What Does A Charlotte, North Carolina DWI Stop Entail?

By Lakota R. Denton


Being stopped for a DWI (Driving While Impaired) by a police officer in Charlotte, North Carolina generally involves some the following components:

Before you are pulled over, an officer must be able to observe that an individual is driving in a manner that suggests the driver is impaired, in order to establish reasonable suspicion. A Police officer will observe the driver and compare the witnessed behavior to established DWI factors. These include things like: crossing the centerline, weaving in traffic, almost colliding with other vehicles, etc. Once they've established reasonable suspicion to pull a driver over, they can flash the blue lights and begin the DWI stop process.

After a police officer has pulled an individual over for a suspected DWI, they will approach the vehicle and interact with the individual in order to confirm their suspicions. A police officer will generally begin by asking for your license and registration. Many police officers will also ask follow up questions in order to establish intoxication like: "Have you been drinking tonight?" "How many drinks have you had?" While a police officer is doing this, he will also be looking to see if you smell of alcohol, slur your words, or generally appear to be impaired. If he believes that you are noticeably impaired, he can then ask you to undergo field sobriety tests.

After being asked to perform a field sobriety test, you do have the right to refuse the field test, however, refusal will often constitute arrest for suspicion of DWI and you may immediately lose your driving privilege. If you consent, you will be asked to perform a variety of basic motor skills tests involving hand eye coordination and mental capacity. The police officer will often ask you to blow into a Breathalyzer at the completion of the field sobriety test to officially determine your blood alcohol level.

If a police officer believes that an individual shows signs of impairment after the use of field sobriety tests, the police officer will arrest the individual for suspicion of DWI. Following this arrest, the officer will restrain the individual, arrange for a sober passenger or a tow truck to take care of the vehicle, and drive the arrest individual to the police station for booking.

If you have received a DWI charge, call Minick Law today to discuss your case with one of your lawyers, for free. The attorneys at Minick Law are standing by to fight for the best results following your DWI charge.






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