How to Cope When Affected by DWI

January 28, 2013  |  Jon P. Erickson

A DWI can be scary for everyone involved. There are countless of people arrested every day in Minnesota for driving while impaired but we really only hear about the extreme cases or those involving famous people. The fact is that they are more common than you think and if you drive drunk, you are at risk of being arrested.
If You are Arrested
Whether a cop notices you driving recklessly stops you at a checkpoint or responds to an accident that you are involved in, if you have been drinking and driving you can go to jail. It is important to remain calm when approached by an officer and to say as little as possible.
The more you say, the more you could incriminate yourself. If an officer pushes you to admit you were drinking, continue to remain silent or simply say that you would like to speak to your attorney. Even if you are not drunk, you should decline the field sobriety test because they are known for being unreliable. Even if you didn’t have a drop of alcohol to drink, you could fail the test.
At this point, you will be arrested and brought into the police station if the officer believes that you are intoxicated. Do not resist arrest or you could end up with additional charges. Once at the precinct, you will receive a blood alcohol test or a blood test to determine whether you are over the legal driving limit. If you are, you will be booked and most likely kept in jail, until you sober up.
You may face arraignment on the charges in the morning or the following Monday if arrested on a weekend. It is important to reach out to a DWI lawyer before the arraignment so that you have proper representation. However, sometimes it can take the prosecution some time to actually charge you with drunk driving and you may receive a notice in the mail weeks later.
Both sides may come to an agreement on the charges during the arraignment or a hearing could be scheduled. Typical penalties for drunk driving can include:

• Fees or fines
• Jail time
• Rehab treatment
• Community service
• Suspension or revocation of driver’s license

An attorney can work with the prosecutor to reduce your charges so that you receive less or no jail time and lower penalties. Without them, the book could be thrown at you.
We Can Help You
If you are charged with a DWI in Minnesota, the law offices of Barna, Guzy & Steffen can help you with experienced and reliable representation.
If you have been charged with drunk driving, our DUI lawyers can represent you in a criminal court of law on these charges as well as any lawsuits brought on by other parties. As soon as you are charged, you should contact a DWI defense lawyer.
Call the experienced DWI lawyers at Barna, Guzy & Steffen today!