Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Eve, or as some people call it, Blackout Wednesday. Many young adults and college students are back in their hometowns visiting friends and family beginning Wednesday evening, and with nothing much on the schedule for Thursday other than eating some turkey and talking with family, many take the opportunity to live it up a little on Wednesday night. Far too many overindulge on spirits and then get behind the wheel. Instead of eating turkey on Thursday, they are working to secure their release from jail after being booked for DWI.
It’s an all too common story in Minnesota and across the United States on the day before Thanksgiving. We answer our phones 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but we always know that we need to have the staff in place to handle an expected uptick in calls on Wednesday night and in the early morning hours of Thanksgiving because far too many fall victim to Blackout Wednesday.
Heavy Police Presence Expected
We’re not the only ones who are aware of the potential dangers of Blackout Wednesday. Police know that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is one of the most dangerous driving nights of the year, and they are typically out with extra enforcement. Oftentimes police will have a more local presence on these days as opposed to watching major freeways and highways like they would on Thanksgiving because they know people oftentimes head out to drink a few miles from their home. You may assume that you’ll be fine to drive because you’re only a mile or two from your house, but don’t be surprised if you see one or two police cars roaming the area, because they know what is taking place at bars and houses the night before Thanksgiving.
Police aren’t likely to hand out warnings or let minor violations go unchecked on Wednesday night either. If they see you roll through a stop sign or notice that your brake light isn’t working, there’s a very high likelihood they’ll pull you over and conduct a traffic stop to see if anything appears amiss. Remember, even though recreational marijuana is legal in Minnesota, you can’t operate a vehicle if you are under the influence, so police will be looking for signs of alcohol or drug intoxication. It’s never a good idea to drive after drinking or smoking marijuana, but the heavier police presence on Blackout Wednesday only increases your odds of being arrested for DUI.
We’re here in the event you, a friend or someone you know ends up getting pulled over by police on Wednesday night or Thanksgiving morning. Whether they are charged with DUI or a less serious crime like speeding or failure to stop at a stop sign, we can put our decades of legal expertise to use for you. We can secure your release from jail so that Thanksgiving isn’t totally ruined, or we can start building a defense that we’ll pitch in court to help you avoid a conviction or a worst case scenario. We can help you however you need, but we’d prefer it if everyone just made wise choices Wednesday and beyond.
For more information or to talk to a lawyer about a specific criminal matter that you’re dealing with, pick up the phone and contact the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
