2015 4th of July DUI Patrol - Ghost cars

DPS (Department of Public Safety) unveils "ghost" cars for 4th of July DUI enforcement. The new "ghost" cars have police graphics that make them hard to spot when driving. Each holiday weekend DPS arrest 300-400 people for driving while impaired. Last year alone, over 25% of all DUI arrests occurred only the holiday enforcement period. 500 of those arrests were made on the 4th of July in 2014.

Interstates saturated this weekend looking for drunk drivers

• I-10 near Picacho Peak;
• Along all of the I-17 and
• All of SR 87

Be careful this holiday weekend and whatever you do don’t drink and drive. The best defense to a DUI is the one that will put me out of business, and that is not drinking and then getting behind the wheel of a car.
DPS makes it clear that the purpose of the "ghost" cars are intended specifically to catch drunk drivers. The police are using a lot of resources to catch impaired drivers, and the state will utilize even more resources to convict you of DUI.

As you know Arizona has some of the harshest penalties in the nation for drinking and driving under the influence of alcohol. In fact given the right circumstances, even a few drinks over dinner can land you in jail.

If you are pulled over for a suspected DUI

• Politely answer the officer when he asks for your license and personal information
   
• If an officer asks a question about drinking, don’t answer. Simply ask for a lawyer
   
• Comply if the officer asks you to get out of the car
   
• Sobriety tests – the officer will more than likely ask you to participate in sobriety tests. The tests include but are not limited to the following.In each case respectfully refuse the test and request a lawyer. There is no need to help the police more by doing the tests. In all likelihood you will probably be arrested anyway because the officer will say that he could smell the odor of alcohol, he noticed bloodshot and watery eyes, your voice was slurred, or he saw you swerve.
   
• Looking at your eyes and asking you to follow his pen
   
• Balancing on one leg
   
• Walking a straight line
   
• Blowing into his Portable Breath machine which is known as a Preliminary Breath Test (PBT)

Once you have been arrested under suspicion of a DUI, the officer will take you back to the station and request a blood sample. If you refuse to provide a blood sample your license. If you refuse to provide a blood sample your license will be suspended for one year. This is known as Admin Per Se Suspension. Ask to speak with your lawyer immediately. If you refuse to provide a blood sample, the police will simply call a judge to get a warrant. Once they receive the warrant, they will hold you down, and take your blood by force.
 
Always demand an independent blood testIf you are arrested this weekend, immediately ask for a lawyer. Call me, Aaron Black, immediately before you do any roadside tests, blow or give blood. Call 480-729-1683.