Last Thursday, November 17th, a local police chief was arrested for drunk driving in the state of Georgia. The officer had been serving on the force for almost 20 years at the time he was found drinking in his police car, and he will now face the same serious DUI penalties that he used to help enforce.
According to police reports, the officer sat in his car through two green lights, failing to move and simultaneously drawing attention to his circumstance. It was at this point that another local sergeant took notice and approached the vehicle only to find his colleague behind the wheel. Circumstances regarding the entire situation are still unknown, and an outside agency will be heading an investigation into the matter shortly.
The recent arrest and charges of the local police chief have shocked many. Individuals are left questioning what led to the drinking and driving arrest and whether or not they too might be in danger of such a fate. When anyone, including law enforcement officers, can be arrested for DUI there is certainly no exception for the common lay person. Therefore, it is crucial to be aware of the most common behaviors that can lead to DUI arrest and how to ensure that you do not end up in a similar situation.
First and foremost, it is vitally important to know your rights as defined by state law. In Georgia, police officers must have probable cause before pulling over and searching anyone suspected of drinking and driving. Simply pulling someone to the side of the road on the off-chance that they have been drinking is simply unacceptable and should never be the cause of your arrest. Also keep in mind that you have the right to refuse the field sobriety tests that many law enforcement officers conduct on the spot. These tests do not yield accurate results of a person's level of intoxication, and therefore they cannot be taken at face value. You should not be arrested or convicted strictly based on the results of any field sobriety test.
In Georgia, law makers have taken great measure to ensure that drunk driving is heavily punished, so it is vitally important for anyone who has recently been arrested of such a crime to immediately seek legal representation from a DUI attorney. Roadside checkpoints and BAC levels can often be challenged in the court of law, and a legal professional can help ensure that the right tactics are being used in your defense. Refusals or even alleged refusals, as well as underage DUIs and drug DUIs can all lead to a person's incarceration, and your chances of a dropped or reduced case stand to greatly increase with the help of an attorney. As evidenced by Morrow's recent police chief arrest, there is truly no one that is ineligible of being found guilty of drunk driving. Therefore, you must do everything in your power to make sure that you are adequately defended if you suddenly find yourself in this type of compromising situation. By aligning yourself with an you could considerably enhance your chances of a better case result.

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