The scenario where a person was stopped or arrested for a DUI and then “let go” is fairly new. Only a few years ago, the scenario was quite different. The state of Washington had a mandatory impound law, which required officers to arrest anyone suspected of DUI and have their car impounded. This kept the jail and the tow companies very busy.
Why Didn’t I Go To Jail?
The mandatory tow law changed several years ago and then we had covid. That changed the incarceration landscape drastically. Many people were cited and released to avoid putting them in jail. Around the same time, recreational marijuana use became legal and more popular, the marijuana DUI stop greatly increased. Since the marijuana stop means a “wait and see” for the blood, many people are stopped and released.
While many officers across the state became trained as Drug Recognition Experts (DREs), they can’t actually detect whether you are DUI on the side of the road. As a result, blood draws increased. The blood samples are sent to the state crime lab where they sit for months waiting to be tested.
State Toxicology Lab Delays
You probably hear on the news about the delay in processing rape kits. Have you also heard about the delay in processing DUI blood draws? Well, that is a serious problem. When we say delay, we mean a serious delay! One of our monitoring cases just received notice of criminal charging 18 months after the original stop!
Did you assume the delay was so long it is past the Statute of Limitations?
Understandably, after an arrest or investigative stop, people bury their head in the sand and think the delay will just work in their favor. However, in hoping it will go away, they never learn when it is time to be proactive. They miss the window of opportunity to help themselves and make the situation worse. Just hoping that enough time will pass and the state can’t charge you with DUI or another criminal charge is not a winning strategy.
We monitor the case so you do not get a Warrant
You can see how the crime lab back up can become a real problem for people who move, change mailing addresses, get deployed, or never had an accurate address at the time of the original stop. This is the reason we began our monitoring service. The only way to address the disadvantage of being “too late” on your Arraignment is to make sure you never get a warrant.
If you were stopped by police on suspicion of a crime or voluntarily submitted to questioning, reach out to one of our attorneys to see if you need to have your legal issue monitored.
The monitoring service is most often used for DUI cases in which a blood sample was taken but it has also been very helpful for other types of criminal charges in which officers were gathering reports over time. The reports get to the prosecutor’s desk for charging many months after the investigation began. To avoid a warrant in these situations, give us a call to see if we can help.
To learn more about our low cost case monitoring service, give us a call 7 days a week. We understand that serious legal matters cannot always be addressed between 9 to 5 so don’t worry about calling after hours. 360-792-1000
Get help now
Whether you choose to handle your case alone or engage the Witt Law Group, being informed and prepared is essential. Early involvement of an attorney can significantly impact your chances of a fair recovery, allowing you to focus on healing while we handle negotiations with insurance adjusters to secure fair compensation for your injuries.
