Officer Arrested on Misdemeanor DUI Charge
A new video shows the arrest of a Doral Police officer for DUI that occurred in May. The officer was arrested on May 20 on a misdemeanor DUI charge by Florida Highway Patrol on northbound U.S. 1 near Mile Marker 105, according to records. The footage shows the trooper pulling over the officer as he was driving a vehicle that was towing a personal watercraft. A second trooper responds to the scene and the officer is given field sobriety tests, which he was not able to complete. He can then be seen being placed into handcuffs. The officer asked for “one more shot” to complete the field sobriety tests but the arresting trooper told him he had “too many shots already” (pun intended).
Field sobriety tests
There are dozens of field sobriety tests, but only three are authorized by the NHTSA. These tests determine whether or not a driver is impaired. To do so, they assess balance, coordination, and the ability of the driver to divide his attention on multiple tasks during the field sobriety test. According to authorities, the tests have been “scientifically proven” to “validate legal intoxication” in 90% of cases if administered by a trained officer. The results of field sobriety tests are admissible in court.
Three types of field sobriety tests
- Horizontal gaze nystagmus – Horizontal gaze nystagmus is the involuntary “jerking” of the eye which happens to everyone when their eyes are rotated at high peripheral angles. When a person is intoxicated, however, the jerking of the eyes becomes more exaggerated and occurs at smaller angles. The officer is looking for signs in the eyes that indicate that the subject is impaired.
- Walk and turn test – For this test, the officer will ask the driver to take nine steps, heel-to-toe, along a straight line, turn on one foot, and return nine steps in the opposite direction. During the test, the officer will look for indicators of impairment. These can include the loss of balance, the failure to follow instructions, or failure to walk in a straight line.
- One-leg stand test – For this test, the officer will ask the subject to stand with one foot about 6 inches off the ground and count until the officer tells the subject to put their foot down. While the driver has his leg in the air, the officer is looking for signs that the individual cannot balance themselves.
Talk to an Orlando DUI Lawyer Today
Have you been charged with a DUI-related crime in Orlando? If so, you need the best representation available. Florida doesn’t mess around when it comes to DUI charges and neither should you. Call the attorneys who specialize in DUI-related crimes. FL DUI Group represents the interests of those charged with DUI and related crimes. Call our Florida DUI defense lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin preparing your defense immediately.
Source:
tampabay.com/news/breaking-news/2024/07/28/man-arrested-dui-manslaughter-charge-after-wrong-way-pasco-county-crash/
