A Myrtle Beach DUI arrest moves through several distinct stages, from the roadside field sobriety test to being handcuffed in the patrol car to arriving at the county jail for a breath test. Understanding what happens at each step, and that the entire process is recorded on camera, can help someone facing these charges know what to expect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Myrtle Beach DUI Arrest – What Happens After Field Sobriety Tests
Once you finish it, you’re going to be arrested. The tests are failure based. You don’t have to do the test, you can politely refuse to do the test. If you do that, they’re going to arrest you. In my opinion, no matter what you do on the test, they’re going to arrest you anyway and take you in for a breath sample. Basically what they’re going to do is tell you to turn around, and then your hands are by your side, or they ask you to put them on the patrol car.
Then they’re going to handcuff you, which is very unpleasant. Once you’re handcuffed, they’re going to walk you back to the car. They’re going to put you in the car and you’re going to be locked in the car, handcuffed, waiting for them to do some paperwork and call a tow truck, and then you have to wait. It’s not good.
Myrtle Beach DUI Arrest – What Happens After You’re Put in the Patrol Car
Once you’ve been arrested, you’re handcuffed, behind your back. You think you’re going to be in the backseat of the patrol car, and in a normal police car, you are. For the highway patrol, they put you in the front seat.
So it doesn’t matter what seat you’re sitting in, you’re uncomfortable, your hands are cuffed behind your back, and now you’re on television because there’s a camera in there that’s pointed right at you, and it’s going to be there for the entire length of time it takes you to go to the jail. The county jail, it’s a 35 minute drive. So that entire time you’re being photographed for your own protection, but to get evidence against you. Anything you say and do is taped.
Myrtle Beach DUI Arrest – What Happens When You Arrive at the Jail
You’re in the backseat of the car, handcuffed behind your back. You’re sitting there, you don’t know what to say or do, which the best thing is to say or do nothing. You’re being videotaped. They’re going to take you to the jail. They’re going to drive through the fence and take you to a back carport area, then walk you through the booking area to what’s called the BA room, for the breath test.
They’re going to take you in there and you’re going to have to wait 20 minutes to take the test, which seems like an interminable amount of time, and also you’re being videotaped there as you take the test and prior to taking the test.
Facing a DUI arrest in South Carolina can be an overwhelming experience, but having someone with nearly 30 years of experience and a background as a former prosecutor on your side can make a difference in how a case is approached. That combination of courtroom experience from both sides of the table means the process, the evidence, and the options at each stage can be reviewed carefully.
If you have questions about a Myrtle Beach DUI arrest, call the Greg McCollum Complete Legal Defense Team at (843) 626-5480. Consultations are confidential.
