Got my first DUI last night... What to do?

[Raytheon]

Got pulled over last night, coming from a friends house on my way to a local bar where a friend DJ's. Was just going to stop in and say hi, since it's his last night DJ'ing before he moves.

So officer pulls me over, asks me if I'm in a hurry, to which I respond, "Not particularly. Why, was I speeding?" He answers, "No. You did make that right turn without signaling though." I'm guessing that's what he pulled me over for? Then he asks me to step out of the vehicle and perform a field sobriety test.

Now this is the part that gets me. He demonstrates what he wants me to do. First he has me stand on one leg and hold the other out and count "1-1000" and so on. He demonstrates up to "5-1000" before he loses his balance and drops his leg. Then asks me to do the same. I get to "25-1000" then put my leg down, though he asks me to keep going. I'm like 99% positive he was going to make me stand there on one leg until the other leg dropped for whatever reason.

Anyway, after I complete the FST, he asks me to submit to a breathalyzer, which I told him I wouldn't do, which apparently means immediate arrest. Truck gets towed, I'm downtown getting booked, (got my first mug-shot, an embarrassing experience, even for someone as handsome as me) then after about 30 minutes, he tells me if I refuse a breathalyzer at the station, my license is immediately suspended for 1 year, etc., so I submit. I find out later, it's only suspended for a year if you're actually convicted of the crime at your court hearing, so cop pretty much bullied me into that one.

Admittedly, I had a few shots of Jager at a buddy's house, but I also ate, and it had been at least an hour to an hour and a half before we left his house. I honestly didn't think I was drunk or even 'buzzed', but I blew a .191 at the station, so not sure if that's high or not.

Anyone have any experience with this? I've been told to lawyer up, and that's about it. I have a security clearance I'd like to keep for my job, so getting a lawyer seems pretty paramount at this point. Any advice (Besides the obvious don't drink and drive, thank you) is appreciated....

[Callisto]

Get a lawyer, be ready to spend $2-3k if you want to keep your license. And a .191 is over double the legal limit in most states.

[Diamicles]

I don't think cops can make you do something in a field sobriety test that they can't do themselves. As for refusing the breathalyzer, it's an automatic arrest but the rest sounds like bullshit.

A 0.191 is over 2x the legal limit in most states (0.08 ) so I think you're up a creek regardless of what the cop did or didn't do.

[Conrad]

Admittedly, I had a few shots of Jager at a buddy's house, but I also ate, and it had been at least an hour to an hour and a half before we left his house. I honestly didn't think I was drunk or even 'buzzed', but I blew a .191 at the station, so not sure if that's high or not.

You blew more than double the legal limit and you don't know if it's a high number? Sounds like you're screwed.

[tyven]

well thats twice the legal limit round these parts. safe to say that if you blew a .191 after an hour and a half of no drinks, plus the half our at the station you had more than a few shots of jager.

[Qalbert]

^

[aurik]

You're fucked. Enjoy potentially losing your clearance and btw your car insurance (when you do get your license back in 6-12 months) is also going to be fucking sky high too. Between the fine, insurance, and incidental expenses this will probably end up costing you $10k+

Don't drink and drive, assholes.

[DAKPluto]

If you were .191 then to be honest we have to take the rest of the story with a grain of salt. You were not in a state to actually understand everything going on around you.

And refusing the breath test IS a crime, so the cop wasn't bullying you, you were guilty on the spot.

[Melena]

Well my uncle has had quite a few DUI's, so here's what to expect. As someone already said, 2-3k on a lawyer is about average. Your insurance is also going to go through the roof. Expect it to at least double what you got now. Since it's your first, your lawyer will probably get it plea'd down to a misdemeanor. Expect either a license suspension, or if your lucky restricted for to and from work only, and a minimum of 12 weekly visit's to AA meetings + community service and a fine. Make sure you get a lawyer though, or your going to get raped even harder. Also your DUI will remain on your driving record I believe for 7 years which can fuck you on a job that requires a clean driving record. And yes, you blew more then double what is considered dui, which means you were probably closer to a .21-.24 when you were pulled over.

Also, if your state is anything like california, if you ever have your license suspended, when it's reinstated for insurance purposes is considered your first effective day of driving. I found this out the hard way when my cheapo insurance several years ago never received my payment and cancelled me two days before I was involved in an at fault accident, so even though I've been driving since June of 97, the state of california only considers me licensed since January 02.

[Tyche]

It sounds like a .191 after 2+ hours if it was an hour and a half since he drank and was pulled over. That's really f'n high. If I had to guess, first offense, no priors, with a good lawyer, you're looking at a 90 day suspension w/ work release.

[Callisto]

Also even though it can have an effect on how drunk you feel, I'm pretty sure that eating food has no actual effect on your BHC.

[DAKPluto]

It sounds like a .191 after 2+ hours if it was an hour and a half since he drank and was pulled over. That's really f'n high. If I had to guess, first offense, no priors, with a good lawyer, you're looking at a 90 day suspension w/ work release.

Add in the refusal though, that's important. He will be lucky to get 6 months.

[Salodin]

I thought it stayed on your license for decades, like 60 or 70 years? o_O

[Tyche]

His initial refusal will be irrelevant since he took it (eventually) and failed. How high it is (or would have been then) would be irrelevant unless there was a wreck or he hit a pedestrian or something like that. If your lawyer can get it dropped to an OWI, you'll be much better off.

[Vandole]

i hate to say this but you're probably going to lose your security clearance. my dad has very low security clearance required for his job, and a DUI means instant termination.

[Melena]

I thought it stayed on your license for decades, like 60 or 70 years? o_O

Nah, my uncle got 1, and it fell off right before he got his second DUI just over 7 years after. He's on #3 right now. That's california though, may vary from state to state.

[hey]

Your story was nice until you said .191.

Go fuck yourself, stop driving drunk.

[Churchill]

If your SSO is any good your clearance is gone.

[Aksannyi]

I have to kind of laugh at the title, which says "Got my first" as though he's anticipating getting more. Poor wording son.

Sucks though dude, you're probably in a pretty deep world of shit. Good luck, hope you can manage to keep your job.

[Raytheon]

Thanks for the advice, and the criticism. I'm in Arizona, my ticket has 3 charges on it, "DUI TO THE SLIGHTEST" (Apparently in AZ, blowing over .020 is enough to arrest), "DUI .08 OR ABOVE", and finally, "DUI .080 OR ABOVE (.191)"

I asked the officer, after he drove me back to where he arrested me, how serious this was, since I've never been arrested, he told me it is a misdemeanor and a lawyer could get it plea'd to an even lesser charge. The officer also told me I could go to a DMV hearing for my license, and he highly recommended I do it to get my license back. Overall, the officer was good to me and it was a pretty pleasant experience for what I was expecting an arrest to entail.

I can afford 2-3k. Obviously I'd rather not have to, but when you do dumb shit, you gotta pay for it eventually, so can't complain about it too much.

To anyone who's ever been affected by a drunk driver, I sincerely apologize.