A task force consisting of combined Los Angeles County law enforcement agencies arrested 414 people on suspicion of DUI during the first 3 days of the Fourth of July weekend.  The arrests were made between 12:01 a.m. on Thursday and 11:59 p.m. on Sunday.

The arrests, while seemingly high in number, are actually down more than 15% compared to the same time period last year and are up by more than 22% statewide so far this year.  As is always the case, holiday weekends are times when the roads are heavily patrolled by law enforcement and are times when DUI task forces and special units are set up to make arrests.

If you have been arrested for a DUI, it is important not to simply wait until your court date to “figure things out.”  First and foremost; you must contact the DMV within 10 days from the date of arrest to request an Administrative Per Se hearing concerning your driving privilege and a stay on the suspension pending the outcome of that hearing. If you fail to do so, your license will be suspended automatically without any sort of hearing and without the ability for you to present evidence and cross-examine witnesses.

Aside from the potential license implications, a DUI conviction may lead to jail time, court fines, probation, community service, mandatory alcohol programs and other penalties.  For a more detailed explanation of the process, click here.

Many different factors can impact the outcome of your DUI arrest.  Some of these factors include: Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC), nature of driving before being pulled over, health conditions, whether you had a valid driver’s license at the time of the arrest, what type of chemical test you submitted to and many others.

What is important to know if you are pulled over for suspicion of DUI is that you are under no obligation to answer any of the officer’s questions about where you were coming from, what you’ve had to drink, etc…  You are also not under any obligation to submit to the mobile PAS device (commonly known as “the breathalyzer”) and that you may elect to take a blood or breath test at the police station.

If you have been arrested or charged with a DUI in Los Angeles, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Burbank, West Los Angeles or anywhere in Southern California, contact attorney Ross Erlich as soon as possible to get the process started.  Don’t be that person who waits until their court date to “figure things out” while your license has already been suspended for 6 months!