Legal Guides

Avoiding Driving While Intoxicated In Missouri

By
24 December, 2022

893 Views

No Comments »

Driving while intoxicated in Missouri can lead to a variety of penalties.

If you are caught, you could face several different charges, including driving while impaired, failure to appear, and even refusing to submit to a breath test. However, there are some things you can do to avoid getting in trouble with the law.

1. Resisting a breath test

The law is clear: If a police officer suspects you of being under the influence of alcohol, you must submit to a chemical test. In Missouri, this means a breath or blood sample.

A Breathalyzer test is usually administered after a driver has been arrested. If the result is over the legal limit, the police will take the driver’s license.

In addition to the DWI penalties, refusal to take a breath or blood test can affect a driver’s license. Depending on the state, the suspension period can vary from several months to a year. Several states have also adopted no-refusal policies.

Resisting an arrest for drunk driving, whether it’s a first-time DUI or a fourth, can be a felony. There are strict punishments for this, including up to four years in prison.

Missouri is one of the few states that has a “no-refusal” enforcement policy. Its Implied Consent Laws require everyone who operates a motor vehicle in the state implicitly consents to give a saliva or breath sample.

The implied consent laws are printed on the back of a driver’s license. The no-refusal policy was created to reduce the number of people who refused to take a Breathalyzer test.

As a result of this, the police may choose to apply for a search warrant to obtain a blood sample. In some cases, the police may ask a blood alcohol testing the mobile unit to be stationed at the scene of the arrest.

2. Refusing to submit to blood-alcohol testing

If you are arrested for driving while intoxicated, you might be asked to submit to a blood or breath test. This can be a big deal, and there are some things you should know before agreeing.

For starters, the Missouri Implied Consent Law says that everyone who operates a motor vehicle implicitly consents to give a saliva or breath sample when requested by a police officer. However, this does not mean that if you refuse to take a chemical test you will lose your license.

In addition to the aforementioned implied consent law, there are other laws involving testing. A preliminary breath test is a type of handheld test device that can be used by a police officer to determine if a driver is impaired. The results of this test are not evidence of a driver’s legal limit, but they are important in building a case against the driver.

Another test, the preliminary alcohol screening test, is a part of field sobriety tests. It does not serve as a substitute for a blood alcohol content (BAC) test, but it does offer the possibility of a temporary permit for up to 15 days.

The state of Missouri also requires drivers to submit to a urine test. These tests can determine how many drugs are in the system, and how much alcohol is present.

3. Persistent offenders

If you are arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI) in Missouri, you might be surprised to learn that you could be charged with a felony instead of a misdemeanor. In fact, a person who is found guilty of two or more DWIs is considered a persistent offender.

In most cases, this means that you will be charged with a Class D felony and face up to four years in prison. However, the range of punishment can vary depending on your blood alcohol concentration at the time of your arrest. Depending on your criminal history, your attorney may be able to work with you to minimize the sentence.

Typically, the minimum time you can serve in prison is 30 days. After you’ve served that time, you’ll be eligible for probation, but you’ll need to have completed 480 hours of community service.

However, if you are found to be a persistent offender, you’ll be charged with a class E felony. These offenses are more serious than first-time DWI charges, and your jail time and fines can reach up to $5,000.

Persistent offenders are also charged with felony offenses if they commit another DWI within the next 10 years. For this reason, the state of Missouri has adopted special sentencing guidelines for law offenders.

Read Also:

Share This Article

Tags

Arnab Das is a passionate blogger who loves to write on different niches like technologies, dating, finance, fashion, travel, and much more.

View Post

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Relatable

Bus Accident Attorneys
supplier agreement
legal malpractice