After a DUI Arrest in Brunswick 

A DUI arrest can be a confusing and overwhelming experience. You might find yourself wondering what happens after DUI arrests in Brunswick, and what your next steps should be. Following an arrest,  the counsel of a qualified lawyer can be invaluable. A local DUI lawyer will be able to answer any questions you have and can jumpstart the process of crafting your defense.

What Happens After Arrest

What happens after DUI arrests in Brunswick is that the person is transported from wherever the DUI is given on the side of the road in Brunswick County.

They are transported by law enforcement to Meherrin River Regional Jail where they then have to submit to the intoxilyzer which is a machine that is a more accurate form of determining what someone’s actual blood alcohol content is.

Inoxilyzer Explained

The intoxilyzer is at the jail and there are certain things that have to be done before they test anyone with the intoxilyzer. When someone is arrested, the law enforcement officials are going to be following protocol to make sure that the intoxilyzer results are accurate for purposes of being offered into courts.

If those conditions cannot be met, the person will be charged with the refusal. Under those conditions, step by step, there is a waiting period and observation period. The waiting period exists to make sure that people do not do anything that is going to impact the results of the intoxilyzer and lessen its accuracy.

The big thing that they are looking for is vomiting and belching, which release residual alcohol into the mouth and can result in a higher BAC result. While that is happening, they are still observing and if the person is making statements, if the person is belligerent, they are taking all of that into account and will use it against the person in court.

BAC Test Refusal

A person can always refuse but there are serious civil consequences to a refusal. The person is submitting themselves to a lengthy license suspension that the person cannot fight.

If the person is found guilty of the refusal, the person is going to have that lengthy license suspension. Unlike with the DUI, the person is not going to be eligible for a restricted license so that person will not be able to drive to work, drive to church, go get his or her kids. There are no exceptions.

Consequences for Refusal

The most serious consequence is that the person is going to have that mandatory license suspension and the person is not going to be eligible for a restricted license. There are also enhanced refusal consequences if the person thinks that it is a pattern or a practice, there are enhanced penalties.

Can people contact an attorney during a DUI stop and can drivers get a lawyer for Brunswick bond hearings?

Drivers who have been pulled over for a DUI stop cannot get a lawyer for hearings in front of the magistrate.

Theoretically, people can contact an attorney during the DUI stop but that is all going to be taken into account if they have been uncooperative to the officer, if that individual did not submit to a field sobriety test, and if the person is screaming into their phone, or asking their lawyer if they have to do that.

Contacting an Attorney

As soon as someone is allowed to make a phone call, they should contact an attorney, especially if they are looking at a denial of bond. A skilled DUI lawyer can help you navigate what happens after DUI arrests in Brunswick, and can help you craft a solid defense.