Woman gets DUI charge after late-night run to Steak 'n Shake

The celebrations surrounding New Year's Eve and New Year's Day have come and gone, but for some people the events of those days will not soon be forgotten. Most of our Ann Arbor readers probably know that police agencies throughout the country increase drunk driving patrols around these significant holidays, simply because it is usually understood that drinking alcohol is more common at these times of the year. But sometimes law enforcement officers don't need to be on patrol to respond to individuals calling attention to themselves.

According to a recent report, that was exactly what appears to have happened on New Year's Eve in Pittsfield Township. The reports indicate that employees at a Steak 'n Shake restaurant called the police after a woman went through the drive-thru and was reportedly acting "disorderly." The incident occurred at around 12:20 a.m.

By the time police responded to the scene, the employees of the Steak 'n Shake said that the woman had left and returned again - again going through the drive-thru. When the police stopped the woman she reportedly had a liquor bottle in her lap as she was driving. The 27-year-old woman allegedly failed both a chemical test and field sobriety tests. She will apparently be charged under Michigan's "Super Drunk" law - a law that applies to individuals with a BAC level of .17 or more.

Many DUI stops are the result of police officers observing simple traffic violations - things like failure to signal a turn or crossing the center line. It is always important for a defendant facing a DUI charge to examine the circumstances that led to the stop. If law enforcement officials did not have a valid reason for the traffic stop, the end result of the case could be favorable for the defendant.

If you’re facing a criminal defense case for a DUI, please consider giving Dan Geherin, the DUI attorney in Ann Arbor a call for a free consultation.  We can discuss our track record of criminal defense success in Washtenaw County, and put together a plan of attack to help you. Please call or email GLG Michigan 24/7 at (734) 263-2780 or online info@GLGMichigan.com.

Source: mLive, "Woman arrested at Steak 'n Shake drive-thru for 'super drunk' driving," Lizzy Alfs, Jan. 1, 2014