The First 24 Hours after a DUI Arrest

Whether you’re released on your own recognizance or after using the services of a bondsman, the first day after a DUI arrest will bring a host of decisions that can impact your livelihood, your lifestyle, and your case. We’ll start by discussing what steps you can take to find your car, limit your social media presence, build your defense, and how to begin searching for the right lawyer.

#1 FINDING YOUR CAR

Depending on where you were arrested and the condition of your vehicle, an officer may choose between:

1. Securing your vehicle and leaving it parked in a legal parking space. If this happens your keys will be kept with your personal property which goes with you to jail and is returned to you at the time of your release. If you’re uncertain about where your vehicle was left, you can find the location of your arrest on the Criminal Arrest Affidavit that was given to you at the jail.
2. Allowing a sober and licensed driver to retrieve the vehicle. This is within the discretion of the arresting officer who may allow you to call someone and give them roughly 25 to 30 minutes to arrive and pick up the vehicle rather than having it towed.
3. Having your vehicle towed. If this happens, you should act quickly! Not only will you be responsible for the cost of the towing service, but you will also be charged a fee for each day your vehicle is kept at the tow yard.

There are over a dozen law enforcement agencies operating in Pinellas County and each one contracts with multiple tow companies. The location of your vehicle may be given to you, along with other documents, when you’re released from the Pinellas County Jail. If this information was not provided, your first step should be calling the agency that arrested you to determine which tow companies they use. We’ve included a list of all 14 law enforcement agencies operating in Pinellas County along with their non-emergency phone numbers. Please note that these are recorded lines.

Bay Pines VA Police 727-398-6661 ext. 14111
Bellaire Police Department 727-588-3769
Clearwater Police Department 727-562-4242
Florida Wildlife Commission 863-648-3200
Florida Highway Patrol 727-217-8820
Gulfport Police Department 727-582-6177
Indian Shores Police Department 727-595-5414
Kenneth City Police Department 727-498-8941
Largo Police Department 727-587-6730
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office 727 582-6200
Pinellas Park Police Department 727-369-7864
St. Petersburg Police Department 727-893-7780
Treasure Island Police Department 727-547-4595
Tarpon Springs Police Department 727-938-2849

After the law enforcement agency confirms which tow company has your vehicle, you can use this list to determine their phone number and call:

Tri-J Towing & Recovery (727) 822-4649
125 19th St S, St. Petersburg, FL 33712

Leverock’s Towing & Transport (727) 520-3525
4750 95th St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33708

Yoho’s Auto & Towing 727-545-3596
9791 66th St N, Pinellas Park, FL 33782

J&J Auto Body 7275222134
4950 72nd Ave N, Pinellas Park, FL 33781

Frank’s Body Shop 7275732639
12405 49th St N, Clearwater, FL 33762

Pfeifer Auto Services (727) 736-2755
1261 San Christopher Dr, Dunedin, FL 34698

Joe’s Towing & Recovery (727) 541-2695
6670 114th Ave, Largo, FL 33773

Gulf Coast Auto Body & Service (727) 367-2171
7201 Gulf Blvd, St Pete Beach, FL 33706

Clearwater Towing Service (727) 441-2137
1955 Carroll St, Clearwater, FL 33765

Eveland’s Towing & Transport (727) 423-5417
12790 Automobile Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33762

Florida Body Shop (727) 536-3505
6363 Ulmerton Rd, Largo, FL 33771

Day’s Collision Paint & Repair (727) 784-2445
975 Florida Ave, Palm Harbor, FL 34683

Bradford’s Towing (727) 938-5511
1553 Savannah Ave, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689

What Do You Ask the Tow Company?

We recommend taking these steps once you make contact with the tow company:

• Make sure they have your vehicle by confirming the make, model, and tag number
• Ask for the total charges that will be due for towing and storing your vehicle
• Determine what forms of payment the tow company will accept

Before You Head to the Tow Yard – Get the Impound Release Form!

Because your vehicle was towed at the request of the police, the tow company will ask to see an “Impound Release Form” before releasing your vehicle. The Impound Release Form must be obtained from the arresting agency and will only be given to the registered owner of the vehicle, which can be accomplished by presenting the vehicle’s registration. Anyone attempting to collect an Impound Release Form who is not the registered owner will need a notarized “Power of Attorney” authorizing them to do so.

What if Your Documents are in the Vehicle?

Many people store their vehicle registration and insurance documents in their vehicle. Sometimes, tow companies will allow a person to retrieve their registration and other documents from the vehicle if some form of identification can be shown. The registration can then be taken to the law enforcement agency to collect the Impound Release Form. From there, the Impound Release Form has to be taken back to the tow yard at which point the vehicle will be released. However, this may become even more complicated since police officers routinely seize a person’s driver’s license upon an arrest for DUI. If the police have seized your license and the tow company will not allow you to retrieve your documents without it, we suggest the following steps:

• Take your DUI citation and Criminal Arrest Affidavit to the arresting agency
• Be polite, professional, and calm as you explain the situation and ask for help

Not only can the agency use its databases to confirm your identity, but it can also use the database to confirm your vehicle registration and title information. Depending on the interaction you have, the officer may be willing to issue your Impound Release Form on the spot. In another scenario, they might provide you with proof of your identity that you can take to the tow yard to retrieve your registration before heading back to the police station for the Impound Release Form.

#2 LIMITING YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE

Social media is a tool most of our clients use on a daily basis. But, with a criminal case pending being mindful of everything you post, share, like, follow, and comment on social media is certainly well advised. Any and all of your words or actions, including social media posts, might later be used in one or more of the following ways:

• As evidence of your impairment or consciousness of guilt
• Supporting the notion that you lack remorse or accountability
• Proof that you are using drugs or alcohol, with your case pending, in violation of the law

Who do You Tell?

After being arrested for a DUI the only person who should hear your side of the story is your attorney. This is because statements made to your attorney are protected by attorney-client privilege and cannot be used against you in court. This privilege does not protect conversations between you and anyone else – not even your most trusted friends and family. Because of that, these conversations could potentially be used against you. Therefore, you can protect your best interests and protect your friends and family from being listed as witnesses against you if you only discuss your case with your attorney.

Posting on social media can cause additional damage to your reputation, employability, or both. Each day brings a new set of arrests, booking photos, and police reports for all levels of crime and they are all subject to public records requests. But being arrested doesn’t mean your booking photo will be on the front page of the local paper. In fact, most people will not be aware of your arrest at all – unless you tell them.

Keep a Low Online Profile

While social media platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok give you a small notion of privacy, the prosecutors at the State Attorney’s Office routinely monitor a defendant’s social media accounts to check for:

• Admissions about drinking alcohol, using controlled substances, and/or driving
• Pictures and videos posted before the arrest showing the events of that night or day
• Pictures and videos relevant to the arrest, crime scene, or crash scene (if applicable)
• Involvement in other criminal activity while the case is pending

If any of this type of information is posted and then seen by a state prosecutor, they may use it as evidence against you during the case and might also use it as the basis for requesting enhanced penalties at the resolution of the case. Not only will we discuss your case and explore all legal defenses, but we will also help you establish safeguards against inadvertently publicizing information about your case.

#3 BUILDING YOUR DEFENSE

Receipts

Your receipts from the day or night of your arrest hold useful information that can impact your case in many ways. They record how much or how little alcohol was purchased as well as the time and location. Even if you didn’t save your receipts, making a note of the bar or restaurant you visited might allow you to obtain a copy of your receipt from them later.

Text Messages and Voice Mails

It is often the case that law enforcement officers describe a person arrested for DUI as having “slurred” or “incoherent” speech. Text messages and voicemail messages sent around the time of your arrest may be helpful in supporting the position that you were speaking normally.

Video

From restaurant surveillance videos to dash cameras and doorbell cameras, video evidence may be a crucial component of your case. If there is footage from the house, restaurant, bar, or club you were at before being arrested, it could help establish specific details, such as:

• How much alcohol was purchased and/or consumed
• Your balance, behavior, mannerisms, and body language
• How much time was spent in the business before you were pulled over

Write It Down

We highly recommend taking some time within the first 24 hours after an arrest to write down all of the facts you can recall about the day preceding your arrest and your interaction with the police. At your consultation with us, we will review your notes and recollections and use this to aid our analysis of your case.

Witnesses and Bystanders

The people you had contact with in the hours before your arrest could be helpful when creating a timeline of events, and by providing details and information you may not recall. They may also be able to provide a sworn statement attesting to your state of sobriety or that you consumed alcohol in moderation.

#4 SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION WITH AN EXPERIENCED PINELLAS COUNTY DUI ATTORNEY

During your consultation, we recommend asking your potential attorney the following:

• What is their level of knowledge and experience specific to DUI cases?
• Does the attorney focus specifically on DUI cases?
• Does the attorney have the training and qualifications that come with experience as a state prosecutor?
• As a prosecutor, did the attorney obtain any certifications, acknowledgments, or licenses specific to DUI cases?
• Does the attorney have additional experience as an instructor, invited speaker, or law school professor?
• Does the attorney have a favorable reputation within the local legal community?