Earlier this week, a Detroit man pleaded guilty to allowing an unlicensed minor to operate a motor vehicle after he allowed his 9-year-old daughter to be his designated driver. According to the Wayne County prosecutor's office, Shawn Weimer also pleaded guilty to second-degree child abuse. Weimer's case gained national attention after his daughter was shown on surveillance video bragging about her driving skills.
Weimer himself had reportedly consumed half a bottle of whiskey and did not want to drive under the influence. Michigan has some of the toughest drunk driving laws in the country. If you have been charged with a DUI/OUI or other drunk driving offense it is important to consult with a drunk driving attorney in Michigan immediately to fight the charges and protect your driving privileges.
Many individuals charged with DUI/DWI are scared to fight back and mistakenly believe that if they have been charged with a drunk driving offense, they will be found guilty. This is not the case. In fact, in many situations an aggressive criminal defense lawyer in Michigan can fight the charges, by pointing out flaws in the evidence or challenging the stop itself, and successfully get OUI charges reduced or eliminated. Although not every strategy will work in every case, a number of common police errors and missteps occur in drunk driving stops that drunk driving defense lawyers can use as part of a vigorous defense.
For example, in some instances it may be feasible to seek to suppress the results of chemical tests used to measure driver's blood alcohol level. Sometimes the machine used for a test is not warranted for accuracy by its manufacturer. Other times preliminary road tests are not sufficiently accurate. In still other cases commonly used field sobriety tests may be flawed. Further, if the police stop that led to a DUI arrest is illegal, it may be possible to get drunk driving charges thrown out. The best step to take if you are stopped for operating under the influence in Michigan is to immediately call an aggressive drunk driving defense lawyer to protect your rights.
If you have been drinking and want to avoid the dangers of drunk driving, taking a step such as designating a driver is a smart move. However as this case points out - it must also be legal for that driver to get behind the wheel. Having a friend who has also been drinking or as in this case, a significantly underaged minor, may create additional legal concerns.
For more information or if you have been charged with a drunk driving offense, contact a knowledgeable Michigan criminal defense law firm to fight the charges and keep your driving privileges.
