Nov 16, 2012 | DUI & DWI, Uncategorized
Recently there has been a DUI crackdown on Interstate 77, near Rock Hill, SC, has accumulated almost 20 arrests on driving under the influence and more than 70 total traffic citations. Also, a Lancaster County, SC operation on U.S. 521 led to 10 additional arrests on DUI charges.
Of the people arrested, five of them were drug-related, five were for driving under suspension, and nine were illegal alcohol cases. However, the majority of them were for minor traffic violations, such as a broken tail light or an expired registration.
The officers reported that for some of the stops, people had marijuana and open containers in plain sight of the officers. Troopers have stated that they plan on initiating more traffic stops such as this in the late hours of the night.
Finally, the officers set up a mobile breath test unit that tested the driver’s BAC, and if it registered higher than a 0.08, they were brought toYorkCountyDetentionCenter. The ramps were chosen because of the statistics of accidents in the area such as the volume of the traffic, the layout of the ramps, and the crash records in the area. 
Troopers state that they are going to continue to crack down on DUI and other violations, and license checkpoints can be expected in the future. Therefore, if you or a loved one has been involved in a DUI or other crime related to driving on the roadways, call the law offices of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP. We have attorneys who are experienced in the law and are here to help you. We can be contacted in northern South Carolina at our Fort Mill, Baxter Village Office at 803-548-4444, or toll-free at 877-374-5999.
Nov 14, 2012 | DUI & DWI, Uncategorized
A 26-year-old Lancaster, SC man is being charged with public intoxication along with two counts of unlawful neglect of a child after he was pulled over by police while driving a moped. The man told police that he had run out of beer and was going to get more, according to the report. Also, he told deputies that he had left his children home by themselves.
When the deputies arrived at the man’s house, they found a 6-month-old and a 2-year-old child asleep. They were unharmed, but officers report the children were wearing only diapers and the house was a scattered mess. Mice were also running around inside.
The man was placed in Lancaster County Detention Center, and the Department of Social Services was notified of the situation. The children were placed in the custody of their mother.
If you have been charged with an alcohol related crime or a DUI in South Carolina, the law offices of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP are here to work for you. We have experienced professionals who are knowledgeable regarding alcohol related crimes. Call our Fort Mill, SC office at 803-548-4444, or toll-free at 877-374-5999.
Nov 12, 2012 | Assault and Battery, Drug Crimes and Controlled Substances Defense, DUI & DWI, Uncategorized
A York County police report this weekend stated that a man kicked a York County Sheriff Deputy after he was a pulled over for driving under the influence of pills and alcohol. Thereafter, he attempted to flee from police.
The man was pulled over into the Food Lion parking lot near Lake Wylie. The police report states that the deputy attempted to stop the man, and a pursuit around the parking lot ensued. The man appeared intoxicated to police while he was racing the engine of his Ford Mustang.
When police attempted to tase the man, he ripped the taser leads from his body and began to run. The police then reportedly tackled him down an embankment. Then, according to police, the man struck a deputy by kicking him as the police attempted to tase the man a second time.
The man is being charged with DUI, possession of controlled substances, underage possession of alcohol and four counts of assaulting a police officer while resisting arrest, according to authorities.
The decision to consume alcohol can lead to implications that can last a lifetime. At the law offices of Reeves Aiken & Hightower, we understand the troubles associated with alcohol consumption, and we are here to ensure that you are represented by a firm that is willing to fight for you. If you or a loved one has been charged with a crime related to the intoxication of alcohol, or stemming from the intoxication from alcohol, we will do whatever is in our power to present mitigating circumstances to the court. If you are charged in York, Lancaster, Chester, Clover, Rock Hill, Fort Mill, or anywhere else in the region, call our Baxter Village office at 803-548-4444, or toll-free at 877-374-5999.
Sep 18, 2012 | DUI & DWI, Uncategorized
As South Carolina experiences an increase in DUI and BUI enforcement, many people in lowcountry areas such as Charleston, North Charleston, James Island, Folly Beach, West Ashley, Sullivans Island, Isle of Palms, Mount Pleasant, and Awendaw are unaware of the differences associated with driving under the influence and boating under the influence. While both charges are serious offenses, there are distinct differences in the procedures effecting the enforcement.
On land, law enforcement generally relies upon the Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST) to establish probable cause for a DUI arrest. The SFST was developed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and includes three tests: 1) Horizontal gaze nystagmus 2) walk-and-turn and 3) One-leg stand. There is an ongoing debate about the effectiveness and scientific nature of these tests, but for the time being they relied upon by law enforcement to continue the prosecution of alleged DUI offenders. Also, South Carolina law mandates that the officer videotape the suspect with his/her in-dash camera while conducting these tests.
Boating Under the Influence (BUI) differs in multiple ways from a DUI. For the most part, the Department of Natural Resources is tasked with the responsibility to enforce the BUI laws. Similarly to the NHTSA, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators has developed its own method for testing boater’s sobriety. As you can imagine, it would not make much sense to administer the walk-and-turn test or the one-leg stand while on an unstable boat so the NASBLA test differs from the Standardized Field Sobriety Test. DNR uses the “Afloat Test Battery” to determine the sobriety of a boater. This test includes reciting the ABC’s, counting backwards from 25 to 1, a finger dexterity test, a palm pat test, and a touch finger to nose test. It is also an important distinction to realize that BUI laws do not require the arresting officer to videotape the suspect.
As the waterways, rivers, and lakes heat up it is important to understand the boating laws and the seriousness of both DUI/BUI offenses. In areas in and around the South Carolina lowcountry such as Sullivans Island, Isle of Palms, Folly Beach, James Island, Charleston, West Ashley, North Charleston, Moncks Corner, Mount Pleasant, and Awendaw, boaters will notice an increased DNR presence looking for drunk boaters. The DUI/BUI attorneys at Reeves Aiken & Hightower LLP stand ready to help you if you have been arrested and charged for DUI, BUI or DUAC. Before hiring an attorney, you should carefully check out their credentials and actual experience. For more information about our lawyers, please visit our website at www.rjrlaw.com. Or to schedule a confidential consultation about your particular case, please call us directly at 877-374-5999.
Sep 15, 2012 | DUI & DWI, Uncategorized
A Lexington County Sheriff, aiming to make S.C. roads safer, is asking bar owners to take on some responsibility for their intoxicated customers.
The sheriff is encouraging bar owners in three trouble spots in the county to limit the alcohol of drunken customers and arrange for safe transportation to take them home.Lexington County is currently leading the state in traffic fatalities, with a shocking 40 deaths so far this year.
Along with this initiative, deputies plan to increase patrols at trouble spots at S.C. 6 in the Red Bank area and parts of U.S. 1 and U.S. 378 along the South shore of Lake Murray.
South Carolina DUI Attorneys
If you or someone you love has been charged with a SC DUI, DUAC, or BUI, you should call the experienced DUI attorneys of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP . In South Carolina, if a defendant blood alcohol content (BAC) is a .08 or above, then the State can legally charge you with “driving under the influence.” Call us today and speak directly with one of our lawyers at 704-499-9000 or 877-374-5999 toll free. We have offices in Charlotte and throughout South Carolina. We would be honored to have an opportunity to help you and your family get through this most difficult time in your lives. Consult our criminal defense team and then hire the best DUI attorneys you have the most confidence in!
