccessful.  Thus, a low-speedpursuit began down Route 221 to apprehend the driver, who is now facing a DUI charge, felony eluding, having an open container of alcohol, failure to obey a traffic signal, and failure to wear a seatbelt.  Police had to use spike strips in order to bring the vehicle to a stop.  With the tires punctured, the driver then lost control of the car and hit a parked vehicle.

            

          Labor Day Weekend likely resulted in numerous DUI arrests across Virginia.  The weather for the weekend was perfect, and Labor Day Weekend is a popular time for people to have cookouts and outdoor parties where alcoholic beverages are served.  The circumstances surrounding this DUI arrest are unknown, but it is certainly possible that the driver was leaving a cookout in the afternoon after drinking and thought that he was ok to drive.  Whatever the circumstances were, he made a very dangerous decision to drink and drive, putting his life and the life of others at risk.

It is important that you consult an experienced Virginia DUI attorney immediately if you have been arrested for a DUI/DWI because it is a criminal offense that carries severe penalties.  An experienced attorney can guide you through the court process and find any possible defenses that can either mitigate the penalties in the case, or in some instances, lead to an acquittal or dismissal.

If you or a family member has been charged with DUI in Virginia and would like a free legal consultation or if you would like more information on DUI or DWI please feel free to contact our office at (703) 916-1227 to schedule an appointment at our office in Manassas or one of our many other offices located throughout Virginia or visit us on the web at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Criminal-Defense/DWI-DUI/

University of Virginia Incoming Freshman Quarterback Charged with DWI

           During the last week of July, freshman quarterback for the University of Virginia was caught by police driving while intoxicated in Charlottesville.  The quarterback’s blood alcohol level was 0.14 at the time of arrest, which is almost double the legal limit of 0.08 in Virginia.  Police pulled the 18 year old quarterback over because he was driving without headlights on at night.  The officer then smelled alcohol on his breath and a breathalyzer was then used to determine his blood alcohol concentration.  His status with the team has not been determined yet because they are awaiting the results of his pending trial in September.

            

           Statistics from 2013 for the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area show that close to 18,000 arrests were made for DUIs, which comes to about one arrest every thirty minutes.  This staggering number of arrests is the result of increased police patrol in the region to try and prevent alcohol-related serious deadly accidents.  There were 243 traffic deaths in 2013 and 81 of them were alcohol or drug-related.  Luckily, police were able to stop the quarterback before he injured or killed another person or himself.

      If you have been arrested for a DUI/DWI it is important that you consult an experienced Virginia DUI attorney immediately because DUI is a criminal offense and carries potentially severe penalties.  Our experienced attorneys can guide you through the court process and find any possible defenses that can either mitigate the penalties in the case, or in some instances, lead to an acquittal or dismissal.

If you or a family member has been charged with DUI in Virginia and would like a free legal consultation or if you would like more information on DUI or DWI please feel free to contact our office at (703) 916-1227 to schedule an appointment at our office in Fairfax or one of our many other offices located throughout Northern Virginia or visit us on the web at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Criminal-Defense/DWI-DUI/

Increase in DUI Arrests in Virginia in July

             So far in July, the number of DUI arrests in Virginia has been much higher than in years past.  For example, over July 4^th weekend there were close to 100 drivers arrested for DUI, which was a significant increase from the 77 arrests over the same period last year.  It is alarming to see the number of arrests for drunk driving increasing so dramatically.  This increase either means that more and more people are choosing to drive drunk or that police are increasing their DUI patrols to try and catch more offenders.  Either way, it is worrisome to see that close to 100 drivers were driving drunk just over July 4^th weekend.

           

             This past Saturday, a Virginia State Trooper had pulled over a driver on I-395 southbound between Alexandria and Annandale for suspicion of DUI.  The trooper was conducting a DUI investigation when another trooper arrived to assist.  Both troopers’ vehicles were positioned behind the drunk driver’s vehicle with emergency lights activated.  Another drunk driver drove right into the back of the trooper’s car and one of the troopers sustained a head injury in the crash.  The driver of this second vehicle was from Alexandria and he was not injured.  The troopers arrested this driver for DUI and police finished the DUI investigation and arrest for the first driver.  No other individuals were injured in this crash.

     

       If you have been arrested for a DUI/DWI it is important that you consult an experienced Virginia DUI attorney immediately because DUI is a criminal offense and carries potentially severe penalties.  An experienced attorney can guide you through the court process and find any possible defenses that can either mitigate the penalties in the case, or in some instances, lead to an acquittal or dismissal.

If you or a family member has been charged with DUI in Virginia and would like a free legal consultation or if you would like more information on DUI or DWI please feel free to contact our office at (703) 916-1227 to schedule an appointment at our office in Annandale or one of our many other offices located throughout Northern Virginia or visit us on the web at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Criminal-Defense/DWI-DUI/

7 Things to Expect After Being Pulled Over for DUI/DWI in Annandale, Virginia

An officer must have probable cause to pull you over.  Probable cause is usually demonstrated through erratic driving such as swerving, speeding or violating simple traffic laws.  Officers are also able to question drivers as to whether they had been drinking at the scene of an accident, regardless of whose fault the accident was.  Occasionally officers will set up formal check points in order to screen all drivers for signs of intoxication.

Once you are pulled over you should expect the following events:

                1.      You will questioned as to whether you had been drinking, how much you had to drink, and when you had your last drink.  The question regarding your last drink is very important in cases where there was an accident and the officer did not witness it.  Unless the police can show that your last drink was before your accident, it is difficult for them to accurately determine whether you were drunk at the time you were operating the car.

               2.                               If the officer wishes, he can have you perform “field sobriety” tests in order to determine if there is further probable cause to conclude that you are under the influence of alcohol.  The tests include the Horizontal Gaze eye test, the Walk and Turn, and the One Leg Stand test.  If you perform poorly on these tests, the officer may arrest you under suspicion of drunk driving.

              3.                               Upon arrest, you will be handcuffed and taken to a location to provide a sample of your breath for analysis.  If the reading is .08 or above, there will be a presumption of your guilt.  If you refuse to take the Breathalyzer test your driver’s license can be suspended for 1 year, even if you are subsequently found not guilty.  It is also important to know that even without the breath test, the prosecutor can still go forward and use the results of the field sobriety test against you. 

              4.                            If you are arrested for drinking and driving, the police will take your Virginia license for a one week administrative suspension.  Your license will be returned after that time, and you will keep it without restriction until a court makes a final decision on your case.  If you have a license from another state, the Virginia police cannot take your driver’s license away.

              5.                             After you are arrested, you will be held in county jail until a magistrate makes a decision on whether to issue a bond in order for you to be released.

              6.                            If you speak only a language other than English, such as Korean, Chinese or Spanish, the officer must obtain an interpreter to go over your rights and advise you about what is happening during the field sobriety tests, as well as the Breathalyzer test.

              7.                            If you are convicted of drinking and driving, the Virginia law mandates at least a one year loss of license, as well as an alcohol safety class, fines, and in some cases where the blood alcohol level is .15 and above, requires mandatory jail.

    If you have been arrested for a DUI/DWI it is important that you consult an experienced Virginia DUI attorney immediately because DUI is a criminal offense and carries potentially severe penalties.  An experienced attorney can guide you through the court process and find any possible defenses that can either mitigate the penalties in the case, or in some instances, lead to an acquittal or dismissal.

If you or a family member has been charged with DUI in Virginia and would like a free legal consultation or if you would like more information on DUI or DWI please feel free to contact our office at (703) 916-1227 to schedule an appointment at our office in Annandale or one of our many other offices located throughout Northern Virginia or visit us on the web at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Criminal-Defense/DWI-DUI/