Obeying commands by a police officer during a traffic stop is highly recommended, especially when the command is to exit your vehicle. For one woman in Colorado Springs, failure to do so led to a police officer Tasering her.
An officer observed a silver Buick sedan allegedly turn right without using a turn signal. In addition, the vehicle was reportedly weaving. The officer stopped the vehicle and upon making contact with the driver, believed the driver could be intoxicated. When the officer told the woman to get out of her vehicle, she allegedly refused and fought any attempt to remove her from the car.
Another officer arrived to help the other officer. That officer used her Taser on the woman, who was then able to be removed from the vehicle and handcuffed. The woman was charged with DUI, failing to use turn signal, weaving, driving with excessive alcohol content and obstruction.
The penalties for a first offense conviction in Colorado for DUI are up to a year in jail, up to a $1,000 fine and a license suspension of nine months. The threshold for driving under the influences is .08 percent blood alcohol concentration, just as it is for all states.
A DUI can seriously affect your life, including how you get to work, whether or not you can work if you have a driving job and your family and social relationships. Fighting a DUI charge is possible, but you need an attorney by your side who understands DUI defense strategies. He or she can work to avoid a conviction in your case or mitigate the penalties.
Source: The Denver Channel, “Colorado Springs Police use Taser on alleged drunk driver,” Jan. 02, 2016
