DWI charges are serious charges in North Carolina. An alderman from a nearby North Carolina community west of the Statesville area was recently cited for DWI. It was determined by a breathalyzer test that the man allegedly had a .09 blood alcohol content level. In North Carolina, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol content level of .08 or higher. According to authorities, the man was cited after entering a gas station to purchase cigarettes and beginning a conversation with police.

According to police, when talking with the accused man police smelled alcohol on him and observed his behavior. After he left the gas station, police pulled him over and cited him for driving while intoxicated. In addition to the DWI charge, the man’s driver’s license was revoked for 30 days. The accused man has denied the charges against him. Any type of criminal charges, including DWI charges, can have a significant impact on the accused individual’s life.

That is why it is important for accused individuals to ensure that authorities did not violate any of the rights they enjoy as part of our criminal justice system. If authorities failed to protect those rights or violated any of the procedures in place to protect the rights of accused individuals, especially those related to searches and seizures or standards for citing or charging accused individuals, it may be possible to challenge the charges against the accused individual.

Criminal defense rights and options may be the only thing standing between accused individuals and potentially harsh penalties and consequences associated with the charges they have been accused of. As a result, accused individuals should always be familiar with how to develop a strong criminal defense strategy and with how to protect themselves when facing criminal charges.

Source: The News Herald, “Alderman charged with DWI,” Sharon McBrayer, Oct. 10, 2017