Elk Rapids OWI Defense Lawyers

OWI and Drunk Driving Defense Lawyers in Elk Rapids, Michigan

The Elk Rapids, Michigan OWI defense lawyers at the Neumann Law Group can help you if you have been arrested or charged with an OWI. Our attorneys are here to help you navigate many of the common challenges that can arise following OWI charges or convictions. We can help you negotiate a plea deal, help you fight your charges, and assist you with getting your driver’s license reinstated or getting restricted driving privileges during the time when your driver’s license would otherwise have been restricted. An OWI conviction can come with some serious consequences that can include jail time, driver’s license suspension, community service, fees, and more. OWI convictions also carry serious collateral consequences that can include increased insurance rates, loss of certain professional licensure, lost access to certain government programs, including housing, and student financial aid, and other consequences which can include immigration issues for individuals in the U.S. on a visa or green card.

If you are facing OWI charges or arrest, it is important to remember that you are innocent until proven guilty. Police officers have a range of options when it comes to gathering evidence against drivers suspected of operating while intoxicated. You can automatically lose your driver’s license for refusing to submit to a breath or blood test after being stopped on suspicion of an OWI. Police can also submit your refusal as evidence. While police have immense powers for gathering evidence, you still have options under the law. The OWI defense lawyers in Elk Rapids, Michigan at the Neumann Law Group are here to help. We can review the evidence police have gathered, review any plea deals being offered, negotiate with prosecutors, and in some cases, may be able to fight to have your charges dropped or reduced. Contact the OWI defense lawyers in Elk Rapids, Michigan at the Neumann Law Group today.

Should I Take an OWI Plea Deal in Elk Rapids, Michigan?

If you’ve been charged with an OWI, you might have been offered a plea deal. A plea deal can sometimes come with reduced charges, or it might involve lesser penalties, like a reduced or waived jail sentence. waived jail sentence. Yet, before you take a plea deal, you might want to speak to an Elk Rapids, Michigan OWI defense lawyer. Pleading guilty to criminal charges can come with serious collateral consequences. It is important to understand your options and what you are choosing to do. In some cases, an Elk Rapids, Michigan OWI lawyer may be able to help you negotiate a better plea deal, depending on the evidence police have against you, the nature of your charges, and whether this is a first-time or subsequent OWI.

Only you can decide if a plea deal is right for you. Your OWI defense lawyer can review the plea deal being offered and help you understand the benefits and risks of taking a deal as opposed to fighting your charges in court. If you have questions about a plea deal, or need assistance because you’ve been arrested under the suspicion of operating while intoxicated, reach out to the OWI defense lawyers in Elk Rapids, Michigan at the Neumann Law Group.

What Happens During an OWI Stop in Elk Rapids, Michigan?

There are typically different stages to an OWI stop in Michigan. In the first phase, you might not be aware that you are being observed by a police officer. Police must have reasonable cause to stop you. If police observe you driving suspiciously: breaking the rules of the road, driving without lights on, driving too slowly—then police might pull you over. Police must have sufficient evidence that either a traffic law or other law has been broken before they can stop you.

If you were weaving in and out of your lane, if you were swerving in the road, making wider turns than would be expected, drifting out of your lane while driving, or come close to striking objects or other vehicles, officers might have reason to suspect that you might have been driving while under the influence. Driving without headlights, running red lights or stop signs, or braking suddenly could also be interpreted as signs that something isn’t right. In more extreme situations, drivers may even drive on the wrong side of the road.

After stopping your vehicle, police officers will observe your behavior behind the wheel to determine whether they have further evidence that you are operating while intoxicated. Officers will note whether they smell alcohol, whether you have bloodshot eyes, or are behaving in a way that would suggest that you were drinking and driving. Police are also trained to ask questions in a way that could also produce behaviors that would provide officers with more evidence for drinking and driving. For example, if you fail to produce documents when asked, have trouble getting documents, or fumble when looking, officers might also note this as added evidence of intoxication. Officers might also try to see if drivers can perform two tasks at once, such as producing documents and answering basic questions.

If after observing your driving and your initial behavior, if the officer suspects that you were drinking and driving, he or she may ask you to step outside your vehicle. Police will observe how you leave the vehicle and will also note your behavior in a police report. If you fail to turn off your car, if you stumble when you leave your vehicle, or if you otherwise struggle to exit your car, this could be interpreted as further evidence of an OWI.

An officer may arrest you, or may ask you to submit to breath, blood, or field sobriety tests. At this point, refusing to take a test when asked could result in automatic suspension of your driver’s license under Michigan’s implied consent laws. Refusing to take a test could also be used as evidence in court.

Call our office today to schedule a free consultation.
Call (800) 525-6386

At the end of the day, if you have been stopped or charged with an OWI, you have rights and options. You have the right to ask to speak to your OWI defense lawyer in Elk Rapids, Michigan at the Neumann Law Group. Our Elk Rapids, Michigan OWI defense lawyers can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 800-525-6386.