As we approach the 4th of July weekend, here are a few friendly reminders from an experienced Fort Worth criminal defense attorney and DWI Lawyer.

No Refusal Weekend – Don’t Drink & Drive

The first thing to remember is if you have had too much to drink – don’t drink and drive.  Police agencies throughout Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas are going to be out in full force over the next weekend, so be careful.  Have a designated driver.  Get a cab.  Call an Uber driver.  Just don’t drink and drive.  Judges are going to be on standby signing warrants to get your blood.

Basis for Stop – Make Sure Everything on Your Vehicle Is Working Properly

Officers can pull you over for just about anything, so don’t make it easier on them because your tail light is out, or your inspection sticker is expired. Get your vehicle checked out and make sure everything is working properly.

Blood – Police Are Going to Get Your Blood

If you get pulled over and police suspect that you have had too much to drink, then you are going to get arrested and they are going to get your blood (through a warrant).  As noted above, Judges will be on standby to sign warrants throughout the entire weekend.  Obtaining a blood sample makes it much easier for the State to prove a DWI/DUI and makes it much more likely that you will end up with a DWI conviction on your record.

Some Quick Tips If You Get Pulled Over for DWI/DUI

Here are some tips in the event that you have been drinking and get pulled over DWI or DUI:

  1. Anything you say can be held against you and you have a 5th Amendment right to remain silent. Hint: they are going to ask you how much you have had to drink & “12 beers” is not a good fact for your DWI lawyer to work with.
  2. Officers rely mostly on testing your balance when determining whether you are intoxicated (e.g. the Walk and Turn test and the One Leg Stand).  If you have bad balance or prior injuries (knee surgery, ankle injuries), then make sure you let the officer know.  Those tests might not be appropriate.
  3. If you KNOW you are going to fail a test, then should you do the test, or should you refuse and ask for a lawyer??

If you have any questions or in the event you get arrested for DWI, please don’t hesitate to call – 817-334-7900.

Attorney Bryan Hoeller is an experienced Fort Worth Criminal Defense Attorney. He is a former Tarrant County & Dallas County prosecutor and has tried over 100 criminal cases, from DWI to Capital Murder.