DUI Category Archives — Page 2 of 5 — Carolina Criminal Defense & DUI Lawyer Updates Published by Carolina Criminal Defense & DUI Lawyers

August 6, 2025

DRE Testimony in North Carolina: Felony Death by Vehicle and Murder Trials

DRE testimony has become a fixture in North Carolina’s most serious impaired driving cases, including felony death by vehicle and second-degree murder charges.

The Court of Appeals’ July 2025 opinion in North Carolina v. Moore provides essential guidance for lawyers, judges, and anyone facing charges based on drug impairment evidence. Understanding how DRE testimony is used, challenged, and scrutinized at trial can mean the difference between conviction and acquittal, and may shape plea negotiations and appellate strategy.

When legal charges involve both scientific analysis and complex courtroom questions, DRE testimony can have a significant impact on the outcome. At Powers Law Firm, clients facing felony death by vehicle, felony serious injury by vehicle, misdemeanor death by vehicle, and impaired driving charges trust our experience with serious criminal charges in Mecklenburg, Iredell, Union, Gaston, Lincoln, Rowan, and Stanly Counties. We review select cases across North Carolina. If your case hinges on technical or scientific evidence involving DRE testimony or allegations of drug impairment, please can TEXT or call 704-342-4357 to schedule a confidential consultation.

July 26, 2025

Intermittent Fasting and Drunk Driving Charges in North Carolina

by Carolina Attorneys

Intermittent fasting has gained popularity for a range of personal and medical reasons, from weight management and metabolic health to religious observance and athletic discipline. While it may offer certain physiological benefits, fasting also triggers changes in the body’s metabolic pathways that may complicate the interpretation of forensic alcohol testing in DWI cases.

This can become relevant in North Carolina, where the outcome of driving while impaired charges hinge on the reliability of breath or blood alcohol test results.

Defense attorneys, prosecutors, judges, and forensic experts are occasionally called to consider whether intermittent fasting affects the body’s internal chemistry and the resulting reported BAC.

April 30, 2025

Felony Death by Vehicle vs. Second-Degree Murder in North Carolina

by Carolina Attorneys

When a fatal collision occurs on North Carolina’s roads, the legal system doesn’t apply a one-size-fits-all response. In cases involving loss of life, prosecutors may consider a range of charges depending on the circumstances. Two of the most serious offenses are Felony Death by Vehicle and Second-Degree Murder.

While both carry the weight of a felony conviction and serious sentencing exposure, they are grounded in different legal theories and involve distinct statutory frameworks.

This article examines how these charges are defined under North Carolina law, what legal elements separate them, and why the difference matters—not just to lawyers and judges, but to anyone trying to understand how the state treats fatal driving cases.

February 26, 2025

Evidentiary Breath Tests in North Carolina: Understanding the Intoximeter EC/IR II

by Carolina Attorneys

North Carolina’s DWI enforcement relies heavily on evidentiary breath tests to determine whether a driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) exceeds the legal limit. While officers may perform preliminary roadside screening with a handheld device, the real focal point often comes from the Intoximeter EC/IR II machine. This desktop breath-testing device measures deep-lung air and generates an official reading that prosecutors regularly use as evidence at trial.

This article explains the significance of evidentiary breath tests, how the Intoximeter EC/IR II functions, and why an attorney might challenge its results in certain circumstances. If you have questions about your DWI case or want help reviewing a breath test procedure, call or text the Powers Law Firm at 704-342-4357, or email Bill Powers at Bill@CarolinaAttorneys.com.

Understanding Breath Testing: Table of Contents

February 22, 2025

Understanding Field Sobriety Tests in North Carolina: The Role of HGN, Walk-and-Turn, and One-Leg Stand

by Carolina Attorneys

When a law enforcement officer in North Carolina suspects impaired driving, they may conduct Standarized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) to gauge whether enough evidence exists for an arrest or further chemical testing. Roadside dexterity tests—commonly the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test, the Walk-and-Turn test, and the One-Leg Stand test—remain a subject of debate. Questions arise about whether these tests are truly “standardized,” whether they reliably they measure impairment or are overly subjective, and how courts treat SFSTs as evidence.

This post explains some of the history of SFSTs, what each test entails, and why a DUI defense lawyer might challenge how an officer administered them. If you have been asked to perform SFST or want legal advice on DWI defenses, call or text the Powers Law Firm at 704-342-4357, or email Bill Powers at Bill@CarolinaAttorneys.com. An informed understanding of roadside tests may help in deciding how to respond during a traffic stop and in developing a defense strategy tailored to the specifics of your individual DUI charges.

Field Sobriety Tests: Table of Contents

February 19, 2025

North Carolina DWI Implied Consent: Roadside Breath Tests vs. Official Blood or Breath Testing

by Carolina Attorneys

North Carolina drivers who are suspected of impaired driving may undergo two main types of breath or alcohol tests: a preliminary screening at the roadside and an evidentiary test under the state’s implied consent laws. These procedures are guided by statutes like G.S. 20-16.2, which defines the expectations placed on a driver once probable cause is established. Although both tests relate to detecting alcohol, they serve different functions and carry different legal consequences.

This article explains the difference between a quick roadside test (like a PBT) and the more detailed evidentiary procedure (commonly an Intoximeter EC/IR II test), as well as the implications of refusing to cooperate at either stage. If you want to discuss an implied consent issue or need guidance on a DWI charge Mecklenburg, Union or Iredell County NC, please call or TEXT the Powers Law Firm at 704-342-4357, or email Bill Powers at Bill@CarolinaAttorneys.com. A thorough understanding of North Carolina law can clarify how your case might proceed if you encounter allegations of driving while impaired.

Table of Contents: Breath Testing in North Carolina

February 15, 2025

North Carolina Checking Stations and Roadblocks: How DUI Checkpoints Operate Under G.S. 20-16.3A

by Carolina Attorneys

DUI checkpoints ordinarily involve standardized patterns for stopping vehicles, as well as the use of portable breath tests (PBTs) and SFSTs – Standardized Field Sobriety Tests to assess possible alcohol consumption and appreciable impairment. North Carolina law allows law enforcement agencies to set up checking stations and roadblocks pursuant to N.C.G.S. 20-16.3A to check for things like license violations and to enforce the “drunk driving” (impaired driving) laws. The process must follow certain constitutional and statutory guidelines to avoid arbitrary or discriminatory stops.

The following content is a general overview of how roadblocks and checking stations work, including the difference between a brief roadside stop and a more formal implied-consent procedure. If you have questions about a checkpoint stop in North Carolina—or wish to talk about a specific legal concern related to N.CG.S. 20-16.3A—call or text the Powers Law Firm at 704-342-4357, or email Bill Powers at Bill@CarolinaAttorneys.com.

February 12, 2025

PBT Portable Breath Test Calibration in North Carolina

by Carolina Attorneys

North Carolina regulates portable breath tests (PBTs), sometimes referred to as the “breathalyzer,” through specific administrative rules and statutory provisions. Law enforcement officers regularly rely on alcohol screening devices to assess whether a driver has consumed alcohol and may be part of the “arrest decision” related to probable cause. To better ensure reliable readings, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) requires that approved devices be calibrated and verified for accuracy on a regular basis. Deviation from the rules is problematic at best and can, in some circumstances, raise doubt about whether a reported BAC reflects the true breath alcohol content.

This article explains how PBTs fit into North Carolina’s regulatory framework and why calibration rules are important. It references 10A NCAC 41B .0503 and related guidelines for monthly checks, breath simulator solutions, and ethanol gas canisters. If you have questions about calibration or how a screening test may apply to your legal matter, give us a call or text the Powers Law Firm at 704-342-4357. You may also email Bill Powers directly at Bill@CarolinaAttorneys.com.

Below is a synopsis of the sections covered in this article. Each entry links to a segment that discusses calibration and how law enforcement officers administer roadside breath tests in North Carolina.

February 8, 2025

Breath Alcohol Content Screening: BAC in North Carolina

by Carolina Attorneys

North Carolina regulates alcohol screening under a set of rules involving technical standards, operational procedures, and legal provisions that govern how breath tests are administered and how results may be used in criminal proceedings. Officers rely on portable breath alcohol content screening devices (sometimes referred to as a “PBT” or “breathalyzer”) in the field to detect whether a driver has consumed alcohol. Breath testing devices involve following standards set by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and must be approved by the Forensic Tests for Alcohol Branch.

This post serves as a primer for some of the important aspects of the North Carolina administrative and statutory framework for alcohol screening devices. It explains the significance of regulations like 10A NCAC 41B .0503 and 10A NCAC 41B .0502, along with the NC DWI laws, to show how our state manages breath sampling and the related BAC results. If you have questions about the specifics of your unique legal matter, or if you want to discuss the role of screening devices in your case, give us a ring or text the Powers Law Firm at 704-342-4357. You may also email Bill Powers directly at Bill@CarolinaAttorneys.com.

Below is a synopsis of the topics covered in this article. Each entry links to a section that describes how North Carolina’s framework addresses the approval and calibration of the PBT and provides a big-picture perspective behind the use of approved alcohol screening devices.

November 14, 2024

Understanding Retrograde Extrapolation in DUI Cases

by Carolina Attorneys

Police and prosecutors in North Carolina regularly use breath or blood test results taken after someone has been driving to prove impairment. Questions can arise about the accuracy of the reported BAC if testing was delayed. Retrograde extrapolation attempts to estimate prior blood alcohol concentration by “back tracking,” using a combination of math and science.

Retrograde extrapolation rests on understanding the processes of how alcohol is absorbed and later eliminated by the human body – Bill Powers, DUI Defense Attorney in North Carolina

This post breaks down the basic science behind these calculations, examines how they work, and looks at what makes them both potentially reliable and questionable in different situations.