DUI Stop: Hold Your Tongue

Most of us,
even Orange County DUI defense lawyers, know that sinking feeling you get
when the police car behind us activates its red and blue lights. This is the beginning
of a traffic stop. And while this is scary enough when you have not been
drinking, the fear compounds if you have any alcohol in your system. Because no
matter how much alcohol you have consumed, you now are in extreme danger of
being arrested for DUI.

The reason
for the typical traffic stop is some minor traffic violation, such as speeding,
unsafe lane change, or some lighting equipment that isn’t working properly. Orange County DUI attorneys know that usually the reason for the traffic stop has
nothing to do with drunk driving. But once the officer detects an odor of
alcohol coming from the car, he or she will begin a DUI investigation to
determine if you are too impaired by drugs or alcohol to drive safely.

The DUI
investigation begins with a series of questions about what you drank and ate as
well as when you ate or drank it. This information, called the “drinking
pattern” is critical and your answers will be used to convict you of DUI in
court. What most people don’t know is that they do NOT have to answer these
questions. The only information you must provide is your driver’s license or,
if you don’t have it, your name, date of birth and address.

Answering
questions about what you consumed is a big mistake. The answers will always be
viewed by the cop and the DA in the light most unfavorable to you. Most people
will lie and understate the number of drinks they had, for example telling the
cop you only had one beer. But if a later blood or breath test show your
blood-alcohol higher than one drink could possibly get it, you will be branded
a “liar” and a jury will probably not believe any “revision” of your drinking
pattern at trial.

So if you
are ever investigated for DUI, politely decline to answer any questions, take
any field sobriety tests, or take a “voluntary” breath test. You may end up getting
arrested but since you provided the DA with so little evidence your DUI Attorney may be able to help you avoid a DUI conviction in court.

If you want
more information about DUI, DUI drugs, or DUI with injury, call The Law Offices of EJ Stopyro
at (949) 559-5500 for a free telephonic consultation with an experienced DUI
lawyer. You can also go to www.ejesquire.com.
We have offices at 32072 Camino Capistrano, 2^nd floor, San Juan
Capistrano, CA 92675 and at 1901 Newport Blvd., Suite 350, Costa Mesa, CA
92627.