Being charged with DUI can have serious repercussions if a conviction occurs. One woman in Florida may be weighing her options with regard to her recent traffic stop and subsequent arrest for drunk driving.
The 50-year-old woman from Fort Walton Beach was charged with DUI after officers pulled her over early in the morning June 25. Officers patrolling State Road 85 noticed a car speeding. The speeding car then missed a turn and ended up driving over the median before returning to the road. Upon stopping the woman, officers noticed her breath had a strong smell of alcohol. She claimed to have had two or more beers. The report also states that she admitted that her having drinks could have had something to do with her erratic and reckless driving.
Although the woman was reportedly unable to walk and swayed when she propped herself against her vehicle, she refused to perform a field sobriety or breath test. According to the report, the woman was distraught over recent tragedies in her life and admitted to officers that she had made a mistake.
Her court date is scheduled for July 14. While charges are pending against her for DUI, the prosecution has the burden to prove she was inebriated at the time of the incident. Since she refused to take a breath test, the prosecution will not have the data from that test as evidence. This woman, and anyone else who has been arrested and charged with a DUI-related offense, will need to seek appropriate counsel to help ensure she is not unduly convicted. An attorney experienced in DUI defense would be able to address any concerns related to the case and offer representation in this woman’s defense.
Source: nwfdailynews.com, “Woman accused of drunk driving,” Staff report, July 9, 2015.
