DUI and Drugs
Orange County DUID Lawyer
According to the California Vehicle Code, it is illegal to operate a motor
vehicle if you are impaired by alcohol or drugs. Whether those drugs are
legal or illegal is irrelevant. Many individuals have been arrested for
DUI even though they only had legal prescription drugs in their system. The
truth is, law enforcement may be able to scientifically test whether there
is or isn't a drug in someone's system, but there is no quantifiable
way to measure whether or not that drug is what caused the accident. With
driving under the influence of alcohol, the percentage of blood alcohol
concentration at which point a person is considered intoxicated in 0.08
percent. There is no such number when it comes to drugs.
While this fact can help build a strong defense in your case, alone it
may not be enough. Drivers should be extremely careful with the prescription
drugs that they take. Even if you have a valid prescription for a drug,
it may have contributed to reckless driving or even an accident. If you
have been arrested, it is your job, with the help of an Orange County
DUI attorney, to prove that the drug or drugs in question did not alter
your driving. There are many factors both internal and external that can
affect driving. For example, being tired can cause driving patterns similar
to those of an intoxicated person. Distractions such as talking to passengers
in the vehicle could also warrant being pulled over by law enforcement.
Defenses Against DUI of Drugs Charges
Some common drugs individuals incur DUI arrests for are opioids (Vicodin
and other pain relievers), antidepressants (Xanax) and stimulants (such
as ADHD medication). Having a legitimate prescription for these drugs
can prove very valuable when it comes to your defense. Your DUI case may
be geared at determining whether or not you willfully endangered the lives
of others on the road by your use of the drug. If you were simply taking
the drug as prescribed and found it necessary to drive, then your charges
may be dropped.
There may have been another cause for the reckless driving such as discussed
earlier like exhaustion, distraction, poor weather conditions and more.
It is also important to remember that the same type of drug can affect
people very differently. While an opiate prescribed to treat pain might
make one person dizzy, it may have no significant effects on another person.
Another possible defense is an unlawful police stop. Law enforcement must
have a reason in order to pull you over. An example might be that they
witnessed irregular driving (swerving, excessively low speed, etc.) or
the lights on the vehicle may have been out. Whatever the case, there
must have been a legitimate reason to pull you over, or else this could
constitute an unlawful "search" (conducting field sobriety tests
or searching your vehicle).
Call The Law Office of Bruce C. Bridgman
If you have been arrested for driving under the influence of drugs, Orange County
Criminal Defense Lawyer Bruce C. Bridgman can help you fight to get your charges dismissed
or reduced to a minor infraction such as reckless driving. These types
of cases can be complex and involve analyzing chemical breath, blood or
urine tests to determine the validity of the arrest. To learn more about
how this firm can help defend you against penalties such as license suspension,
imprisonment, fines, vehicle impoundment and more,
call today!