Phoenix DUI Abogados

Tampa police are already some of the strictest in the nation when it comes to patrolling for DUI’s. And with the receipt of recent grant money, the city just got stricter. In fact, the entire county just got stricter as it relates to patrolling for DUI’s. The Tampa Bay Times reports that Tampa police, in addition to Hillsborough and Pasco County Sheriff’s offices each received grants aimed specifically at increasing driving under the influence patrols.

With the $127,000 grant money, the Tampa police departments hope to increase local DUI arrests by five percent and decrease DUI-related crashes by ten percent over the next nine months. Currently, Tampa has fifteen designated DUI patrol officers in rotation. The majority of Tampa’s grant money will be used to increase DUI patrols on popular drinking weekends, such as spring break, Super Bowl Sunday and Fourth of July. Hillsborough County plans to use some of their money to create a campaign aimed at curbing underage drinking.

The Tampa Bay Times quotes Tampa police spokeswoman Andrea Davis, “It’s so preventable. And there are so many resources, there’s no excuse.” Davis also notes that very few of the drunk drivers arrested in Tampa have high blood alcohol levels. “Most are what you’d consider ‘buzzed driving.’ You think you’re okay because you’ve only had a couple of drinks over a couple of hours.”

If you have a BAC level of .08 or above in Tampa, police will more than likely charge you with a DUI. But did you know that if your BAC is as low as .05, the police will still try to charge you? As the article notes, police are not only on patrol for extremely intoxicated drivers but those drivers that just had a couple drinks at dinner. When possible, choose a designated driver that has not had anything to drink during your time out or call a taxi. Knowing that the police are looking for you now more than ever should be enough encouragement to not drive.

A Tampa DUI conviction is serious business. Here are some of the potential punishments you may face:

• Jail
• Fines
• Community Service
• Victim Impact Panel
• License Suspension
• Probation
• Vehicle Impound

The more DUI’s you receive, the harsher the punishments. The Florida legislature designed DUI sanctions with the goal of punishing and also deterring any future DUI offenses.

If you have recently been arrested for a DUI in Tampa, you should get in touch with a DUI defense attorney as soon as possible. The law firm of Finebloom & Haenel P.A. has the years of experience you will want on your side. Not only do we know the law but we are also very familiar with the local police and court system. We will work hard to get you the best results possible and will also let you know what is going on with your case at every step. Give us a call today for an obligation-free consultation.

The U.S.Supreme Court heard a important case for all those that practice DUI defense. A blood alcohol  case was on the docket today. The issue is whether the police can avoid the search warrant requirement in seizing a blood alcohol sample. Lyle Denniston wrote a recap on the oral argument on the SCOTUS Blog .

It was interesting that Mr.Denniston opined that the court was trying to seek a compromise on the case during the argument. Most of the Justices agreed that their should be a requirement for a warrant to take someones blood. The question is when should the warrant requirement be waived. The government argued that the time factor in getting a blood sample with a search warrant requirement was critical and should be waived. Based upon the tone of the oral argument it appears the court is not going to allow a across the board waiver of a search warrant.

The case is very important as it applies to Tennessee. In some Tennessee DUI cases , there are mandatory blood draws for multiple DUI offenders. I agree with Mr. Denniston that there will be some type of compromise. The question for those in Tennessee will be whether the mandatory blood draws will stand up over court review.