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Your Car After a Richmond DUI Arrest

During an arrest for driving under the influence in Richmond, it can be all too easy to focus solely on the short-term; that is, whether you will be brought to Central Booking, how long you will be kept, whether your license will be revoked, if jail time is a real possibility, among other worries. However, what is often overlooked is what happens to your car after an arrest. This is not something that should be overlooked, as it could have severe impact should the proper steps not be followed.

What Happens to Your Car After a DUI Arrest

Firstly, it is important to be aware that your car will be impounded after you are arrested for a DUI. In order to pick up your car from the impound lot, there are several steps that must be followed. These include assembling the appropriate paperwork, vehicle identification, and ensuring all fees have been paid. However, it is also important to remember that your vehicle will be searched by an officer prior to it being towed.

Therefore, anything they find in your vehicle, especially illegal substances and alcohol, can be withheld as evidence and used to further charges against you. Therefore, it is very important that you retain the services of an experienced Richmond attorney. They will be able to argue against any additional charges that may come about from a vehicle search, as well as defend your original DUI case.

Retrieving Your Vehicle

If a person is arrested for DUI in Richmond, their vehicle will likely be impounded, which means it will be towed and held at a local impound lot until the person can pay for its release.

When going to retrieve their car, the individual should bring paperwork proving their identity. They should also bring any vehicle identification paperwork they have. In many cases, the officers will also give them an impound form, which outlines when the car was impounded and by which officer’s authority.

What to Expect When Picking Up Your Car

Prior to picking up their car, an individual will have to pay any towing and impound fees incurred by the tow lot. The person also will have to sign that the vehicle was in the condition in which they left it when it was towed to the lot.

Be aware that an inventory search will be performed, in which the officer will search the vehicle and make a list of everything that was in the vehicle at the time of towing. If any illegal substances are found in the vehicle during an inventory search, this provides aggravating conditions and will result in additional criminal charges.

How a Richmond Attorney Can Help

It is always beneficial for an individual to have an experienced Richmond attorney when going to retrieve their car from the impound lot. DUI attorneys can ease the process along and help the individual get everything processed quickly. In addition, if the impound lot attempts to charge any additional fees or other penalties, the lawyer can help to dispute them.

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