Your Car After a DUI Arrest in Anne Arundel County

When an individual is arrested for DUI in Anne Arundel County, the officer is going to have one of three choices for handling their car. The officer can leave the individual’s car on the side of the road, allow someone else to drive the car, which may be a non-impaired passenger, or have the car towed. If an individual is facing a situation where their car has been towed following a DUI arrest, they should consult with an experienced Anne Arundel County DUI lawyer, who can help them to understand the necessary steps to retrieve their car and to move forward with their case.

Picking Up a Vehicle After a DUI Arrest

When retrieving a towed vehicle from the tow lot, an individual should make sure to bring their driver’s license and proof of ownership of the vehicle. If they have it available, the person should also make sure to bring copies of the citations and the tow slips that the Anne Arundel County police officer provided to them, if there is sufficient time for them to obtain it. A person should expect that the car that was towed will be waiting to be picked up when they arrive at the tow lot.

If Illegal Substances Are Found in Vehicle

If the car was going to be searched, it would have been searched on the side of the road prior to being towed, not after it had reached the tow lot. The officer is typically not going to come back and search the car at the tow lot, so in all likelihood it’s condition should not have been altered since it was put in the lot.

If an officer that searched a person’s car found illegal substances, that person will receive an additional citation for controlled dangerous substance (CDS) possession. That citation would be a separate and independent charge from the DUI. In some instances, a few cases could be heard together, but the charge itself is separate from the original DUI charge.

Impact on a Case

Again, a citation for CDS is a separate case from a DUI charge. A police officer would still have to prove the DUI when there are additional charges that have been tacked on. The burden of proof lies with the prosecution in the same way that it would have to be proven if there was not a CDS possession charge. The only role that the DUI will play in the CDS case will be that it gave the officer a basis to search the vehicle in the first place.

How a Lawyer Can Help with an Impounded Vehicle

When someone has had their car impounded following a DUI arrest, an attorney can walk them through the process of getting their vehicle back into their possession. However, a person will have to get their own car back from the tow lot. It is typically rare to have a car impounded after a DUI case. It happens, but it is generally the exception to the rule.