By the time our Asheville DUI lawyers meet with a client, they’ve already been arrested for DUI. We have no control over how they behave during their traffic stop. Sometimes, the arresting officer tells us what a nightmare our client was from the moment they pulled them over until the minute they were in their cell. Nobody likes hearing this. This means that your Asheville criminal defense lawyer’s job will be a lot harder than it has to be.
When you’re pulled over by the cops, you’re not expected to be happy or excited about it. However, you are expected to be respectful. Even if you know you’re about to get arrested for DUI, you do yourself no favors by being rude to the police. All this will do is make your situation worse. It will also make it a lot harder for your Asheville DUI lawyer to earn you a favorable plea.
Here, we’ll discuss some of the biggest mistakes people make when they’re pulled over for DUI. If you’ve already been arrested and charged with DUI, these suggestions may be coming a bit late. However, that doesn’t mean you aren’t entitled to a fair defense. If you’re awaiting trial or were arrested six hours ago, give us a call. Our Asheville criminal defense lawyers will do the best they can to help get the charges reduced or dismissed.
You Need to Pull Over as Soon as You See the Flashing Lights
One of the worst things a person can do is try to evade the police. Once you see those red and blue lights flashing, you have no choice but to pull over. The last thing you need is to engage in a car chase with Asheville’s finest. As much as you wish they weren’t behind you, you have to face the music at some point and just pull over.
The other thing you can’t do when the police pull you over is panic. There is nothing you can do in the thirty seconds it takes them to arrive at your window that will change anything. All you can hope for is that you won’t blow a .08 on the breathalyzer. And, if you’re pretty confident you’re intoxicated, then brace yourself for what’s about to happen. Be adult about it and don’t give the officers a hard time. That will only make things worse.
Do Not Refuse to Turn Over Your License, Registration, and Insurance
Another big mistake you can make is refusing to turn over your identification documents. Whether you’re being pulled over for running a red light or for suspicion of DUI, the cops will always ask for these documents. If you refuse to provide the officer with your license and registration, they will likely arrest you on site. And they will still conduct their own investigation to see if you’re under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The only difference is that you’ll end up being charged with obstruction of justice along with DUI.
Do Your Best to Be Respectful to the Police Officers
As angry and as uncomfortable as you may be, don’t take your anger out on the arresting officers. You don’t need a charge for assaulting a police officer added to your list of charges. You must remember – the cops are just doing their job. If you weren’t drinking and driving, this will come out in the breathalyzer test and field sobriety test. And, if you were drinking and driving, you need to be on your best behavior. That’s the only chance you’ll have of the officer using any discretion they may have.
When it comes time for your Asheville criminal defense lawyer to meet with the prosecutor, you don’t want things to be strained. If you were rude or disrespectful to the arresting officers or the prosecutor, it won’t help matters. In fact, it will make it a lot harder for your attorney to negotiate a favorable plea deal.
Your Asheville Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Watch a Video of Your Traffic Stop and Arrest
If you are truly worried that you were treated unfairly during your traffic stop and arrest, it will come out in the end. Almost all traffic stops are recorded nowadays. This means your Ashville DUI lawyer will be able to see a video of your arrest. If they see the officers engaging in illegal or inappropriate behavior, they will take it to the prosecutor. The same is true if they feel the field sobriety test wasn’t administered fairly.
Just be careful about what you say and do during your traffic stop. If there’s something you don’t want your attorney to see, tell them about it ahead of time. If there’s anything you need to clear up before they meet with the prosecutor, do it right away. You want to make sure your lawyer has all the ammunition they can find when it’s time to negotiate a plea deal. Don’t make your attorney’s job any more difficult than it has to be.
Be Upfront and Honest with Your Asheville DUI Lawyer
When you first meet with your Asheville DUI lawyer, you need to tell them the whole story. There’s no reason to hold anything back. They’re going to find out the whole truth at some point. The only way they can properly prepare your defense is if they know the full story. If they don’t learn about what really happened until they receive discovery from the State, it may be too late to change their approach.
We suggest that you contact one of our Asheville criminal defense lawyers as soon as possible after your arrest. At first, they’ll need to hear an abbreviated version of what happened. However, at some point, you’ll need to sit down with them and tell them the whole truth. This will give them a chance to craft a defense that suits your story. This will also help them deal with the prosecutor when it comes time to negotiate a plea deal.
If you have recently been arrested and charged with DUI in North Carolina, it’s time to call for some help. Our experienced Asheville DUI lawyers have decades of combined experience handling cases just like yours. As long as we know the full story – the good, the bad, and the ugly – we’ll be able to prepare the best defense possible.
