Should DUI enforcement operations occur more frequently in Palm Beach? 

 

Florida – September 2, 2022

 

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office take DUI enforcement seriously and conducted a multi-agency enforcement initiative on September 2, 202, in collaboration with 9 area police departments. The goal of this operation was to apprehend drivers who operate their vehicles while under the influence and/or drive in a reckless/unsafe manner. The area of operation was from S.R. 706 (Indiantown Road) to S.R. 806 (Atlantic Avenue) and from S.R. 7 (U.S. 441) to U.S. Highway 1  that yielded:

  • 527 Traffic Stops

  • 17 DUI Arrests

  • 11 Misdemeanor Arrests

  • 73 Criminal Traffic Citations

  • 414 Traffic Citations

  • 279 Traffic Warnings

Palm Beach Gardens drivers who have been arrested for DUI may wonder “Where can I find an attorney near me?” to assist with DUI defense and related litigation when a DUI results in an accident involving injury or property damage.  An attorney at the John Olea Law Firm, PA can individuals who have been detained in addition to potential outcomes when there are accident victims of a DUI crash caused by the negligent driver act.   

Sobriety screening.

Routine traffic stops due to a broken taillight or suspicious and erratic driving behavior can lead to sobriety screening and DUI charges. Other times sobriety checkpoints are in place at a location where law enforcement officers are positioned to check drivers for signs of alcohol or drug impairment. When an officer determines a driver is showing signs of intoxication, he or she will administer a variety of impairment-related tests.

 

Field sobriety tests may include balance tests proven by walking a straight line, standing on one foot while counting, or evaluation of a horizontal gaze nystagmus.  Chemical tests include breath tests, blood tests, and urine tests to check a driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for which a criminal level regarding driving is 0.08% in Florida. When testing is done inappropriately by law enforcement, a DUI defense attorney may use that to lessen charges.  

DUI charges.

An individual who is convicted of driving under the influence in Florida may be subject to:

A fine of:

a. Not less than $500 or more than $1,000 for a first conviction.

b. Not less than $1,000 or more than $2,000 for a second conviction; and

Imprisonment for:

a. Not more than 6 months for a first conviction.

b. Not more than 9 months for a second conviction.

3. For a second conviction, the mandatory placement of an ignition interlock device must be undertaken for a period of at least 1 year, at the convicted person’s sole expense.

 

Palm Beach Gardens criminal defense lawyers can prepare legal strategies that may lessen DUI-related charges to avoid a criminal record and can assist when determinations of negligence impact civil lawsuits for accident victims who are attempting to recover comprehensive damages for losses, they endured because of a DUI driver in Palm Beach Gardens.

Hire a lawyer.

Hiring competent legal counsel at the Law Offices of John Olea, PA may be the difference between going to jail and having a lifelong criminal record.  Criminal defense counsel can make alternate arrangements to lessen a DUI charge so it can be expunged from a person’s record later.

 

Law Offices of John Olea, P.A.

2560 RCA Blvd Suite #111

Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410

 

Sources.

  1. Update - Traffic / DUI Saturation Patrol on Friday, September 2, 2022 - Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (pbso.org)

  2. http://www.leg.state.fl.us/STATUTES/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0800-0899/0893/Sections/0893.135.html

  3. http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.193.html