A West Palm Beach Fire Rescue Captain was recently sentenced to three days in jail and 12 months on probation after being found guilty of driving under the influence, The Palm Beach Post reports.
West Palm Beach DUI attorneys believe that an aggressive defense early on in the arrest process can help you save your job. Hiring a DUI attorney who can work with prosecutors while working to build a solid defense is your best bet in the wake of a DUI arrest that threatens your job.
In the fire captain's case, he was arrested in January 2010 by North Palm Beach Police and charged with DUI and speeding. He told the newspaper he is innocent of the charges and believed his efforts to sue the fire department for racial discrimination played a part in his arrest.
While the speeding charge was dropped, he will have to enroll in DUI school, perform 50 hours of community service, enroll in a victim impact panel, pay $951 in court costs and fees, not consume drugs or alcohol during his 12 months on probation, have his vehicle immobilized for 10 days and his license is suspended for six months.
The laundry list of penalties also shows the need for swift action. Florida DUI penalties can be quite severe. You may face longer time in jail or prison, depending on the severity of the allegations.
What many people don't think of in criminal cases is the communication that is needed between the defense attorney and the state. When officers make DUI arrests in Palm Beach, they include written statements, possibly dashboard camera footage, written reports and other material. They send that information to the state attorney's office and a prosecutor there decides what charges the driver will face.
With intervention early in the case, prosecutors will sometimes drop certain charges or modify them to less-serious charges. This gives the defense an advantage as the case moves forward.
But it takes experience, knowledge of the system and the many prosecutors in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties to make that happen. So, choose wisely when you pick your DUI defense attorney in South Florida.
West Palm Beach DUI Attorney Carlos Canet is an aggressive and experienced drunk driving defense attorney, representing clients facing DUI charges in Fort Lauderdale, Miami and West Palm Beach. Call 866-7ASKDUI to discuss your rights.
