Las Vegas Injury Attorney Blog
Forty percent of Memorial Day weekend traffic fatalities are alcohol-related, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. With that in mind, Las Vegas Metro police announced that they will set up a sobriety checkpoint later today, May 23, where Las Vegas Boulevard South intersects near Blue Diamond Road. It is part of a larger effort to keep drug- and alcohol-impaired drivers off the road over the long holiday weekend.
The checkpoint area, slated for patrol between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m., is usually the site of high traffic, especially marked by impaired drivers and accidents on holidays. This was also the site of a recent fatal accident.
According to Fox 5 Las Vegas, Metro police called the sobriety checkpoint a focal point to identify impaired drivers, notably juveniles and both young and older adults. The checkpoint stops will be made with full adherence of a driver’s rights according to the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures.
Nevada allows the establishment of sobriety checkpoints under carefully guarded rules. For instance, drivers must be given warning of an approaching checkpoint by an illuminated sign with flares or lights. Flashing red lights that are visible within 100 yards must be posted on the side of the road. The roadblock itself must be visible at a distance not less than 100 yards. If these strict rules are not followed, any arrests as a result could be thrown out of court.
If you face a driving-under-the-influence charge as a result of sobriety checkpoints in Las Vegas, call an attorney with experience in DUI defense. At Hofland & Tomscheck, we are well-experienced in DUI defense, which can involve forensic evidence and medical data. A competent and knowledgeable defense is all-important when fighting a DUI charge. We are proven trial lawyers in the defense of DUI cases. Our recommendations come from legal industry associations and the media as well as contemporaries and judges. If you are charged with a DUI in Las Vegas, whether the result of a sobriety checkpoint or other factors, you need an experienced representative who can lead you through the often-confusing maze of DUI criminal proceedings.
Don’t try to handle a DUI charge on your own. We have years of experience behind us. Let us go to work for you. For any DUI charge in Las Vegas, whether it’s a holiday or any day, call Hofland & Tomscheck.
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