A total of nearly 600 people in Colorado were recently arrested as part of a drunk driving campaign. The DUI arrests were made over an enforcement period lasting 10 days. The campaign took place statewide.
Law enforcement agencies involved in the campaign included the Colorado State Patrol and the Colorado Department of Transportation, along with local law enforcement. The Colorado State Patrol alone arrested a total of 96 drivers for driving while under the influence. A new campaign was slated to take place during the New Year’s weekend.
One recent study indicates that nearly 60 percent of people in Denver are not aware of the legal limit of .08 blood-alcohol content for driving under the influence. The study also indicated that more than 60 percent of respondents in the city had stopped people from driving while intoxicated before. In addition, nearly 90 percent of them felt confident about intervening before somebody drove drunk. People in Colorado can use an app by the Colorado Department of Transportation known as R U Buzzed, which is designed to estimate a person’s blood alcohol content based on the quantity of alcohol consumed, hours drinking, weight and gender.
When people are accused of DUI, they have the right to contest the charges in court. At trial, the government has to prove the accusations through evidence that meets the strict standards of the Colorado criminal justice system. If appropriate and in certain circumstances where the government proof appears strong, the criminal defense of an accused person might look at pursuing a plea agreement with the prosecution, which may lead to a lighter sentence for the client than what he or she would face if found guilty at trial. The final decision about whether to accept a plea bargain, however, rests solely with the client.
Source: journal-advocate.com, “6 local arrests reported in holiday DUI campaign“, Dec. 24, 2015