Fresno BUI Attorney
DUI laws apply to any vehicle run by a motor, including boats and other recreational vehicles. Oftentimes when clients are vacationing or having some holiday fun on the water they are unaware that drunk driving laws apply to water recreation as well. Any sort of erratic driving or boating violations sometimes attract the attention of harbor police, and if you have been drinking, this could land you in serious legal trouble.
Being arrested for Boating Under the Influence (BUI) will result in the same consequences as DUI with an automobile. Field officers will typically ask a serious of questions; administer field sobriety tests, and/or a chemical sobriety test. But while similar to DUI in legislative language, BUI typically does not result in more than a few days in jail and a minor to moderate fine.
However, it is still in your best interest to a hire a DUI lawyer to eliminate these consequences altogether. If convicted of BUI, it will appear on your criminal record as well as count as a priorable offense. This means for instance that if in the future you are arrested for an automobile DUI, your charge could be bumped up to a felony because of a prior drunk driving offense.
Field sobriety tests are questionable in DUI cases, but even more so in BUI arrests where the equilibrium of a person is usually off balance. Breathalyzer tests can also be easily corrupted due to the aquatic environment.
If you have been arrested for BUI, contact our firm of Fresno DUI attorneys for an immediate consultation today.