Speeding is one of the most common reasons to be pulled over. However, just because one is pulled over for speeding, it does not mean that he or she cannot leave with something much larger than a ticket for speeding. If police have reason to believe that a driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they may conduct a field sobriety test or Breathalyzer test. Alternatively, they may take the suspect down to the station for a blood test. This appears to be what happened to a 27-year-old woman from another state who was recently arrested in Wisconsin after what should have been a standard traffic stop for speeding; she now may need to mount a DUI defense.
Authorities say that the woman was initially pulled over for speeding. It was not indicated how much above the posted speed limit she was traveling. When troopers approached the vehicle to speak to the driver, they smelled a very strong odor of what they believed to be marijuana coming from the vehicle.
Upon further research, the authorities came to find out that the woman had an arrest warrant out. She was traveling with a two-year-old, who was turned over to a passenger who was also in the vehicle. The female driver was transported to the local jail to have her blood drawn and tested.
Depending on the results of the blood samples taken, the woman may need to develop a DUI defense in order to fight any criminal driving charges that may arise after this incident. If the results come back positive for alcohol or drug use, she will likely be facing heftier charges since she was driving with a young child in the car. Under the right circumstances in Wisconsin, she may be able to negotiate a plea deal with prosecutors in order to reduce her charges, or she may be able to get the charges dropped altogether.
Source: CBS Minnesota, “Woman Arrested In Eau Claire For Speeding, Suspicion Of DUI With Child In Car“, May 30, 2015