CASE RESULTS

Not Guilty Verdict For A Chicago Woman Charged With A Third DUI

Published: Mar 11, 2016, by admin in DUI

In Illinois driving under the influence (DUI) is a serious offense and the penalties can escalate severely if someone has had prior DUIs. Recently, this was the precarious situation a 33-year-old woman found herself in after she was charged with her third DUI. Allegedly, police officers witnessed her driving at night without her headlights on, not wearing a seatbelt, and striking a parked car. When the officers made contact with the woman, they claimed that she had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on her breath, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and needed to hold onto the car for support when she exited the vehicle.

The woman was charged with DUI after she failed two field sobriety tests and was unable to perform a third test. She also admitted to drinking and refused the breathalyzer test. With prior offenses for driving on a revoked license as well as other DUI arrests in her background, she was understandably worried about the consequences of a third DUI, which if convicted would include a significant jail sentence. Faced with this stark reality, she sought out the legal expertise of Chicago law firm O’Meara Law LLC.

Attorney Michael O’Meara took the woman’s case, intent on finding an avenue for his client to avoid time in jail. During the course of the trial, attorney O’Meara provided a blistering cross-examination of the arresting officer that exposed several inconsistencies between his testimony and the depiction of events presented in the police report. As a result of these irregularities, the Judge did not trust the officer’s account and found the woman not guilty of DUI. Once again, another outstanding outcome for one of Mr. O’Meara’s clients.

The outcome of an individual case depends on a variety of factors unique to that case. Case results do not guarantee or predict a similar result in any similar or future case.