Arrested for drunk driving over Thanksgiving break?
Being arrested for drunk driving is a loaded charge that comes with personal shame, possible thousands in fines, and a lengthy license suspension. If you’ve recently been pulled over for DUI you are probably asking yourself a hundred questions about who you should tell, how long you’ll lose your license, if you’re going to lose your job, and if your insurance rates will go up.
At The Law Offices of Gary E. Gerson, we have been helping people arrested for drunk driving throughout the Pittsburgh region since 1987. Of course you have many questions after a drunk driving arrest. What you need to know right off the bat is that DUI cases are won or lost in the details you can recall from the time you were pulled over. If you were recently arrested for drunk driving, get out a pen and paper and start writing down everything you can remember from the arrest. The longer you wait, the less you will remember. Recalling the details is the beginning of your defense. If a police officer did something wrong or illegal and we can prove it, your case could be thrown out. Some things you might want to think about when recalling your DUI arrest include: what type of standard DUI test were you given – finger to nose, ABCs, walking a straight line? Did the officer give you a reason for being pulled over? If so, what was it? What did you confess to the officer?
Many people think that confiding in an officer will get them out of the charges. 999/1000 times it doesn’t. Were you given a Breathalyzer? If so, what did the machine look like / what did you blow in to? What time were you stopped? Where were you stopped? Remembering the details to these questions and questions like them can mean the difference between a guilty or innocent finding. Second, in this day and age, the phrase: “Anything you say can be used against you in court” has taken on a whole new meaning. With the advent of social media forums, such as Facebook and Twitter, what you say (or type) can have a detrimental effect on your DUI trial. If your profile is marked “public” on Facebook, or even if it’s “private” but your security settings are poor, a prosecuting attorney may be able to access pictures of you drinking and statuses about drinking or going out that may affect the outcome of your case.
Do yourself a favor: check your privacy options, make sure your profile is not easily accessible, and never write about your DUI arrest on social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter. Next, secure some witnesses. Talk to family and friends that may have been with you that night, either before, after, or during the DUI arrest, and encourage them to testify on your behalf. Having a respected individual from the community who was with you on the night of your arrest who can vouch for you could be the difference between a guilty and innocent finding. Finally, do your research.
At The Law Offices of Gary E. Gerson, I have been helping people just like you who are terrified of the consequences of their drunk driving arrest. I deal with these types of cases every single day in court and I have helped thousands of people and their families get through these troubling times in their lives. If you have questions, I probably have most of the answers. Call my law offices today and speak to a DUI attorney for free at 412-219-6875 and take your first step in the right direction. Call today.
