West Virginia police are constantly patrolling for suspected impaired drivers. When one is pulled over for this purpose, he or she may not know what to expect. What happens during a DUI traffic stop? When a traffic stop is initiated due to suspected DUI, police are looking for a number of things, including how the driver's eyes react to light and other stimuli. Drivers can expect to be asked ...
Residents of West Virginia may be familiar with DUI checkpoints. They often pop up around major holidays. This time of year there may be more DUI checkpoints than usual, as holiday parties are carried on throughout the month. What few people may realize is that law enforcement agencies are permitted to set up these checkpoints on a weekly basis. DUI checkpoints do serve a valuable purpose. Law ...
A West Virginia man was recently arrested and charged with causing a crash while driving under the influence. The DUI charge is not the only one to be filed in this case, however. This individual is also accused of injuring a child who was also in his vehicle when the incident occurred. Martinsburg police were called to investigate a single-vehicle accident that occurred the morning of Nov. 20., ...
When one is suspected of driving under the influence, it is common for law enforcement officers in West Virginia and elsewhere to perform a number of roadside tests to check for impairment. These tests are believed to be fairly accurate, but they are not without room for error. What is a standard field sobriety test , and what errors might be made while the test is being administered? There are ...
On any given day, it is not uncommon to see law enforcement officers patrolling the roadways of West Virginia. These individuals have been charged with keeping the public safe and should be commended for their efforts. Part of their jobs is to keep an eye out for those drivers whom they believe are exhibiting signs of impairment, and the time police have spent doing so has resulted in numerous DUI ...
In today's post, we will continue and conclude our discussion on three field sobriety tests commonly used around the nation. While there are a number of tests that may be able to help determine if a driver is impaired, these three tests were developed and recommended by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. We have already discussed the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test and the ...
Last week, we discussed a field sobriety test known as the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus. This is a test you might have seen on television or in a movie, where a police officer has the suspect track a moving object with their eyes. The object is often a pen, a flashlight or the officer's finger. Although there are a number of field sobriety tests used in different states, the HGN is one of three tests ...
Even if you've never been pulled over, you have probably watched enough television to have some idea of how a DUI traffic stop is conducted. Whether it's blowing into a breathalyzer or taking field sobriety tests , we all think we have some idea about what to expect. In today's post, we'll be talking about field sobriety tests, and one test in particular. It's known as the Horizontal Gaze ...
Youâve probably driven past someone who has been pulled over by police and subjected to a series of field sobriety tests. From afar, the process may look very scientific, with the officer observing the driverâs movements very methodically to try and determine if he or she may be impaired. Yet if you have ever participated in such an exercise yourself, you may view the conclusions made by the ...
Say that you are pulled over by an officer who suspects drunk driving. After field sobriety tests, the officer administers a breath-alcohol test (commonly called a breathalyzer). The results show that you are over the legal limit, but you strongly suspect that the device gave an inaccurate reading. Now imagine that prosecutors are charging you with driving under the influence . You want to defend ...
We have previously written that drunk driving charges can be challenged if evidence may have been tainted, tests may have been administered incorrectly or the traffic stop was not legitimate. Today, weâll discuss traffic stops in greater detail. Most people donât realize it, but an illegitimate traffic stop may be a violation of their Fourth Amendment rights. The Constitutionâs Fourth ...
Being sick certainly isn’t fun, and as soon as we start feeling that tickle in the back of our throat, sinus congestion, nausea or any other symptom we’ll seek a remedy. Over-the-counter and prescription medications can certainly provide relief, but these are still powerful substances that have side effects that could impair our ability to drive. This past weekend, officers with the Martinsburg ...
Martinsburg residents planning on going out to dinner or to a bar where they’ll consume a couple of drinks might want to invest a little more time in finding a designated driver or alternative ride home this weekend. Why? The West Virginia State Police have scheduled a sobriety checkpoint that is planned to start at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 11 and run until 2 a.m. on Saturday, April 12. Officers ...