A 31-year-old man was stopped by police on July 25 in Auburn, New York, after authorities say they saw his car being driven erratically. The man was stopped on North Street and was asked to perform field sobriety tests. He refused to take a breath test after being sent to a state police station.
He was charged with a felony count of driving while intoxicated because he had a previous conviction 10 years ago. He was also charged with failure to stop at a red light as well as failure to keep right and maintain his lane. The driver was scheduled to appear in Auburn City Court on Aug. 3 for a hearing related to his refusal to take a breath test.
Those who are charged with a DWI may wish to consider talking with an attorney as soon as possible. A drunk driving charge may come with multiple significant penalties such as the loss of a drivers license, a fine and possible jail or prison time. The severity of any penalties handed down to a driver may increase if he or she has had convictions for DWI in the past. Automatic penalties may also apply for refusing a breath test.
An attorney may be able to help reduce the possible consequences a person may face after being charged with drunk driving. For instance, it may be possible to contend that the car was suffering from a mechanical problem that made it impossible to drive properly. It may also be possible to maintain that a driver had a medical condition that made it difficult to drive in an orderly fashion. If successful, it may be possible to have a case thrown out or to negotiate a plea that reduces some of the penalties.
