Commercial Driver's Licenses (CDLs)

DWI and Commercial Driver's License Revocation

If you drive for a living, the loss of your commercial driver's license (CDL) is more than an inconvenience; it is the loss of your ability to work and support yourself and your family.

Criminal defense attorney Raymond D. Sprowls represents commercial drivers who have been charged with alcohol-related driving offenses.

Different Standards for CDL Holders

Members of the general public typically cannot be arrested for drunk driving unless their blood alcohol content (BAC) is .08 percent or higher. Different standards apply to those who hold commercial driver's licenses.

CDL holders can be convicted of an alcohol-related offense at only .04 percent blood alcohol content. That's about two beers, depending on your height and weight.

Different rules apply to CDL holders regarding license revocation. If you are convicted of an alcohol-related offense, you automatically lose your CDL for at least one year. There are no options for a provisional or hardship license.

Attorney Sprowls has successfully represented commercial drivers who have been charged with DWIs. In one such case, a truck driver was stopped by the DOT for a roadside check. The official did not find any violations. As the truck driver left, he made comments that offended the official, who called the police and reported that he had smelled alcohol on the driver's breath.

Mr. Sprowls was able to negotiate a positive outcome for his client because of the retributive nature of the DOT official's actions.

A Lawyer Who Understands the Risks You Face

Not every criminal defense attorney understands the severe consequences commercial drivers face in DWI cases. To protect your interest, contact Raymond D. Sprowls, attorney at law. He represents commercial drivers charged with drunk driving throughout New York's Hudson Valley. Call toll free 866-323-1462 to schedule a free, in-office initial consultation.

Recent Case Results

November, 2009:
Two men were arrested in a car after police claimed they had seen the driver (Mr. Sprowls’ client) throw a quantity of cocaine out the window and on to a city street. At a pre-trial suppression hearing, Mr. Sprowls successfully argued to the judge that the evidence should be suppressed. Once the evidence was suppressed, the D.A. had no choice but to dismiss all criminal charges. The defendant ended up pleading guilty to a speeding ticket!
October, 2009:
A few months after Mr. Sprowls’ client was arrested during the execution of a search warrant, Mr. Sprowls got the felony charges dismissed. The defendant had been found inside an apartment with prescription pills, marijuana, cocaine, and drug paraphernalia in the room next to where the defendant was standing. Mr. Sprowls used his extensive knowledge of search and seizure law and the facts of the case to convince the D.A. that the case could not be proven against his client and persuaded the prosecutor to dismiss the charges.
August, 2009:
The police arrested two boys and charged them with felony Criminal Mischief, claiming the boys had caused damage in excess of $500.00 to a local municipal park. The boys denied the charges. The end result? Mr. Sprowls got the case dismissed in exchange for the boys’ promise each pay only $100.00. The moral of the story? Never accept the word of the police as truth -- they lie and exaggerate just as much as anyone else.
August, 2008
Two men were arrested and charged with Burglary in the Third Degree, a Class D felony. Mr. Sprowls' client had just finished serving 22 years in state prison and was on parole.

Within five weeks of the defendant's arraignment, Mr. Sprowls got the case dismissed and the defendant is a free man.
March, 2008:
A high school-aged boy and four of his friends were arrested and charged with multiple felonies, including Burglary in the First Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree. If convicted of the Burglary Charge as an adult, Mr. Sprowls’ client could have been sentenced to anywhere between 5 and 25 years in state prison. In October, 2008, after extensive investigation and interviews with witnesses, Mr. Sprowls got the case dismissed and his client’s bright future remained intact.
February, 2008
Five people were arrested in a commercial establishment during the execution of a search warrant. The store was a "weed spot" and had been selling to a steady stream of customers for months.

Mr. Sprowls' client was in the common area of the store when the police entered and no marijuana was found on his person.

Within a month of his arrest, Mr. Sprowls got the case against his client dismissed.
December, 2007
Two men were arrested in the City of Newburgh and charged with multiple Class D Felonies, including Grand Larceny in the Third Degree and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third Degree. Mr. Sprowls' client had a lengthy criminal record going back over thirty years with a prior felony conviction. The D.A. was out for blood and insisted that the two men would go to state prison for these crimes.

Of course, Mr. Sprowls could represent only one of the defendants. After investigating the case and researching the applicable law, Mr. Sprowls advised his client to refuse all plea offers and to remain ready for trial.

The co-defendant was subsequently indicted and his case was transferred to County Court where he is looking at a state prison sentence.

Mr. Sprowls' client is now a free man. Because Mr. Sprowls knew the law and the facts of the case, all of the charges were dismissed and the defendant is home with his family.