The assistant athletics director for strategic communications at the University of Missouri was accused of driving under the influence on Oct. 1. Following the news of his DWI charge, the 36-year-old man was suspended from his position at the school indefinitely, according to a statement from the associate athletics director for strategic communications at Mizzou.
While driving in Columbia at around 1:33 a.m., the man was stopped by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. In addition to DWI, he was accused of speeding. Following the traffic stop, the man was taken into custody by the Odessa Police Department and then released. The accused man is reportedly the main media contact for the men’s golf and basketball teams at Mizzou.
As this case shows, a violation of DWI laws may result in consequences beyond the penalties handed down in court upon conviction. In addition to possible incarceration periods, mandatory enrollment in educational programs and the payment of fines, a person’s career may suffer as well. A person who works in a public position may be especially interested in clearing their name after being charged for DWI.
A criminal defense attorney may be able to help someone in this situation to defeat the charges that have been laid against him or her. To do this, the legitimacy of any testing methods that were used during the traffic stop may be brought into question and disputed with contradictory evidence. If the testing was not conducted correctly or if evidence does not support the allegations, the charges may be dropped. However, if a conviction seems likely, the attorney might attempt to negotiate a plea bargain that may include lesser charges and mitigated sentencing.
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Mizzou assistant AD arrested for DWI, suspended“, Dave Matter, October 01, 2014