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Increased DUI Charges Over Long Weekends: What You Need to Know

Posted On: July 16th, 2019 by Bradley J. Groene
Glass of amber alcohol next to car keys and gavel

For many of us, a long weekend often means a much-needed break from work. Maybe we’ll attend a family party, get together with friends, or attend a game or concert to relax and take advantage of our time off. If you enjoy a few drinks, however, be aware that you are more likely to wind up charged with DUI on a long weekend than other times of the year. Memorial Day, Labor Day, Fourth of July, and any other time a holiday falls on a Friday or Monday is likely to see increased DUI charges.

If you find yourself charged with DUI, don’t make a bad situation worse by thinking you’ll get fair treatment from the prosecutor. You need someone on your side to protect your rights and make sure you get a fair outcome. Contact the Cincinnati DUI defense lawyers at Luftman, Heck & Associates LLP for a free consultation about your case – call (513) 338-1890 today!

Expect Increased Enforcement

It may seem obvious, but the increased DUI charges are the result of increased DUI enforcement. Police will be out in force and will be aggressively pulling people over that they suspect are driving while under the influence. Police can pull you over if they witness any of the following:

  • Traffic violations – speeding, illegal turns, running red lights
  • Driving too slowly
  • Erratic driving – weaving, lane drifting, speeding up and slowing down
  • Broken tail lights, burned out headlights

Essentially, police can pull you over for almost anything. If you are pulled over, remain calm and be cooperative.

Expect DUI Checkpoints

On long holiday weekends you should also expect to encounter DUI checkpoints. If you find yourself approaching a DUI checkpoint, remain calm and proceed carefully. Do not try to avoid the checkpoint, especially to make a U-turn – this will only make the police suspicious. Keep in mind that not every vehicle will be stopped, some will be permitted to pass through.

If you are stopped, here are some things you can do to make the stop go as smoothly as possible:

  • Roll down your window and have your license, registration, and insurance information ready
  • Provide only direct, specific, and honest responses regarding your identification, insurance, license, and registration
  • Do not answer questions regarding whether you have had anything to drink, where you are coming from, or what you were doing

The police will use whatever they can against you. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you will help yourself by being more cooperative than you need to be.

If You Are Arrested for a DUI

Understanding what happens when you are arrested is perhaps more important during a long weekend than it would be otherwise. Once arrested, you will be taken to the police station for booking. Booking is essentially what the police do to document your arrest – recording all of your personal information, taking your fingerprints, and taking your “mugshot.” Once you have been booked, there are three things that may happen:

  1. You will be held in custody;
  2. You will be allowed to post bail; or
  3. You will be allowed to leave on your own recognizance.

More than likely, you will be held in custody while the process your case and figure out the appropriate avenue. Keep in mind that the next step in your case is the arraignment, which will require you to appear before a judge. As you have probably guessed, the court is not in session on the weekend. As a result, if you are held in jail, you could possibly remain there until Monday or Tuesday morning.

Posting Bail

If you can bail yourself out, do it – don’t think that staying in jail is a declaration of innocence. If you don’t have the cash available, you can contact a bail bond agency. Many of them are open 24 hours, 7 days a week. By paying a small percentage of the bond, you can get yourself out of jail for the weekend.

Charged with DUI in Cincinnati? Contact the DUI Attorneys at Luftman, Heck & Associates

If you find yourself charged with DUI, the best thing you can do is contact an experienced DUI attorney. We provide our clients with an aggressive defense from the very first meeting, and we fight for you to get the best possible result. If you’d like to learn more, call us at (513) 338-1890 or our online contact form to schedule your free consultation today!



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Bradley Groene made an exceptionally difficult situation much easier to handle. He kept me informed of everything that was going to happen and got results for my case far better than I could have hoped for. I would highly recommend him for anyone who finds themselves in legal troubles.