Most DUI cases in rural Pasco County occuring near Dade City, Florida are initiated by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. There are two courthouses in Pasco County one is in located in New Port Richey Florida. I was a assistant public defender there for some time. Subsequently, I was hired by another state attorney’s office to become a DUI Prosecutor. Almost 20 years ago I switched sides.

The cases also can be heard in Pasco County’s other courthouse in Dade City Florida. This is the other Courthouse that handles criminal cases in Pasco County. It is not uncommon for a DUI case to begin with a traffic stop for an otherwise unimportant traffic infraction. Traffic tickets for speeding Lane violations, red light violations, failure to have a proper registered vehicle, are not at all uncommon in these types of cases.

Typically the officer will appear to perform an investigation involving field sobriety exercises. Almost everybody tends to fail these. That’s because these tests are designed to be failed. Next, the officer will ask the driver to submit to a chemical test. Typically, this is a breath test. Under limited circumstances, the officer can request a breath test and a blood test. A blood or breath result above .08 results in a license suspension. Refusal to submit to such a test can result in an even longer suspension. In any event these suspensions must be challenged within 10 days of the arrest.

 Dade City DUI Video