From time to time Wisconsin drivers may see police officers conducting planned traffic stops at specific locations. These stops can happen for a variety of reasons. In some cases, officers are looking for individuals suspected of committing crimes and in others they are attempting to enforce driving safety laws such as seatbelt use.
Officers recently conducted traffic stops to crack down on drivers suspected of operating their vehicles while under the influence of alcohol. The stops occurred in the community of Stoughton, though more planned stops have been reported for Madison. Though they were hoping to stop people in the act of drunk driving, the officers made no arrests for DUI offenses during the Stoughton roadblock.
Not many people understand their rights when faced with an officer inquiring as to whether they have consumed alcohol before getting behind the wheel. Such individuals may find themselves asked to perform sobriety tests or to submit to Breathalyzer analysis to determine the concentration of alcohol present in their blood.
Officers generally must have a reason for suspecting a person of drunk driving before they can make a traffic stop. However, in some cases, a driver need only pass his vehicle through a checkpoint for a stop to occur. This can put a driver in a difficult situation if he did not know that the stop was coming up on the road.
Some individuals may have questions regarding their rights at traffic stops and sobriety checkpoints. Others may feel that they were charged with a crime based on impermissible police action. Anyone who needs more information about DUI offenses and being charged with an alcohol-related driving crime can speak with an experienced OWI attorney about his particular legal situation.
Source: nbc15.com, "Update: No OWI arrests during special enforcement in Stoughton," Kristin Mazur, April 14, 2014