Pittsburgh DUI Lawyer – DUI & Drugs
As a Pittsburgh DUI lawyer I am often handling cases involving the consumption (or over consumption) of alcohol. PA DUI laws certainly criminalize the operation of a motor vehicle once one has consumed too much alcohol to drive safely. Drunk driving statistics indicate that most DUI Pennsylvania charges are connected to alcohol abuse. What about drugs?
There are subtle differences in the law between alcohol DUI and drug DUI. Even the best DUI lawyer in Pittsburgh will counsel that the burden of proof will be different on a drug DUI case. As a result, if you are charged with DUI Drugs in Pittsburgh or Pennsylvania, you should contact an experienced Pittsburgh DUI lawyer immediately to analyze your case and recommend a sound strategy moving forward.
Call Pittsburgh DUI Lawyer Michael V. Worgul now at (412) 475-9217 or 1-855-DUI-CRIM for an initial consultation of you case.
Drug DUI vs. Alcohol DUI
In most cases involving drugs, the burden of proof is lowered for the prosecution at trial. Experienced Pennsylvania DUI lawyers know that in an alcohol related case, the prosecution must present evidence that your blood alcohol levels were above a certain threshold, or, that you consumed enough alcohol to render you incapable of safe driving.
However, in drug related cases, thresholds do not often exist. For Schedule II and III drugs (prescription drugs), the prosecution needs only to prove that your driving was impaired, not that you were incapable of safe drive, such as in alcohol cases. In addition, there are no minimum threshold levels for Schedule I drugs (marijuana, heroin, ecstasy, etc.). If the substance is in your system, the prosecution does not even have to prove impairment. This is true even for a 1st offense DUI in Pennsylvania (although you will still be ARD eligible).
Commercial Vehicles
An experienced Pittsburgh DUI Lawyer also knows that there is a zero tolerance policy for operators of commercial vehicles. Under PA DUI laws, it is illegal for a person to operate a commercial vehicle with any drug (prescribed or otherwise) in there system. According to the Superior Court, the purpose of the lesser impairment and criminal culpability requirements relating to commercial vehicles account for the larger size of such vehicles and the increased dangers posed by their operation.
Blood vs. Urine Testing
Finally, qualified Allegheny County DUI lawyers will note a distinction between blood testing and urine testing. There are simply different standards for both types of testing. If the testing facility administered the wrong standards to the type of test in your case, the testing could be inadmissible. In so, you might win your case without the necessity of trial.
If you have been charged with DUI involving Drugs in Pittsburgh or anywhere else in Pennsylvania, contact me, Pittsburgh DUI Lawyer Michael V. Worgul at (412) 475-9217 or 1-855-DUI-CRIM. There are harsh penalties and DUI fines in Pennsylvania that you can be facing. I have significant in-court experience and have handled hundreds of PA DUI cases.
I look forward to listening to the circumstances of your case and discussing all available options under the law.
Sincerely,
Michael V. Worgul
Michael V. Worgul, Esq., LLC
429 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Toll Free: 1-855-DUI-CRIM
Phone: 412-475-9217
Fax: 412-288-8943 |
