DWI Lawyer in Pike County, MO
DWI Lawyer in Pike County, MO. Getting pulled over and accused of driving while intoxicated is almost certainly one of the biggest fears a Pike County-area driver can have. Not only will you be suspended of your driving privileges for at least sixty days, you will have to pay a hefty fine, face increased insurance costs, and have points on your license for the near future. To make matters worse, your status among friends and neighbors will take a massive impact, and your ability to potentially travel out of the United States could be limited, as countries including Canada prevent travelers with DWI convictions on their record from entering.
Have You Been Pulled Over For DWI in Pike County?
Having an effective and aggressive Pike County, MO DWI lawyer on your team can be — and often is — the difference between pleading guilty to DWI and facing all its consequences, and having charges reduced or even dismissed. At Combs Law Group, our veteran St. Louis DWI lawyers fight tirelessly for all our Pike County, MO-area DWI clients. Whether this is the first time you have ever been stopped for any violation or if you have previous DWIs on your record, our firm will give your Pike County DWI case the personal attention you deserve and plan a legal strategy that is built to get you the optimal results.
Our track record of success for those accused of DWI is second to none, and we are committed to total client satisfaction in everything we do. After you have been arrested for DWI, make (314) 900-HELP your first call. Initial consultations are always free, and Combs Law Group will work with you no matter any financial difficulties you might have to help you beat your St. Louis DWI charges.
What Should I Do After I’m Pulled Over For DWI?
After you have been pulled over by a police officer who believes that you are driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, it’s logical to be nervous. Being pulled over by the cops for any moving violation is something that can trigger a “fight or flight” reaction, and this is only heightened when you are accused of impaired driving. Having tried a substantial number of Pike County-area DWI cases, our firm requests that you follow these steps if you are ever pulled over for DWI:
- Find a safe place to pull over. If you are on a road with a shoulder, stop there, or find a nearby parking lot. Try to avoid parking on grass.
- Record the entire interaction with your phone. Having your own account of your Pike County DWI stop can greatly help your case and find potential differences between the police record and what really happened. Police officers are required to follow a set procedure in every DWI stop, and any missed or incorrect step can result in your case being dismissed. Make sure that your phone is locked and secured with a passcode, as well: courts have ruled that police can seize and search unsecured cell phones.
- Stay calm and cooperative. Being hostile to a police officer will increase the likelihood that they will search your car or subject you to a higher level of scrutiny. Kindness is the best thing to do when stopped for DWI.
- Keep in mind: you have the right to remain silent. Give the officer your license and insurance/registration, but nothing more. Officers are on the lookout for for any reason to find probable cause and take you into custody, so do not give them one.
- Do not take a hand-heldportable breath test. While Missouri does have an implied consent law that automatically revokes your driving privileges for 12 months if you refuse a breathalyzer or blood test, this only comes into effect after you have been taken into custody for DWI. Portable breathalyzers are not consistent and are only used as a way for an officer to get probable cause to place you under arrest.
- If you are arrested, talk to a lawyer as soon as you can. Your conversation with an attorney is 100% confidential and privileged under Missouri law. Getting advice from a veteran St. Louis DWI lawyer about whether you should take a breathalyzer test at the precinct, any issues that came up in your stop, or other questions you might have can be the difference between losing the ability to drive for months and your case potentially being dismissed.
Fighting Both Sides Of Your Pike County, MO DWI Case
DWI cases in Missouri have two components: a criminal side and a civil side. The criminal sentences for DWI in Missouri, as you likely know, are serious. Even a first Pike County DWI offense could lead to these punishments under Missouri law, as it is defined as a class B misdemeanor:
- 8 points on your driving record
- Up to 6 months in jail
- Up to a $500 fine
- A 90-day drivers’ license suspension, the last 60 of which can be reduced to a restricted driving privilege (RDP) permit
- Required participation in a drug/alcohol treatment program known as SATOP
- Required purchase of a high-risk auto insurance plan, also known as an SR-22
What Happens If This Isn’t My First DWI?
If this is your second DWI arrest in Pike County, MO, you will likely be looking at class A misdemeanor charges, which include these punishments:
- No more than one year in jail (any jail sentence for a second DWI must include at least 10 days of “shock time” in custody before possible suspension of sentence or probation)
- Maximum two years probation
- Fines of no more than $1,000
- The suspension of your driving privileges, which ranges from one to five years
- You must install and maintain, as well as pay for, an ignition interlock device (which prevents someone from starting a vehicle if their BAC is over a certain limit)
- Regular, verifiable BAC monitoring (either by regular breath tests or a wearable device)
- Mandatory participation in a drug/alcohol treatment program
- Required purchase of a high-risk auto insurance plan, also known as an SR-22
The administrative portion of a Pike County, MO DWI case relates to your driving privileges, and how the Missouri Department of Revenue handles your license revocation or suspension. Most Pike County-area drivers are not aware that you can appeal the mandatory suspension or revocation of your license, as long as that appeal is filed within 15 days of your initial arrest. When you work with the Pike County, MO DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group, you can be sure that our firm will tackle both components of your DWI case urgently and work fiercely to minimize the consequences a DWI arrest has on your life. We will collect evidence, go over the facts of your case, identify potential discrepancies in the police report or arrest, and create a strategy that is built to win.
Some of our recent DWI/DUI Victories
Our track record for getting optimal outcomes for our Pike County, MO DWI clients is unequaled, as seen by these results:Reduced
Felony DWI/DUI
St. Louis County man with multiple past convictions has DWI charges reduced.
Reduced
Aggravated DUI
Serious felony DUI charges reduced to a lower level.
Contact A Pike County DWI Lawyer Who Gets Results | Combs Law Group
If you have just been arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated in Pike County, MO, you are probably cognizant that timing is critical when dealing with your case. The quicker you can get an experienced Pike County DWI lawyer to read documents, obtain evidence, and craft your defense, the higher the chances are that the consequences resulting from your Pike County DWI arrest will be greatly lowered, if not eliminated.
Combs Law Group has helped a large number of Pike County-area residents of all kinds take on DWI accusations. Our firm melds best-in-class legal knowledge and aggressive litigation with a promise to provide personal service and communication that is unmatched among Pike County DWI law firms. Our DWI lawyers vow that no matter the time, regardless of the situation, and no matter where you are, they will be able to answer your call and talk with you about your case or any other legal concern. This is part of our promise of complete client satisfaction, which our previous clients can attest to as well.
After you have been pulled over and arrested for DWI in the Pike County, MO area, call (314) 900-HELP first to schedule a free initial case review and get the experienced Pike County DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group to work for you.