Mike Brandt’s client was charged with driving while impaired after crashing his car on a freeway in Coon Rapids in March of 2018. When a police officer responded to the scene and made contact with Mike’s client, it was obvious that Mike’s client had been smoking marijuana and admitted to the officer that he had been smoking marijuana. The officer had Mike’s client do various field sobriety tests after which the officer obtained a search warrant and obtained a sample of Mike’s client’s blood. The test came back showing that Mike’s client indeed had marijuana in his system. The state charged Mike’s client with Driving While Impaired because of the marijuana.
A conviction for the DWI would have resulted in Mike’s client losing his license, having an enhanceable charge on his record, and would have caused serious insurance cost ramifications. In preparing the case, Mike filed a motion challenging the fact that the officer requested that Mike’s client perform field sobriety tests and arrested his client. In addition to fighting these issues, Mike also had his client obtain a chemical dependency assessment, complete the recommended class, and attend a Mothers Against Drunk Driving Victim Impact Panel. Based upon all of this, on the day that Mike was prepared to litigate the propriety of his client’s arrest, the State agreed to amend the DWI charge to careless driving. Mike’s client took advantage of this negotiation and was placed on one year of unsupervised probation. Because of this resolution, Mike’s client avoided a DWI on his record and did not lose his license.