Manassas DUI Drug Lawyer

Drug DUI charges and convictions are both common in Manassas. DUI drug charges arise when an officer encounters an individual who is displaying signs of impairment but does not register any alcohol in their system either on the preliminary breath test or on the breath test machine at the adult detention center after an arrest.

When this takes place, it is important you consult with a Manassas DUID lawyer as soon as possible to discuss the next potential steps including whether to submit to a blood test. To learn more call and schedule a consultation with a Manassas DUI lawyer today.

Driving Under The Influence of Drug Charges

Individuals in Manassas are frequently charged with driving under the influence of drugs when an officer stops them either because the officer is seeing driving behavior which is erratic or because they have seen some kind of traffic offense take place. As they investigate during the traffic stop, they may also see additional signs of impairment through the interactions with the individual and through field sobriety tests (pdf).

At the end of those tests, the officer is going to offer a preliminary breath test to determine if there is alcohol in the person’s system. They will also do a second test at adult detention center. If these come back and show that there’s no alcohol in the driver’s system, but nevertheless the individual displayed signs of impairment, they will suspect that there are drugs in that individual’s system and conduct a blood test at that point.

Substances That Can Trigger a DUID Charge

There are an almost endless number of other drugs or intoxicants which can trigger DUI arrests, either when used alone or used in combination with other things. Some of the classic drugs which Manassas DUI drug lawyers see more frequently and which can trigger DUI are the harder drugs such as heroin, cocaine, PCP or methamphetamine.

But there are also common scenarios where a person may be using a prescription drug that they’re not used to such as a pain killer or an anti-anxiety drug. And in other circumstances, a person may be consuming some over-the-counter drugs which interact in an unexpected way with some other drugs that they’re taking.

It’s important to always look at the labels of the drugs that you take to make sure that there’s no danger of an anticipated interaction either with other drugs or with alcohol consumption.

Do You Need To be Under The Influence of An Illegal Drug?

You don’t have to be under the influence of at least an illegal drug for a drug DUI. One of the ways an individual can be found guilty of DUI is if they have an impermissible amount of certain substances in their system such as cocaine, PCP or methamphetamine.

However, another way individuals can be guilty of DUI is by having any sort of drug in their system, to include both prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs to a degree which impairs their ability to safely operate a vehicle. With that said you should consult with a Manassas DUID attorney as there may be defenses available for your case.

How These Cases Are Treated in Manassas

Drug DUI cases are enforced with priority in Manassas. There are an ever increasing number of drug DUIs which are brought to the court system.

One that seems to be the most common in recent years is marijuana DUIs. While it is the case that individuals who are consuming marijuana are in many cases less dangerous than individuals who are consuming alcohol, nevertheless, it’s still illegal in Virginia to have marijuana at a certain level in your system if you are operating a motor vehicle.

In addition to this, many individuals who are caught up in these circumstances have unwisely kept marijuana in their vehicles and at the time that they’re arrested, the police search vehicle and find the drugs leading to drug possession charges in addition to the DUI charge.

What Are The Main Things Someone Charged Should Know?

Someone who has been charged with driving under the influence of drugs should know that there is a longer waiting period before their case will ultimately be resolved oftentimes than would be true for an alcohol DUI. The reason for this is that the blood sample which is most often collected in cases like this has to be sent to a Department of Forensics lab either in Richmond or in one of the other satellite offices.

Because there’s often a backlog of these kinds of tests, the government is frequently not prepared to go forward on the first court date. In some cases, they’re not prepared to go forward on the second court date. Judges will almost always give the government a continuance until the result comes back.

Once the result has come back, a copy of that is shared with your Manassas DUID lawyer as long as the appropriate paperwork has been filed. In many cases, the defense will then want to at least consult with an expert witness to determine whether their testimony might be helpful in interpreting the results of blood test.