If you’ve been arrested for driving under the influence of legal prescription drugs, or drugs that are not prescribed by a physician, a DUI defense attorney in Clearwater can help. Your attorney will help you understand all of your options, including the possibility of getting your charges reduced or participating in a diversion program for DUI arrests. 

If you’ve been arrested for driving under the influence, call Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan today. 

If you’re charged with driving under the influence of any substance in Florida, you will need to confirm with an experienced Clearwater DWI lawyer that you do not need to seek court permission prior to traveling out of county. In many cases, our top-rated Clearwater DUI defense lawyers are able to have our client’s “e-sign” paperwork that authorize our lawyers to appear in court so that the client does not have to worry about returning to Pinellas County. For that reason, it’s crucial to find the best DUI lawyer in Clearwater to help you handle as much as possible while you are still in town. 

Our office uses state of the art technology to store client files and communicate with clients. Our team is able to video conference with “out of town” clients to facilitate client meetings and review the evidence in your case.

All hope is not lost if you have been charged with a DUI while vacationing in Clearwater. The top DUI lawyers in Clearwater may be able to help get your charges reduced to reckless driving, depending on the circumstances, and can help you understand your rights and obtain a favorable outcome. 

If you’ve been arrested for driving under the influence, even after just a single drink while on vacation, call the top DUI lawyers in Clearwater at Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan. 

Although refusing a breath, urine or blood test after an arrest for DUI can result in a driver’s license suspension pursuant to Florida Statute 316.1932 (1)(a)1.a., you are not required to agree to a field sobriety test. A field sobriety test may include one or more of the following:

• The One-Leg Stand Test: An officer will instruct the driver to stand on one leg while counting out loud beginning with one thousand. The driver continues to stand and count while the officer looks for signs of impairment such as hopping from foot-to-foot, waving of the arms, or swaying to maintain balance. 
• Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus Test: While intoxicated, the naturally occurring twitching of the eyes is exaggerated. In this test, the officer is looking for this exaggerated movement and attempting to determine if the driver’s eyes are unable to follow an object smoothly. 
• The Walk-and-Run Test: an officer will instruct the person to walk, heel to toe, along a straight line. The officer is watching for loss of balance, the inability to touch heel to toe, and using arms to balance.

Simply put: field sobriety tests are too subjective and are often performed illegally or without following the proper procedure. The tests are designed for failure and it is nearly impossible for you to meet law enforcement’s expectations. Quite frankly, if the officer is asking you to do these tests, he/she has likely already bade up his/her mind to place you under arrest for DUI. With this in mind, please know that you have the right to refuse these tests.

The penalties for a DUI on a golf cart are the same as the penalties for a DUI in any other vehicle. These penalties will depend on any prior offenses and are defined per section 316.193, Florida Statutes. This states that for a first conviction you’ll face:

• A fine of not less than $500 or more than $1,000
• If blood/breath alcohol level (BAL) was .15 or higher, or if there was a minor in the vehicle, a fine of not less than $1,000 or more than $2,000
• “At the court’s discretion, sentencing terms may be served in a residential alcoholism or drug abuse treatment program and credited toward the term of imprisonment.”

Additionally, imprisonment for a first conviction is:

• Imprisonment for not more than six months
• If BAL was .15 or higher, or if there was a minor in the vehicle, imprisonment for not more than nine months

Additionally, your vehicle may be impounded and you may lose driving privileges for as much as a year for your first offense. Remember, if you are arrested a second time on a golf cart, you’ll face even more steep consequences just as you would if you were in any other vehicle.