When police pull over a vehicle for a traffic offense, such as speeding, those officers may investigate a situation further and pursue more serious charges if they feel it is appropriate to do so. This means a speeding violation or other infraction can lead to DUI charges or worse for a driver. A traffic stop in Tennessee recently went from a speeding situation to a man now facing his fifth charge for driving under the influence.
On a Saturday, police say a man was driving 60 miles per hour in a speed zone designated with a limit of 40 miles per hour. The man was pulled over and police then say the smell of alcohol was detected. The man was also said to be unsteady and have bloodshot eyes. During a field sobriety test, he showed signs of intoxication, also.
The man was then taken into custody and charged with driving under the influence. This was the fifth time the man has been cited for this charge. His previous charges dated back to 2006. He also has convictions for other crimes, including robbery and burglary. Bond for the man was set at $37,500.
When a person has DUI charges pending and has previous convictions on his or her record, the stakes are much higher. This is because the possible punishments increase with each DUI conviction in Tennessee. The penalties can include fines, loss of license and possible jail time, making it imperative that anyone arrested to look into legal options and what evidence in his or her case can be challenged or thrown out altogether.
Source: wkrn.com, "Report: Man arrested on 5th DUI charge in south Nashville", June 29, 2015