A Look at Police Mistakes That May Provide a Defense to DWI

Just like individuals who have been arrested for DWI can make mistakes that will harm their defense, arresting officers can make mistakes that will harm the State’s chances of a successful prosecution. In fact, even in cases where individuals who have been arrested have been drinking and driving, police mistakes will often provide defenses that can be used to avoid conviction at trial.

The following are four common examples of police mistakes that can provide defenses to DWI charges in North Carolina:

1. Lack of Reasonable Suspicion to Pull You Over

All police officers are subject to a number of Constitutional standards. One of these standards is that they cannot initiate a traffic stop unless they have reasonable suspicion that someone in the vehicle has been involved in the commission of a crime. If you were pulled over without reasonable suspicion, any evidence that the police obtained as a result of your traffic stop may be inadmissible at trial. Without evidence, the prosecutor’s office will be unable to build a case against you.

Keep in mind, however, that the reasonable suspicion does not have to relate to your drunk driving. If the arresting officer had reason to believe that you committed a different offense and then only discovered that you were intoxicated after pulling you over, you can still be prosecuted for DWI even though the officer lacked reasonable suspicion to stop you for driving while intoxicated.

2. Lack of Probable Cause to Make an Arrest

The Constitution also protects U.S. citizens from being arrested without probable cause. Probable cause is a higher standard than reasonable suspicion, so the police can lack probable cause to make an arrest even after a valid traffic stop. If a reasonable person would not have believed that you were driving while intoxicated, your arrest may have been invalid, and any evidence obtained following your arrest may be inadmissible to prove that you are guilty of DWI.

3. Improper Administration of Field Sobriety Tests (FSTs)

One way that the police can establish probable cause is by administering field sobriety tests (FSTs) after they pull you over. However, only certain FSTs have been scientifically proven to be reliable, and they are only reliable when they are administered appropriately. If the arresting officer used an unreliable test or did not follow the necessary procedures, his or her failure to do so may provide a defense to your DWI.

4. Improper Administration of Breath Test

The same also holds true for breath tests (breathalyzers). There are a number of factors that can contribute to faulty breath test results, and failure to calibrate testing equipment and other issues can taint breath test results as well. If police mistakes resulted in an inaccurate measurement of your blood alcohol content (BAC), the prosecution should not be able to use the tainted results at trial.

Arrested for DWI in Raleigh, NC? Speak with a Lawyer Today

In order to assert these defenses, you will need an experienced Raleigh DWI lawyer on your side. At Cheshire Parker Schneider & Bryan, PLLC, we bring decades of experience to defending clients against drunk driving charges in Raleigh, NC. To learn more about what we can do to protect you, call (919) 833-3114 or request a consultation online today.