With the New Year we always celebrate a new beginning. As 2024 comes toa  close everyone is staying up celebrating new beginnings in the new year. Some of us will kick back and have fun with friends or go out, others will spend that time on the water near Holiday Marina on Lake Lanier for their extravaganza. Others will celebrate the recommencment of the peach drop in Underground Atlanta. Many of us will just celebrate while watching the ball drop either on TV at another location or at a party. Many of us will be enjoying adult beverages but then we have to drive home. With all the celebrations it may be difficult to remember to keep track of your drinks or even worry about it. However, these officers on the road are still out looking for DUI drivers, especially on and after New Years celebrations.

All police use some of the various available charges to stop a vehicle, and both Speeding and Failure to Maintain lane are “violations” that will typically lead to a DUI investigation. Both of these are tools that these troopers and officer LOVE to use. The scenario is usually you are driving see blue lights and the officer details out the reason for stopping you is that he “you were having some issues maintaining your lane OR do you know how fast you were going?” Then the officer says “by the way I smell alcohol, have you been drinking?” (Like we are going to confess “sure officer I was slamming them back just before I met you.”) These charges are all found in a high percentage of the stops for DUI arrests in Georgia and many times they are found together. Couple this with an inability to remember the actual number of drinks you have and you are in the middle of a perfect storm for the officer investigating the DUI stop.

It doesn't matter where you find yourself in Georgia almost all of the police force use this common charge to begin a DUI investigation including: Johns Creek Police, Alpharetta Police, Milton Police, DeKalb County Police, City of Decatur Police, Atlanta, Police Gwinnett County Police and the list goes on. This “tool” allows the police to stop a vehicle for any “legal” reason and their investigation can lead to a DUI if they suspect the driver has been drinking or using drugs.

As a result of the Governor's office of Highway Safety teaming up with various organizations, including the HEAT and TEAM division of local counties, the cops are cracking down on impaired driving. If you have been accused by the police of driving under the influence then you need help from a trained DUI attorney. Should YOU find that you either don't want to face the court alone or simply feel that you need help from an attorney then give our office a call regarding your citations. There are facts to every case where defenses can be raised for anyone charged with driving under the influence. Each situation is different from the other and requires a evaluation of all the information in order to properly mount a defense and a effective negotiation with the prosecutor's office.             

Remember that every DUI case is different because not two sets of facts are the same. Application of the above case law to your situation would take examination of the facts surrounding your case and applying this case law properly to create a properly mounted defense for YOUR arrest.

              Our office has 24 hour response lines and can answer your questions and help you. Give our team of DUI defense lawyers a call at 404-445-8494. We can help you mount a proper defense for your situation.