Many people look forward to celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with green beers and pints of Guinness, however, nothing ruins a holiday faster than getting charged with DWI. North Carolina takes DWI charges seriously and they can carry heavy penalties if convicted, so it is important to do everything you can to overcome these charges and keep them off of your record. The best way to do that is by retaining an experienced DWI attorney who will fight to get your charges dropped.
North Carolina Has One of Highest Rates of St. Patrick’s Day DUI-related Fatalities
While there is a reported 10% increase in car accidents and DUIs nationwide on St. Patrick’s Day, North Carolina has one of the highest rates of DUI-related fatalities in the country. In fact, Fayetteville, North Carolina has consistently logged rates of DUI-related fatalities on St. Patrick’s Day that are ten times the amount that they would usually experience. For this reason, they rank within the top 5 most dangerous cities to drive in on St. Patrick’s Day in the country. This also means that there will be a significantly increased police presence on St. Patrick’s Day in North Carolina, with the goal of pulling over drivers suspected of driving while impaired.
How an Attorney Can Help with Your North Carolina DWI
There are many circumstances in which your DWI charges can be dismissed. For instance, if the police made procedural errors in your arrest, incorrectly processed, tested, or logged evidence, or lacked the reasonable suspicion or probable cause necessary to pull you over, it would be a violation of your constitutional rights to move forward with the criminal justice process and the charges against you should be dismissed. Your attorney will conduct a thorough review of your case to determine whether any of these bases apply. In the event that your charges are not dismissed, your attorney may be able to negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecution to reduce your charges to a less serious offense, drop additional charges, or to avoid jail time. If you proceed to trial, your attorney can present defenses that create doubt about whether or not you committed the crime. By calling into question the validity of the evidence against you, you may avoid a conviction. In order to convict a defendant the jury must find them guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, so your attorney will use applicable defenses to create doubt that may prevent the jury from reaching a conviction. Remember, it may not feel like it, but you are innocent until proven guilty.
Schedule a Consultation with Coastal South Law
If you are facing DWI charges in North Carolina, the experienced criminal defense attorneys at Coastal South Law want to hear from you. We will fight to get your charges kicked out of court so that your record stays clean. Contact Coastal South Law today to schedule a consultation and find out how we can help you.