When a police officer pulls someone over for suspicion of drunk driving, they have to gather evidence before they make an arrest. Numerous forms of evidence can contribute to impaired driving criminal cases. Police officers typically try to gather several different kinds of evidence before arresting someone on impaired driving allegations.
What kind of evidence will the police try to gather to make a conviction more likely?
Video footage or officer testimony about driving behaviors
The way that someone drives before a police officer pulls them over can play a major role in giving an officer the probable cause they need to arrest a driver. Officers may use camera footage or provide testimony about your behavior at the wheel and how you answered questions or interacted with them in the early moments of the traffic stop.
Records of your performance on a field sobriety test
When officers think you have had something to drink before getting behind the wheel, they may ask you to get out of the vehicle and perform several physical maneuvers. Field sobriety test results can give officers probable cause they require to request chemical breath testing.
Chemical test results that show high levels of alcohol
Anyone who fails a chemical breath test could find themselves facing drunk driving charges. Officers typically ask for a breath test once they have probable cause based on other factors from the traffic stop. Someone failing a breath test is often the final evidence an officer needs to arrest them.
There are ways for those facing drunk driving allegations to challenge or undermine the evidence gathered by law enforcement. Understanding how the state builds its case for drunk driving charges can help you defend against them.
