Have and safe and fun July 4th!
Lodi, CA
Tonight
6pm to 2 am
Contra Costa County, CA
All weekend
Begins tonight at 6pm through midnight on Monday
Bay County, FL
Tonight
9pm to 2am
State Road 22 1/4 mi west of Star Avenue
Lyon and Churchill Counties, NV
Saturday
Highway 50A near Fallon
Norwich, CT
Tonight
7pm to 3am
Delaware
Tonight: Wilmington, Harrington, Camden, Blades, Smyrna, and Laurel
Saturday: Brandywine Hundred, Milford, Clayton
This weekend is going to be a fun one for a lot of Americans and America- enthusiasts. With Independence Day comes celebration and with celebration usually comes alcohol.
DUIs are high during holiday weekends, so it is important to be safe. Don’t drink and drive. Furthermore, I can guarantee that a bunch of sobriety checkpoints will be popping up this weekend.
If you do get arrested at a sobriety checkpoint, not all is lost. There are many factors that a skilled DWI defense attorney could argue if a sobriety checkpoint doesn’t meet the following guidelines:
- A sobriety checkpoint must always be announced to the public in advance.
- There must be command law enforcement officers and not field officers administering the checkpoint.
- The vehicles stopped must be selected using a neutral mathematical formula.
- The checkpoint must be maintained in a safe matter.
During holidays, there are many services that offer a free shuttle home to people who are unable to drive. Check your local news to see if there is one available near you. Also, be sure to have the number of a taxi company in your phone.
Have a fun and safe holiday weekend. We’ll be posting some checkpoints soon!
Thursday, June 24th, 2010
Wisconsin – Madison. Time/location undisclosed.
Friday, June 25th, 2010
Los Angeles, CA – Crenshaw Blvd at W 57th St. 8pm to 2am
BUI (Boating Under the Influence) Enforcement in New York – all weekend – For more information, visit Operation Dry Water.
Florida – Lee County. Time/location undislosed.
Louisiana – St. Martin Parish. 8pm to 4am.
Massachusetts – Plymouth County. Friday the 25th AND Saturday the 26th. Time/location undisclosed.
Saturday, June 26th, 2010
Los Angeles, CA- Ventura Blvd at Big Oak Drive in Studio City. 8pm to 2am
Indiana – Wayne County. Time/location undisclosed.
Nevada – Las Vegas. Flamingo Rd and Rainbow Blvd. 7pm to 3 am.
Friday, June 18th – Venice, FL
From 10pm to 3 am on U.S. 41 Bypass north of center road
Friday, June 18th – Loudoun County, VA
A checkpoint will occur in the Dulles South area from 10pm to 3 am.
Friday, June 18th – Salinas, CA
A checkpoint will be occurring in the evening hours at an undisclosed location in Salinas. Be mindful!
Friday, June 18th – Canyon Lake, CA
Police will be on patrol at an undisclosed location in Canyon Lake City.
Saturday, June 19th – Petaluma, CA
Checkpoint from 6pm to 2 am. At a certain point in the evening, the checkpoint will move to a new location.
Saturday, June 19th – Costa Mesa, CA
Sobriety and driver’s license checkpoint from 6pm to 11pm at Harbor Blvd/Ford Rd.
Saturday, June 19th – San Jose, CA
Undisclosed location in San Jose from 9pm to 3am.
Saturday, June 19th – Worcester, MA
Checkpoint to take place on a Secondary State Highway
Gainesville, FL – 2-week crackdown on drunk and unbuckled motorists.
Gainesville police and other law enforcement agencies are beginning their campaign against inebriated drivers and drivers without seatbelts. This will continue through July 4th weekend.
I know a lot of you may be overwhelmed at the Heidi and Spencer break-up, but don’t let your emotions get the best of you to the point where you become irresponsible. Here’s a list of a few checkpoints happening this weekend.
- For those of you in Darien, Connecticut, the county is preparing for its first ever checkpoint. Here’s a recent post we have about ways to prevent getting pulled over.
Here’s a few more checkpoints:
- Sacramento, California
- Livingston and Buchanan Counties, Missouri
- Essex, Massachusetts
More to come soon!
Yesterday, we posted about what to do to avoid getting pulled over. With Memorial Day starting for some people already, DUI checkpoints will be in full-force this weekend all across the country. (Here’s a list of some Memorial Day Weekend DUI checkpoints.)
If you have taken plenty of precautions and still get pulled over, it is understandable that you would feel flustered and intimidated. It is important to stay calm and collected. I’ve been working in the DUI business for years and here is what I think you should do if you get pulled over. Please note that this is not official legal advice. The most important thing you can do is hire an attorney.
DO:
Have your paperwork handy. If you are rummaging through your car like a maniac looking for your license, registration, and proof of insurance, it could read to the officer that you are under the influence. Keep those documents in your wallet or safely organized in a glove compartment.
Be polite. The only information you are required to tell the officer is your name (along with handing him or her your paperwork.) You do not need to answer any of the officer’s questions. Be sure to respond politely. You can say, “I apologize, but I do not wish to respond to that question until my attorney is present.”
Take an evidentiary breath test or request a blood test. When an officer requests that you take a BAC test, first ask if it is a PAS test (a preliminary alcohol-screening test) or an evidentiary test. You are not required to take a PAS test, but you are required to take an evidentiary one. It is best for you to ask to be taken to the station for a blood test. If that is not possible, be sure the breathalyzer test is evidentiary.
DON’T:
Like I said, you do not have to answer any question. You also don’t have to take a field sobriety test. (In some cases, it might be better if you don’t take a test, especially if you feel flustered or have a physical hindrance from performing the test adequately.)
To summarize, the only requirements when getting pulled over is stating your name, handing over your paperwork, and taking an evidentiary BAC test. Above all, be cooperative and hire a lawyer as soon as you can.
As we all know, the police keep a close eye out for drunk drivers during holiday weekends. This Memorial Day Weekend, people have more of a chance of getting pulled over. To avoid this, it is important to be aware of checkpoints. (We posted some Memorial Day Checkpoints in our last post.) There are a few other things you can do to avoid those dreaded red and blue lights flashing in your rearview mirror.
Make Sure Your Car is in Good Condition
Many times, cops pull people over with a broken taillight or blinkers. The cops end up charging these drivers with a DUI if they sense he or she is intoxicated. Make sure everything in your car is working properly.
Additionally, make sure your tags are up to date. Cops can pull you over for that, too.
Obey Traffic Laws
This is pretty obvious, but we all have had moments where we forget to signal or don’t come to a complete stop at a stop sign. Take extra precaution this weekend and don’t take any chances – no matter how small they seem.
Have Your Paperwork Handy
Don’t drive without your license and make sure your registration and proof of insurance are easily accessible. When you’re fumbling around your glove compartment looking for your documents, you could give the officer the wrong idea that you’re inebriated. Keep your documents in a place where you can easily grab them and show them to the officer.
Don’t drink and drive.
I mean, come on…
I bet you’re as antsy as I am for this weekend, but just know that DUI officers are just as antsy.
There are DUI checkpoints all over the country this weekend. Be safe and responsible.
Here’s a comprehensive list of some checkpoints that will be happening this weekend.
Highland and Victorville in San Bernadino County
Oregon – statewide
Idaho – statewide – There will also be seatbelt enforcement.
Utah – statewide
All right, La-La Land! Here’s a list of a few checkpoints for this weekend.
North Hollywood Checkpoint – Friday May 21, 2010
Hollywood Blvd Checkpoint – Saturday, May 22, 2010
According to reports, The Nevada Highway Patrol arrested 29 suspects for drunk driving-related charges during the Super Bowl weekend.
An overwhelming majority of these arrests came from traffic stops. Only three of the arrests occurred after accidents.
The city of Las Vegas expected nearly 300,000 people to be in town for Super Bowl weekend. Many of these people drove from California.
If you were arrested in Las Vegas for DUI, contact an attorney in your area for help. An arrest is not a conviction. Talk to an attorney about the best way to defend the Nevada DUI charges pending against you.
