Be Careful During An OVI Stop Even If You're Sober
When you are pulled over for an OVI while sober, you might think that there is nothing for you to worry about. However, this isn't always the case. A police officer might still think you're under the influence of alcohol due to your actions.
OVI Stops Can Lead to Unexpected Charges
An OVI stop can be used as an opportunity for the police to search your car for evidence of another crime. For example, if you are in possession of a firearm that you re not legally allowed to own, the police might use the OVI stop as an opportunity to arrest you for this crime.
Even if you have not committed any crimes, you might be asked to perform a breathalyzer test. Some breathalyzers produce false positives because they are not properly calibrated. Therefore, you will want to protect your rights and only do what you are required by law to do.
What You Must Do
When the officer turns on their lights, you are expected to pull over by the side of the road. You must roll down your window when the officer asks you to. You will likely be asked to provide your license, registration, and insurance information. You are required by law to provide this. However, you also have constitutional rights.
Your Constitutional Rights
A police officer will not inform you of your constitutional rights. However, you have the right to refuse to answer any questions that the police officer has asked you. You might make an innocent statement that could end up being misconstrued as an admission of guilt and this could be used by the officer to launch a larger investigation.
If the officer is asking for permission to search your car, you can choose to refuse. This is because they would simply search your car without asking permission if they were allowed to do so.
How an OVI Lawyer Can Help
If you believe that your rights have been violated, you will want to contact an OVI lawyer as soon as possible. For example, if the officer did not have probable cause, your lawyer might be able to use this as a reason to have your charges reduced or dismissed.
Because you did not commit a DUI, you might feel that it's unfair that you've been arrested. However, to avoid going to jail, you'll need to fight hard with the help of an OVI attorney.
