New Texas Law Makes It Legal for Paramedics to Draw Blood at the Scene of a Suspected DWI Accident
Posted on Sep 10, 2013 10:54am PDT
Up until recently, police officers in Texas had certain difficulties verifying an accident had been caused by a suspected DWI driver unless the driver consented to field sobriety tests, breathalyzer tests or blood tests. Without first obtaining a warrant and/or having an officer personally escort the driver to the hospital to obtain a blood sample, officers had limited methods by which they could confirm a driver's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level was above the legal limit at the time of an accident. Even those methods could be easily challenged and in many cases, and could be deemed to be inadmissible as evidence in court. This resulted in numerous suspected DWI charges being completely dismissed due to lack of evidence.
A new Texas state law, that went into effect on September 1st, 2013, now makes it legal for paramedics to draw blood from a driver at the scene of an accident, providing that police believe alcohol played a role in causing the accident. The new law makes it easier for the prosecutor to prove an individual's BAC level at the time of an alleged DWI accident.
If you have been arrested or charged with DWI in Collin County, I strongly advise you exercise your Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights. You do have the right to remain silent and you also have the right to have an attorney present during any and all questioning. A Collin County DWI attorney from my firm will be able to immediately help you protect your interests, advise you of your legal rights, challenge the charges against you and begin strategizing your defense case. As a three-time Collin County Trial Lawyer of the Year, I have the expertise you want advocating on your behalf. I have an extremely high record of success and I am committed to providing you with the aggressive representation you need to fight the allegations that have been levied against you. To get started, contact me at The Law Office of Troy P. Burleson today.