Former Saturday Night Live cast member, Chris Kattan, was arrested early Monday morning for suspicion of DUI. Kattan was seen weaving in and out of traffic on the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles. Kattan ran into a Department of Transportation vehicle, which was parked, while work was being completed on a guardrail. No one was injured during the accident.
Details of the arrest have not been released, but it has been reported that Kattan failed the standard field sobriety tests typically administered in DUI investigations. Authorities suspect that Kattan was under the influence of some sort of drug. Kattan apparently agreed to a chemical test to determine whether he had any drugs in his system. Kattan tweeted this morning that he was released without bail and that he still has his driver’s license. Authorities are likely waiting for the chemical test results.
In Colorado, it is not at all unusual for law enforcement to charge a person with a DUI before receiving an actual test result. In Colorado, if an officer has probable cause to believe a driver has committed a DUI, the officer must offer the driver a choice of a blood or breath test. The breath test results are reported immediately, but blood test results can take multiple weeks to be provided. If an officer suspects a DUI resulting from drugs, the officer may only offer a blood test because a breath test would not show the presence of drugs.
While Kattan may have tweeted that he did not have to post bail or surrender his driver’s license, this does not mean that Kattan was not charged. The blood test results, while important, are not the only evidence that should be considered. The best DUI defense attorneys analyze the case from start to finish. The chemical test result is an important piece of evidence, but is also one if the last things to collected. Experienced DUI attorneys review the case for issues from the moment the officer contacted the driver until the time the test was taken and everything in between.