Non-Prescription Drugs and DWI in New York
Driving while intoxicated is a crime that can be charged for offenses going beyond simply having had too much to drink, or even having taken illegal drugs. New York drivers have been shocked to find themselves being charged with a DWI or DUID after taking entirely-legal drugs that were prescribed by a physician. Some New Yorkers even face serious charges for taking drugs they bought over the counter to treat a cold or other minor illnesses.
DWAI Drugs charges in New York
A charge of DWI or driving while ability impaired by drugs (DWAI Drugs) can mean serious fines, a loss of driving privileges, and the formation of a criminal record for those charged. If a driver is being charged for driving while ability impaired by a combination of drugs and alcohol (DWAI/Combination), the penalties can be even more serious than a DWAI Drugs charge.
Aggressive criminal defense for Hudson Valley residents
For these reasons, Hudson Valley drivers being charged for DWI after taking non-prescription drugs should contact the DWAI defense lawyers at Dupée & Monroe as soon as possible after an arrest. Our Goshen criminal defense attorneys will conduct a thorough review of your arrest to ensure that your constitutional rights were upheld at every turn. We’ll also challenge flimsy evidence that prosecutors may be using to support claims of intoxication. You deserve to have your future protected from unreasonable criminal charges, and our DWI defense lawyers can help.
Driving impairment can come from more than just alcohol or illegal drugs
New York drivers can face DWAI Drugs charges when their ability to drive safely has been negatively affected through a substance that isn’t alcohol. Most often, individuals face these charges when they have taken illegal drugs, or when they’ve taken prescription drugs that come with warnings about their risk for making drivers unsafe on the road. However, New York prosecutors can technically bring these charges if a driver has taken any substance that they understood could make them unsafe on the road. Some over-the-counter drugs come with warnings that they can impair driving abilities, and this warning can be considered sufficient to put a driver on notice of the risk that they will be unable to drive safely after taking the medication.
Law enforcement officers have relatively clear rules on determining whether a driver has had too much to drink to be safe on the road. Chemical tests are available that can provide an accurate reading of whether the driver has more alcohol in their blood than is legal for a driver. In contrast, no such reliable test exists to measure whether or not a driver has had too much cold medicine to be safe on the road. As a result, officers can charge this crime with little or no objective evidence that the driver was, indeed, impaired by the drugs they took to be safe on the road. This is why individuals in the Hudson Valley charged with DWI or DUID need skilled criminal defense lawyers to protect them after an arrest for driving while impaired or intoxicated.
Help is Available for DWI or DWAI in the Hudson Valley
If you’ve been charged for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol in New York, contact the seasoned and dedicated Goshen DUID and DWI defense lawyers at Dupée & Monroe for a consultation on your case at 845-294-8900.
