You had big plans for Thanksgiving weekend. Every year you watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with your family. Perhaps you head over to a relative’s house to enjoy a large, home-cooked Thanksgiving Day meal with your family and friends and watch the football game. You had big plans for a relaxing and fun Thanksgiving weekend. Illinois drivers never intend to face a DUI arrest, especially during the holidays.
Unfortunately, Thanksgiving weekend is one of the worst times to be pulled over for a DUI. Illinois police officers are always overworked and overburdened during the holiday season. It is important to know what to expect if you are arrested for a DUI in Illinois on Thanksgiving weekend.
Arrest and Booking on Thanksgiving Weekend
If you are arrested for a DUI on Thanksgiving weekend, you might spend your entire weekend or longer in jail. After a police officer pulls you over, he or she will place you in the back of a patrol car and drive you to the police station. Illinois police officers often set up DUI checkpoints during holiday weekends in an attempt to apprehend drunk drivers. Alternatively, a police officer might stop you if you are swerving, speeding, or driving erratically.
The police officer will ask you to produce a valid driver’s license, proof of insurance, and registration. If the police officer suspects that you are intoxicated, he or she will ask you to step out of your vehicle and perform standard field sobriety tests. If you fail the field sobriety tests, the officer might place you under arrest and transport you to the police station for further breath, blood, or urine testing. If you fail the tests and shows a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher, or refuses to submit to testing, you may be subject to a statutory summary suspension of your driver’s license.
During processing, an officer will photograph you, fingerprint you, and confiscate your belongings. If you are a first-time offender, you might qualify for a Monitoring Device Driving Permit. You might be required to post a bond before police officers will release you. Finally, police officers might tow, impound, or seize your motor vehicle. During Thanksgiving weekend, police stations are often crowded and backed up. You might be detained much longer than you would expect.
Consequences of a Thanksgiving DUI
If you are charged with a DUI over Thanksgiving, you will be subjected to many negative consequences in addition to missing your Thanksgiving dinner. Your driving privileges, and possibly your freedom could be at stake. If this is your second, third, or fourth DUI conviction, you could face significant fines and jail time. It is essential that you contact a skilled DUI attorney as soon as possible.
Making even the smallest misstep during the arrest process could seriously hinder your DUI defense. At Glasgow & Olsson, our skilled defense attorneys have successfully defended many Illinois residents. If you are arrested for a DUI over Thanksgiving, contact our criminal defense law firm as soon as possible.
(image courtesy of Steve Halama)