A 26-year-old male driver from Milwaukee was pulled over for speeding in Fox Point, Wisconsin, close to 6 in the morning on April 29th. When a police officer approached the vehicle to speak to the driver, the officer allegedly noticed that the man’s breath smelled strongly of alcohol. The officer immediately suspected the man of driving under the influence.
When questioned, the driver confirmed that he had consumed four of five drinks the evening prior. However, he told the officer that he had his last drink more than three hours earlier.
The driver told the officer he was lost and was trying to get to a nearby highway. The officer then took the man’s driver’s license and returned to his patrol car.
While the officer ran the license, the driver reportedly bent over and out of view for several seconds. According to reports, this gave the officer probable cause to search the man’s car. The officer located an open can of beer in the vehicle.
The officer administered a breathalyzer test that revealed the driver had a blood alcohol content that was twice the legal limit at .16 percent. The police officer arrested the man for driving under the influence, speeding and other violations. Records indicate that this was the driver’s second offense for operating a vehicle under the influence.
As this case shows, Wisconsin police officers take drunk driving very seriously. However, experienced Milwaukee defense attorneys know that not everyone who is accused of driving while intoxicated is guilty. Strong defenses can be built to challenge drunk driving charges.
Source: FoxPoint-BaysidePatch.com, “Drunk Driver Disappears: Officers Find Hurricane High Gravity Beer Buried Under Passenger Seat,” Sarah Worthman, 05 May, 2011