Florida residents can likely recall a few occasions when they found themselves in need of driving directions. It is always nice to come across a helpful individual who can point one in the right direction. Recently, a local man found himself unsure of how to reach his destination, and asked a police officer to assist him. Unfortunately, instead of heading to his destination, he was soon headed to jail, facing DUI charges.
The driver spotted local police, who were pulled over at the time engaging another driver in an unrelated traffic stop. Likely thinking that a local police officer would be just the sort of safe person from whom to ask directions, he pulled over alongside. He inquired about the route he needed to take, but things quickly went south when the officer suspected the man might be under the influence of alcohol.
Police allegedly smelled the odor of alcohol coming from the driver as he spoke and, upon further inspection, claim to have found open alcohol containers in his vehicle. The driver was detained, and found himself facing several charges, including DUI. The driver currently remains incarcerated in Florida.
While certainly, being accused of a DUI must be taken seriously, a charge is a far cry from a conviction. Often, the actions and suspicions of the police responsible for charging a driver may be called into question. One way to be sure a driver receives due process of law may be to seek help from an experienced attorney. An attorney may be able to assist an accused driver in defending against any criminal charges.
Source: cbs12.com, “Man stops to ask police for directions, charged with DUI“, Gary Detman, May 29, 2018