DUI & Drug Arrests

In San Mateo, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or both. Additionally, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher. California law enforcement watches the roads very closely and is quick to catch suspected DUI offenders. Law enforcement may suspect a person is operating a motor vehicle while under the influence if they are engaging in certain driving behaviors. These behaviors may include disobeying traffic signals, drastically slowing down, speeding, making illegal turns, or driving recklessly.

Once law enforcement notices these driving behaviors, they will usually make a traffic stop. During the traffic stop, San Mateo law enforcement will carefully observe the driver's mental state and physical appearance.

Law enforcement will look to see if the driver is slurring his/her words, can answer questions, appears disoriented, or has bloodshot eyes. There are numerous reasons why a person may display these symptoms, yet officers will typically take these symptoms as signs of intoxication.

After law enforcement has reasonable cause to believe the person is driving under the influence, they will ask the person to consent to a blood alcohol test and/or field sobriety tests. It is important to know that these tests are considered voluntary in the state of California, which means you can refuse to consent to them. If a driver consents to the blood alcohol test, and his/her test result is 0.08% or higher, he/she will automatically be considered intoxicated in accordance with California law and will be placed under arrest.

After the tests have been administered, law enforcement will evaluate the entire situation and then decide if the driver should or should not be arrested for DUI. If law enforcement decides to make an arrest, they will read the driver his/her Miranda Rights. The driver's license will also be confiscated, and he/she will be provided with a temporary 30 day driver's permit. The driver will then be taken to the police station for further blood alcohol testing and booking. At the police station, the driver will be allowed to contact an attorney.

San Mateo DUI Defense Attorney

The Law Office of Robert Tayac has helped countless clients fight their San Mateo DUI charges. With years of trial and DUI litigation experience, Attorney Robert Tayac has the skill and legal expertise it takes to successfully contest his clients' DUI charges. Whether your are a first time offender or a multiple DUI offender, you can be assured that Mr. Tayac will put every effort into helping you avoid a criminal conviction.

Any person who drives under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol places his/her life and others in great danger. For this reason, California has adopted strict DUI laws and legal penalties. If a person is convicted of driving under the influence in San Mateo County, he/she faces life-altering legal punishments such as jail time, fines, probation, license suspension, and vehicle impoundment. When you are charged with DUI, you need the counsel of an experienced San Mateo attorney to increase your chances of winning in court.