DUI Tag Archives — Page 4 of 12 — Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Blog

Utah Takes National Lead In Lowering BAC Limits

Published on: April 12, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

DWI in North Carolina Most Frequently Asked Questions FAQ

If you’re a regular drinker you might be familiar with your state’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limits. This number is quite important after all, as even a few percentage points can make the difference between being deemed a criminal or a responsible social drinker. The BAC limit measures how much alcohol a person has in his or her system at a given time and this number is used as a proxy for the person’s overall level of intoxication. The idea is that the higher the BAC, the more likely it is that the he or she is dangerously impaired and presents a risk to themselves or others on the road.

Supreme Court: You Can’t Criminalize DUI Refusal to Submit a Blood Test

Published on: June 28, 2016 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Charlotte DWI Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “What am I obligated to do if I’ve been pulled for Drinking and Driving?”

The United States Supreme Court has had a busy last few weeks when it comes to the Fourth Amendment. Two of its most recent opinions in particular underline how unpredictable the nation’s highest court’s decisions on search and seizure rights are after the death of Justice Scalia.

Supreme Court Knocks Down Criminal Penalties For Implied Consent Violations

Published on: June 23, 2016 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Charlotte DWI Lawyer Brad Smith answers callers’ questions during a 30 minute radio interview with the Legal Forum. Recorded in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County North Carolina.

The Supreme Court voted 7-1 to place limits on laws that make it a crime for drivers suspected of drunk driving to refuse to submit to an alcohol test. The decision says that police must obtain search warrants before requiring a driver to submit to a blood alcohol test. A warrant will not be required, however, for breath tests.

NC Man Gets DWI Conviction Thrown Out: Appeals Court Rules Traffic Stop Was Illegal

Published on: May 10, 2016 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Charlotte DWI Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Can the police search my car without a warrant?”

James Lee Johnson was indisputably impaired as he drove to his Hendersonville, North Carolina home one night in February of 2013. He blew a 0.13 on the blood alcohol test the police officer gave him—well above the legal 0.08 limit. The officer testified later that Johnson’s face was red, he was glassy-eyed and his speech was slurred. So how did Johnson just defeat a DWI rap?

Ignition Interlock Devices In North Carolina

Published on: January 19, 2016 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Charlotte DWI Lawyer Brad Smith answers callers’ questions during a 30 minute radio interview with the Legal Forum. Recorded in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County North Carolina.

Most people have heard of ignition interlock devices before. People are vaguely familiar with the idea that a device is attached to your car that you must first blow into before the ignition will turn over. Beyond this bit of information, most people are in the dark about the specifics for how and when ignition interlock devices are used. To find out more about ignition interlock devices and how they work in North Carolina, keep reading.

Court Tackles Implied Consent Law

Published on: August 21, 2015 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Charlotte DWI and Criminal Defense Attorney J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “Can the police search my car without a warrant?”

The Minnesota Court of Appeals recently issued a long-awaited opinion concerning the constitutionality of the state’s implied consent law. The Appeals Court affirmed the law, holding that a warrantless breath test qualifies as a valid search so long as it is connected to a lawful arrest.

Cop who allegedly shot suspected drunken driver in back cleared of wrongdoing

Published on: March 31, 2015 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Charlotte DWI and Criminal Defense Attorney J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “What am I obligated to do if I’ve been pulled for Drinking and Driving?”

Long before Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson shot Michael Brown, and long before New York City police restrained an alleged untaxed-cigarette seller named Eric Garner, killing him and sparking a wave of protests nationwide, a Texas campus police officer shot and killed a 23-year-old college student outside his campus apartment after pulling him over for suspected drunken driving in circumstances that had some calling for a murder charge against the officer.

Depending on how they are used, self-administered breath tests may be valuable

Published on: January 27, 2015 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Charlotte DWI and Criminal Defense Attorney J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “Are breath test results always accurate?”

New, portable breath-testing machines sold by Breathometer, Inc. and other companies are making waves in the public marketplace, particularly among college-aged and twenty-something adults. Users of the device in North Carolina should beware: it will probably not help you if you are pulled over for drunk driving.

What is it?

In plain terms, the Breathometer and the newer “Breeze” products are portable, handheld devices that people can use to test their own breath-alcohol content. Entrepreneur Charles Michael Yim founded Breathometer, Inc. in 2012 in order “to build the world’s first portable breath analysis platform to help people make smarter decisions, improve healthcare and save lives.”

The original Breathometer machine plugged directly into the audio jack of a smartphone. The latest “Breeze” product works in a similar fashion, using “a next-generation electrochemical fuel cell sensor[.]” It is an “FDA registered, law-enforcement grade product,” according to Breathometer, Inc.

Jury clears officer who shot and killed unarmed backseat passenger during traffic stop

Published on: January 7, 2015 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “If I have an outstanding warrant, what should I do?”

The “Hands up, don’t shoot!” moniker is all the rage in the United States, with prominent professional athletes in the National Basketball Association and National Football League, as well as well-known celebrities, politicians, political pundits and media figures adopting the meme—some displaying the same on tee shirts proclaiming the phrase.

Long before the rage—before Michael Brown was shot to death by Officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri, and before New Yorker Eric Garner died after being wrestled to the ground by a small team of New York City police officers—an unarmed backseat passenger in Billings, Montana was shot to death for failing to raise his hands during what began as a simple traffic stop.

Officer Grant Morrison said that on the night of April 14, 2014 he saw a car “turn quickly and decided to follow it.” After following it, Morrison said, he pulled the car over because of a “light violation.” Richard Ramirez was a passenger in the car.

Morrison testified at a hearing that after pulling the car over, he noticed that the back right passenger was pushing against the door. Morrison ordered all of the car’s occupants to raise their hands, but the 38-year-old Ramirez kept fumbling for something in his pocket.

“Wings on pigs” post protected by First Amendment, says legal expert

Published on: December 31, 2014 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “Should I talk to the police?”

Americans are well informed of the facts—and the rhetoric—surrounding the high-profile police killings of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and Eric Garner in New York City this past summer. Most are just as familiar with killing of two New York City police officers last weekend by a man who said the point-blank shootings were retribution for Garner’s killing.

The man—Ismaaiyl Brinsley—allegedly posted on the website Instagram some three hours before fatally shooting officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos that he was “Putting Wings on Pigs Today.” The term “pig” is an insulting form of slang that refers to a law-enforcement officer. One gives someone wings—a reference to angel’s wings—by murdering someone. Brinsely’s post, translated, meant he planned to kill some police officers.

Now police in Chicopee, Massachusetts are seeking a criminal complaint against a 27-year-old man who also allegedly used the phrase “put wings on pigs” in a post on his Facebook page. That man—Charles DiRosa—is not accused of killing anyone, but police view the comment as a threat, according to Chicopee Police Department spokesman Michael Wilk.

The complaint, filed by members of the detective bureau in Chicopee District Court, is described as a “show-cause” complaint. A report by the local CBS affiliate described the charge against DiRosa as a “Threat To Commit A Crime.” At the show-cause hearing, the District Court will decide whether the complaint is valid. If so, DiRosa will be entitled to have a trial to answer and defend against the charge.