Private investigators can be useful in DUI cases to conduct interviews, gather evidence, take photographs, and take video.

Many DUI investigations seem cut and dry. Someone drank. Someone drove. They were arrested. They blew a .08 (or more). But there’s often more to the story.

When someone started drinking can have a significant impact on whether or not they were “drunk” or impaired at the actual time of driving. What someone had to drink can affect the speed of absorption and the alcohol content. How much the person drank and the size of the drinks also plays a roll in the level of intoxication. Whether the person had food or paced their drinks can affect absorption. It’s common for the police to miss these details.

Some of the things a private investigator can help document for the defense include, but are not limited to:

The timeline of the evening that the DUI occurred,
Witnesses that saw the driver or spoke with the driver,
Restaurant or bar staff that served the driver (and whether these individuals thought the driver was “drunk”),
The conditions of the night (e.g. weather, visibility, etc),
The conditions of the road (e.g. ruts, gravel, marks on the road surface),
If there was an accident, how the accident occurred,
If there was an accident, how many accidents have occurred at that location in the past,
The general physical condition of the driver (e.g. tall or short, fat or skinny, fit or out of shape, etc),
Whether or not the driver has any medical conditions or physical limitations due to injury, and
How the driver normally walks, talks, and carries themselves (e.g. fast movements or slow, cautious or carefree, etc).

Oregon licenses private investigators through the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST). TheDPSST website also contains a list of private investigators in Oregon and a list of frequently asked questions about private investigations in Oregon.

Using a Private Investigator in Your Oregon DUI Case

If you’ve been arrested or cited for DUI, you may want to speak with your DUI attorney about using a private investigator to gather information about your case which could be helpful. The information gained could cause the DUI case to be dismissed, or for a better plea offer to be extended. If the case is going to trial, the evidence gathered by the defense investigator may help avoid a conviction.

Our office has worked with several private investigators in the past, and we can work together as a team to efficiently use their skills to bring exculpatory evidence (evidence helpful to you and your case) to light.