If you drive a commercial vehicle, and you got busted for DUI in Los Angeles, you may face more than just the “work-a-day” DUI punishments – jail time, fines, loss of your license, probation, mandatory interlock ignition installation, etcetera. The arrest and potential conviction can derail or potentially end your career.
Obviously, the company that hired you needs to hew to the law, and they may not even be able to use your services, if the DUI charges stick. Even if they want to keep working with you, the cost to insure you will almost certainly spike, so you may find yourself getting fewer assignments.
And you probably don’t need to be reminded about this, but driving DUI while driving a large vehicle – especially a big commercial truck – is an extremely dangerous activity. Hopefully, you didn’t cause any serious injuries or deaths in the event that has led you to need legal help. If you didn’t, count your blessings. Trucks are much more massive than cars and motorcycles. As a result, they can impart tremendous force, even while traveling at relatively low speeds.
Of course, there’s no point in beating yourself up. What happened, happened. Whether police stopped you at a checkpoint, or you flipped your truck on the 101, spilling cargo into four lanes and causing a massive traffic jam that made the typical Sig Alert look like a drive down an empty stretch of a Montana highway, you need to manage your legal charges and also probe to understand what caused you to abuse alcohol or drugs (if you indeed did that).
Truckers face unique pressures, which can drive them to consume alcohol, take medications and cram down over the counter energy supplements. These include:
• Loneliness and isolation from being on the road so long;
• Anxiety about a new route or life issues;
• A health problem that’s led to chronic pain and frustration – and that makes driving the truck intolerable unless you have something to “take the edge off”;
• The real root cause might be far deeper than you realize (psychologically speaking).
All that said, you face a big practical concern: how can you construct a wise, effective commercial Los Angeles DUI defense? Look to the experienced and competent team here at the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers to create an appropriate defense for you. Mr. Kraut is an ex-prosecutor – a Harvard Law School educated former Deputy District Attorney for LA – and he is renowned for his consciences and thorough service.
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