Wyoming Drugged Driving Defense Attorney

Committed to Challenging Your Charges

Were you arrested on suspicion of drugged driving (or driving under the influence of drugs)? You are likely facing a number of penalties, including license suspension and potentially jail time.

At R. Michael Vang P.C., we are here to help you fight your DUID charges. Our Wyoming drugged driving defense lawyer has over 27 years of experience and has helped clients obtain favorable results, from reduced and dismissed charges to acquittals. Attorney Vang has the skills, resources, and knowledge of the law to challenge your charges and help you protect your rights and your future.

To get started on your drugged driving defense, call us today at (307) 336-7570 or online for a free consultation.

What Is Drugged Driving?

In Wyoming, you can be charged with drugged driving if you operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of a controlled substance, whether that is a combination of alcohol and drugs or just drugs that are found in your system.

Driving under the influence of drugs can include substances such as:

• Illegal drugs
• Prescription medications
• Over-the-counter medications
• Household substances

It is also important to note that you can be charged with drugged driving if you have any amount of a controlled substance in your system, regardless of whether it is impairing your ability to drive. This is different from DUI laws, which typically require that you have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher to be charged with DUI. For example, in Wyoming, if you have any detectable amount of meth, opiates, marijuana, in your system, you can face a DUID charge. Wyoming is a zero tolerance state when it comes to drugged driving.

What Are the Penalties for Drugged Driving in Wyoming?

The specific penalties you face will depend on the circumstances surrounding your arrest and your criminal record, especially whether you have prior DUI or DUID convictions within the past ten years.

Some of the potential penalties for drugged driving include:

• License revocation
• Substance abuse treatment
• Up to a $750 fine and six months in jail for a misdemeanor DUID
• Up to a $10,000 fine and 2 years in prison for a felony DUID (a fourth or aggravated DUID charge)

The penalties for drugged driving increase if you have prior DUI or drugged driving convictions. Additionally, if you are involved in an accident that causes serious bodily injury or death, you can be charged with serious felony charges and face significant prison time.

What Are My Rights During a Drugged Driving Arrest?

After you are arrested on suspicion of drugged driving, you have certain rights. It is important that you exercise these rights to protect yourself and your future.

Some of the rights you have during a drugged driving arrest include:

• The right to remain silent: You are not required to answer any questions from the police or provide any information about where you came from or what you were doing. You can simply say that you want to invoke your Fifth Amendment rights and do not wish to answer any questions without an attorney present.
• The right to refuse a search: The police may ask to search your vehicle or your person. You have the right to refuse a search without a warrant. If the police search you or your vehicle without your consent or without a warrant, your attorney can file a motion to suppress the evidence.
• The right to an attorney: After you are arrested, you have the right to an attorney. It is important that you exercise this right and do not answer any questions from the police until your attorney is present.

If the police officer believes you are under the influence of drugs, they will likely ask you to perform a series of field sobriety tests. You have the right to refuse these tests, but the police officer may still arrest you if they believe you are under the influence of drugs. If the arresting office doesn't have a warrant, then you also can refuse a blood, breath, or urine test. If they have a warrant, however, then Wyoming's implied consent law means that you would lose your driver's license for up to six or even 18 months if you refuse a chemical test.

How Can a Drugged Driving Defense Lawyer Help Me?

In this stressful and overwhelming time, you do not have to face the legal system alone. The prosecution has the burden of proving your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. This is a high burden of proof and can be difficult to meet, especially if you have an experienced attorney on your side. Our attorney can help you challenge the evidence against you and work to create reasonable doubt in the minds of the jury.

At R. Michael Vang P.C., we are committed to helping you fight your charges and will work to seek their reduction or complete dismissal. Our attorney can review the evidence against you, including the results of chemical tests, and work to create an effective defense strategy that challenges the evidence and protects your rights.

Call us today at (307) 336-7570 or online for a free consultation with our drugged driving defense lawyer in Wyoming.