Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) Checkpoint is legitimate – Suffolk County New York Conviction for DW

Driving While Intoxicated. Everyone has seen the commercials. Sometimes the driver is in a car filled with some sort of alcohol, swerving, while a trooper turns on flashing lights and pulls him or her over to the side of the road. Driving While Intoxicated checkpoints are rife throughout Long Island and New York. This conviction comes as a result of a DWI checkpoint in Suffolk County New York. The Defendant here challenged the constitutionality of the DWI Checkpoint. Unfortunately for the Suffolk County, New York Defendant, the portion of motion suppressing evidence was denied and he was convicted. On appeal the judgment was affirmed.

On August 24, 2012, after defendant was stopped and arrested at a police checkpoint, the People charged defendant with driving while intoxicated (common law) (Vehicle and Traffic Law §1192 [3]), failing to wear a seatbelt (Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1229 [d] [3]), and failing to comply with a lawful order or direction of a police officer regulating traffic (Vehicle and Traffic Law §1102). After a hearing, the District Court (Jennifer A. Henry) denied defendant’s motion to suppress all evidence obtained as the result of the stop. Defendant subsequently pleaded guilty to driving while impaired (Vehicle and Traffic Law §1192 [1]).

The Court here is required to perform a balancing test: with individual liberty interests on one side of the scale and the governmental interest(s) on the other side of the scale. Here, the government has the compelling interest in pulling over motorists in a program that is purportedly designed to enhance traffic safety in Suffolk County, New York.

Call the Law Offices of Cory H. Morris, 631-450-2515 (NYS) (954) 998-2918 (FLA) an attorney, a CASAC-T and an adjunct professor who has lectured in the area of crime, substance abuse and accountability matters.