Two events this weekend will bring people together to socialize and celebrate. Denver will celebrate Cinco de Mayo this weekend and the Kentucky Derby will prompt derby parties. These types of social events also tend to draw heightened DUI patrols. Heightened DUI patrols tend to result in more DUI arrests.
Many people who get charged with a DUI truly believed they were safe to drive and it may be that they were, in fact, safe to drive. During heightened DUI patrols, officers are looking for cars to pull over. An officer can pull you over for something as minor as a broken license plate lamp. This type of traffic violation is not evidence of drunk driving. Even the odor of alcohol on a person’s breath, without more, is not sufficient evidence to prove a DUI charge. Drinking and driving is not illegal. Only drunk driving is illegal. Officers will generally ask a suspected drunk driver to complete roadside maneuvers. Even unsatisfactory performance of the roadsides does not necessarily mean the person was drunk. Finally, while a chemical test of the driver’s blood or breath may provide evidence of drunk driving, these chemical tests are not always accurate.
Even if the evidence seems to be stacked against you, it is important to consult with an attorney to evaluate the quality of the evidence. The fact that there may seem to be a lot of evidence does not mean all of the evidence is high quality or credible evidence.