Can I Get a DUI for Having One Drink at Dinner?
by
Aaron Black • November 14, 2011
Whenever I am at a restaurant in our lovely neighborhood I sit around and look at all the moms, dads, and professionals having a cocktail with their dinner. Most of these people drive home thinking they are just fine after one or two drinks. That is not the case in Arizona.For example, on your way home an officer watches you make a wide left turn onto Indian School. He turns his red and blue light on. You pull over. The officer slowly struts to your window. He smells alcohol on your breath and asks, “Have you been drinking?”
What do you do now?
Ask for a lawyer and respectfully refuse to answer any questions. Of course this is going to make the officer suspicious, but he is probably going to arrest you anyway. Why help him? However, you must always give the officer your identification information.The officer will then tell you he wants to conduct some tests. These are called Field Sobriety Tests. They are actually agility tests designed to test your ability to multitask.
- These tests consist of walking a straight line and balancing on one leg. Always politely request a lawyer and refuse these tests. {HINT} Sober people fail the tests, so do not think you can beat them. Just think how nervous you got when the officer pulled you over. Now try to balance.
- The officer will also ask to look at your eyes. He will want you to follow a pen. The officer is looking for involuntary jerking of the eye. This is called Horizontal Gaze and Nystagmus (HGN). Respectfully ask for a lawyer and refuse the test. {HINT} Alcohol is one of the 180 plus causes of Nystagmus. However, officers assume alcohol is the only cause of Nystagmus.
- Never blow into the PBT (Preliminary Breath Test). The PBT is the little breath machine the officer will pull out of his car and ask you to blow into. He will also tell you he will release you if you are under a .08. This test is not admissible in court and only used as a tool to arrest you.
Remember, you have a constitutional right to remain silent and a right not to incriminate yourself. Do not do the field sobriety tests.
These tips by no means guarantee you will beat your DUI if charged. But, these tips make it more difficult for a prosecutor to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and much easier for your attorney to mount a viable defense.
The best DUI defense is to not drive after having an alcoholic drink. Ride a bike. {HINT} You cannot get a DUI on an un-motorized bicycle in Arizona.
Top 20 infractions that police officers are looking for when searching for drunk drivers:
- Turning with a wide radius
- Straddling the center of the lane marker
- "Appearing to be drunk"
- Almost striking an object
- Car was weaving
- Driving on other than designated highway
- Vehicle was swerving
- Driving at a speed more than 10mph below the posted speed limit
- Stopping in traffic for no reason
- Following other vehicles too closely
- Car was Drifting
- Vehicles tires are on the lane marker
- Braking erratically
- Driving into oncoming traffic
- Signaling inconsistently
- Slow response to traffic signals
- Stopping inappropriately
- Turning abruptly or illegally
- Accelerating of Decelerating rapidly
- Driving without your headlights on
About the Author
Aaron Black is the founder and sole attorney of the Law Office of Aaron Black. Located in Phoenix, Arizona, his DUI and criminal defense law firm provides legal services to people who have received felony or misdemeanor charges from the state.
Aaron has developed a strong interest in defending people who have been arrested and received criminal charges for driving under the influence. With his professionalism and knowledge of Arizona DUI and criminal law, he has acted as a check and balance on the police, prosecution and courts and has protected a great number of his clients from excessive and unfair sentencing.Along with DUI defense, Aaron handles a range of other criminal matters, including aggravated assault, burglary, domestic violence, drug possession, drug trafficking, fraud defense, insurance fraud, sex crimes and white-collar crime.
After graduating college in 2003 from the University of Arizona, Aaron decided to pursue a law degree. He followed a family long tradition and went to the University of South Dakota School of Law where he pursued his goal of becoming a criminal defense lawyer.
After passing the Arizona and South Dakota bar exams, Aaron joined the Maricopa County Office of the Public Defender where he defended hundreds of people charged with serious criminal offenses. His work as a public defender helped him sharpen his litigation skills and gave him a unique insight into the Arizona criminal justice system.
Over the course of his 15-year legal career, Aaron has spent a considerable amount of time in both Arizona justice, municipal, state and federal courts. He has argued over 50 jury trials, tried over 100 bench trials and has become one of the highest-rated criminal and DUI defense attorneys in Phoenix and the surrounding areas. He has received a 10/10 rating from the legal directory Avvo because of his legal background and successful case record. Since 2014, he has received the Super Lawyer rating for his work as a Phoenix DUI and criminal defense attorney.
You can review Aaron’s Attorney Bio page for more information about his background, education and experience as a Phoenix DUI and criminal defense attorney.
