Driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances is one of the most severe types of vehicle violations resulting due to the number of accident related fatalities which occur from operation a moving vehicle under impaired conditions. So what happens when you get pulled over while you have been driving under the influence?
Police DUI Field Test:
If you are pulled over by a police officer and they have reason to suspect that you may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, a preliminary field test is conducted to determine if an individual is capable of operating their moving vehicle. Initially a law enforcement agent will conduct a “field sobriety test” which consists of testing coordination and possible impairment effects on the driver. This will typically require tests of balance, such as “walking the line”, standing on one foot or walking and turning. Secondly the driver’s comprehension ability is tested through simple tests of following directions. These can range from repeating one’s alphabet using a range the officer selects to ensure simple repetition cannot prevail. Finally the vision ability of the driver may be tested to determine if they are capable enough to respond to changes in light effectively and avoid distraction from vision blurriness.
After the initial field sobriety test has been conducted it the officer will in most cases require the driver to submit to a breathalyzer test. This consists of having a person breathe deeply into a device which calculates a person’s blood alcohol content or BAC. If a person is over 0.08% they will be arrested for a DUI.
Can I still get arrested if I’m under 0.08%?
Yes. The 0.08% is a threshold limit meaning that any breathalyzer over this amount results in an immediate arrest. Despite this, if an individual fails the preliminary field test and passes the breathalyzer they can still be arrested for driving impaired. Since alcohol can affect people of different body types and tolerances differently it is still possible to be legally impaired below the legal limit. In addition, any motorists under the age of 21 are unable to have any percentage of BAC while operating a motor vehicle.
What is the legal limit?
The legal blood alcohol content limit in most states is %0.08 which had been severely reduced since the 1980’s during a push for stricter drinking and driving laws. Prior to the 80s the limit was between 0.10% and 0.15% however due to the number of fatalities this had to be regulated more heavily. For commercial drivers the limit is much lower at 0.04% in most states.
Can I refuse a breathalyzer?
Yes it is always possible to refuse submission of a breathalyzer test, however this is generally not a very good idea. Refusing this test is considered failure to comply with a law enforcement agent which will result in the driver’s detention pending a further investigation. The motorist will be taken to the police station and booked followed by a blood test to determine what their blood alcohol content is. Although refusal to submit to a breathalyzer test is possible this should be avoided at all costs because it tends to still end in an arrest and a judge will have less sympathy for a defendant that fails to comply with law enforcement agents.
Can you post bail for a DUI?
Yes, DUI arrests are typically allowed to post bail after their booking however they will usually have to spend the night in sobriety holding. When posting a bail bond for DUI arrests it can be done directly to the courts for the full amount of the bail set which will typically be refunded after the trial’s conclusion, or it can be processed through a bondsman which would result in a lower expense paid by the defendant however no refund will be provided with the lower bond amount.
For a Few Dollars More:
This movie goes back to the root of bounty hunters where the process was based off capturing wanted men instead of modern bounty hunters which typically operate for a bail bonds company. Manco (Clint Eastwood) and Colonel Douglas Mortimer (Lee Van Cleef) find that they are both chasing the same target El Indio (Gian Maria Volonte) and decide to team up. Their exploits take them through comedic situations as well as gun fights in this Western masterpiece.
The story takes a twist when their fugitive is located and it is discovered that one of the bounty hunters has an ulterior motive for this pursuit. This movie is a vivid story of justice and morals in a western setting and is masterfully written and filmed. Filled with action, drama and comedy “For a Few Dollars More” is a story that brings the viewer back to origins or bounty hunting and fugitive recovery which operated primarily off the posse mentality.
Star Wars:
Star Wars is an epic saga by George Lucas which almost everyone is familiar with even if they haven’t seen these movies themselves. In this saga a character by the name of Boba Fett is an intergalactic bounty hunter contracted by the Empire to apprehend their enemies. In this instance however Boba Fett is more of a mercenary and man hunter who is working for a price. This type of bounty hunter reflects more of the posse days when bounty hunting began with the absence of bail bonds.
Boba Fett is originally hired to locate the Millennium Falcon and capture its crew for Darth Vader. He appears in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. At one point Boba Fett is successful in capturing Han Solo and some of the crew member so the Millennium Falcon however they later escape while being held.
No Country for Old Men:
In this movie Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) stumbles upon a gruesome crime scene where two groups of drug runners have gunned each other down in the middle of the desert leaving a substantial amount of money unattended to. Naturally he takes the money for himself figuring there are no witnesses to even know it has gone missing. Little does Moss know that a killer is already contracted to return the money and discovers that Llewelyn has the money beginning his relentless pursuit.
As Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) pursues Moss he leaves a wake of murder, destruction and bloodshed behind him while Sherriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) attempts to conduct a proper investigation into the incident and the money. With a cast of popular actors and a well thought out storyline this movie did fairly success in the box office and has become a hit on DVD as well. The stories of the three key figures in this movie intertwine at the end in a similar manner to “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” with more a focus on fugitive hunting.
Conclusion:
Bounty hunting is a phenomenon that is growing in exposure in modern media. Originally this started as a concept that worked well for action movies and largely attracted male viewers due to the aggressive nature of the business. In recent years however this occupation has made its way into both love stories and comedies which allows it to gain exposure for a wider audience of people. Although once stigmatized as a vigilante and unlawful industry, the growing popularity of bounty hunting is slowly legitimizing the industry within the public’s eye.
It was once thought that bounty hunters were no more than crazy vigilantes who enjoy man hunting as an occupation. The reality is that within the industry of bail bonds the job role of bounty hunters is only one aspect comprising a successful bail bonds company. In actuality a large portion of clients that post bail have no encounters with a bounty hunter so long as they appear on time to their court dates. It is an essential service for the public as it allows a defendant adequate resources to properly dispute their trial by remaining out of jail pending the outcome of the trial.
Bounty Hunters in Popular Media
The bail bonds industry is one which has gained a lot of popularity in recent years with the increase in media coverage on shows such as “Dog The Bounty Hunter” and “Manhunters: Fugitive Task Force”. Although the majority of these television shows primarily the aspects of the job that entail bounty hunters, there are some aspects that show the life of a bondsman as well. Another popular movie that came out featuring bounty hunting as its main plot was the successful Jenifer Aniston flick “The Bounty Hunter”.
One For The Money:
A new movie is scheduled to be released later this year in 2012 starring Katherine Heigl who seeks a career as a bounty hunter with her cousin’s firm after becoming unemployed. In this movie Stephanie Plum (played by Katherine Heigl) is recently divorced and loses her job as a lingerie retailer and lands a job with her cousin who runs a bail bonds business. Her cousin Vinnie (Patrick Fischler) assigns her to an ironic task to apprehend her former lover Joe Morelli (Jason O’Mara) who was a local police officer that is now on the run. This movie is another comedy using the role of a bounty hunter to portray an ironic situation that merges the concepts of love, jealousy and spite to create a comedic scenario.
The Bounty Hunter:
In the movie “The Bounty Hunter” a unique relationship is explored between and ex wife, Nicole Hurley (Jennifer Aniston), and her former husband, Milo Boyd (Gerard Butler), who works as a bounty hunter and discovers that his next assignment is to apprehend her. This movie is a mix of a comedy and love story where Milo goes out of his way to ensure that Nicole has an unpleasant experience during her apprehension. The twist in this movie is that Jennifer Aniston is investigating a possible cover-up for a murder and is herself being targeted for this investigation. As her ex-husband apprehends her, initially he does not believe her story but later finds it to be true as he finds himself running for his life with his ex-wife.
The Proposition:
This movie takes place in the Australian outback in the late 1800s and is centered around a murderous and psychopathic gang called the Burns brothers who are suspected in the brutal rape and murder of a family by the name of Hopkins. Although not actually a bounty hunter, Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone)is a lawman who is tasked to bring the Burns brothers to justice for their unspeakable crimes. This movie takes a turn when the youngest Burns brother Charlie (Guy Pearce) is apprehended and offered a pardon under the condition that he murders his eldest brother Arthur (Danny Huston) within nine days. This movie explores the atmosphere of rural Australia in the late 19th century and the lawlessness that consumed some communities.
Pitch Black:
This science fiction classic starring Vin Diesel as Richard Riddick resulted in the popular sequel “Chronicles of Riddick”. In this film Riddick is a ruthless killer who was a fugitive on the run but had been apprehended by intergalactic bounty hunters. After a meteor strike to their cargo ship the crew becomes marooned on a desert planet inhabited by aliens that prefer to feast on the flesh of humans. The crew finds themselves torn between securing their fugitive and fighting for their lives against the hordes of alien inhabitants. Although initially a bad guy, the crew soon discovers that Riddick has a unique skill for dispatching life forms and becomes an essential figure in defeating the aliens. This movie gained a great deal of popularity for its striking resemblance to the popular movie series “Aliens”.
Domino:
Based on a true story, Keira Knightley stars as the lead character “Domino Harvey” in this action film who seeks to become a bounty hunter out of boredom from her privileged life. Domino is the daughter of an actor and aristocrat and finds herself bored with the society that surrounds her family life. Seeking some adventure and excitement she pursues the occupation of bounty hunting. This movie involves a variety of plot twists including mafia influence and FBI investigations. The real story of Domino Harvey was one which captivated many as it is not common for someone from a privileged and affluent background to pursue a dangerous occupation such as bounty hunter, which is magnified by the fact that she is one of the first popular female bounty hunters.
Domino Harvey’s True Story:
Unfortunately Domino Harvey gained the majority of her success after her death in 2005 shortly before the movie was released. Harvey struggled with drug addiction and faced charges of manufacturing methamphetamines by Los Angeles prosecutors. She died in her home on house arrest awaiting trial in the summer 2005 due to a fentanyl (pain killer) overdose.
Raising Arizona:
Raising Arizona is a comedy that centers around a couple that could not conceive a child and decide to kidnap a quintuplet to raise as their own. The couple in this movie are: H.I. McDonnough (Nicholas Cage), a recidivist who is in and out of jail, and Edwina McDonnough (Holly Hunter), an ex cop, and their decision to snatch the child of furniture mogul Nathan Arizona leads them on a comedic ride that the audience is sure to enjoy.
During their exploits the couple attempts to conceal their crime to the best of their ability while their community and friends seek to find Nathan Arizona Jr. for his $50,000 reward. The bounty hunter who is contracted by the Arizona’s is Leonard Smalls (Randall Cobb). In the end the McDonnough coupled decides to return the child to Nathan Arizona and specifically state that they are not interested in the reward money but instead want the child to grow up with a bright future.
