6 facing drunk driving charges after being stopped at checkpoint
It is not uncommon to see sobriety checkpoints pop up in Pennsylvania. Law enforcement officials schedule these checkpoints on occasion to get impaired drivers off the road. In mid-May, police in Pittsburgh — along with several other departments — ran a checkpoint that resulted in several being arrested and charged with drunk driving.
According to reports, this checkpoint was open in Sewickley on May 19, from 11 p.m. until 4 a.m. Just under 800 vehicles traveled this route during the checkpoint hours. A number of people were cited for various offenses. A total of six individuals were arrested for driving while impaired.
It is unclear if these individuals failed breath tests, field sobriety tests or both. The news report did not specify if any of the accused individuals remained in police custody for long or if they were released shortly after their arrests. The scheduled court dates regarding each of these cases have not been reported.
Having a drunk driving conviction on one’s record may not seem like a significant deal, but it can be. Penalties for a first time conviction run the gamut from fines and license suspension, to both of those plus incarceration. The penalties only increase in severity for repeat offenders. Pennsylvania residents who find themselves facing DUI charges can help themselves by seeking out legal counsel who has experience handling such cases with positive results. With the assistance of a criminal defense attorney, those facing DUI charges can fight to protect themselves, their rights, their freedom and their futures.