You don’t need to swerve on Vine Street to get stopped for a DUI. In Kissimmee, even a short drive home after dinner or a late shift can lead to serious consequences if an officer suspects you are tired, distracted, or smell of alcohol.
Questions follow, then roadside tests, and soon you are facing a criminal case threatening your license, job, and freedom. This situation is when a DUI attorney can step in, begin preserving evidence, challenge weak points in the stop, and build a strategy that can influence charges long before your first court date.
DUI Charges in Kissimmee: What Florida Law Actually Punishes
Florida makes it illegal to drive while “under the influence” of alcohol or drugs to the point your normal abilities are impaired, or with a blood-alcohol level (BAC) of 0.08 or higher. Officers have two ways to demonstrate impairment:
- By citing observable driving or behavioral signs, or
- By relying on breath or blood-test results.
Prosecutors must prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt, so every step taken before the arrest matters.
The Drug-Impaired DUI Angle
Florida DUI law also covers impairment from controlled substances or medication. These cases rely on officer observations and, occasionally, blood tests instead of breath tests. Impairment caused by medication, such as allergy medication or pain relievers, is difficult to pinpoint and often leads to misinterpretation. This makes these types of cases particularly open to legal challenges.
If your case involves prescription medications, marijuana, or alleged mixed use, a strong defense focuses early on evidence gaps and alternative explanations.
Where DUI Stops Happen Around Kissimmee
Kissimmee officers heavily patrol the major corridors used by commuters, tourists, and late-night traffic. DUI stops often begin on or near:
- U.S. 192 and Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway;
- John Young Parkway and its ramps;
- Osceola Parkway and the Turnpike connectors;
- Downtown corridors around Broadway and Emmett Street; and
- Late-night routes near hotels, bars, and event venues.
High-traffic areas often result in more DUI stops, but officers must still have a valid legal reason for pulling you over. When that reason is weak or unsupported, it becomes a critical defense issue.
What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Osceola County
A DUI arrest in Kissimmee usually follows a predictable sequence: roadside investigation, booking, and an automatic license action:
- Roadside testing. Officers may ask you to do field sobriety exercises. These are not mandatory, and factors such as nerves, injuries, heat, or uneven pavement may affect your performance.
- Breath or blood request. Florida’s implied consent law requires drivers to submit to lawful chemical testing after arrest. Refusing a breath test triggers a one-year license suspension for a first refusal (18 months for a second refusal), which is separate from the criminal case.
- Booking and release conditions. You may be held at the Osceola County Jail until bond is set. Judges often impose conditions like no alcohol use, random testing, or supervised release depending on circumstances.
- Court track. Your case will likely be heard in Osceola County criminal court, where misdemeanor and felony DUIs follow different calendars and timelines.
From the outside, it may feel like everything is moving without you. A defense lawyer’s job is to bring you back into the driver’s seat.
What a DUI Conviction Can Cost You
Florida DUI penalties become more severe depending on prior offenses and the specific details of the case, with harsher punishment for higher BACs, accidents causing injury, having minor passengers, or previous DUI convictions. Penalties for a conviction may include:
- Jail time. First-time DUI can carry up to six months in jail, and higher BAC or repeat offenses can lead to nine months.
- Fines and court costs. Fines increase with aggravating factors. If BAC is 0.15% or higher, or a minor was in the car, Florida law increases penalties.
- License suspension. A DUI conviction triggers suspensions under Florida’s DUI statutes, and testing refusals add their own suspension track.
- Probation, DUI school, and treatment. Courts routinely require DUI school, substance-abuse evaluations, and follow-through treatment.
- Ignition interlock. In cases involving a higher BAC or repeat offenses, the installation of an ignition interlock device is mandatory.
Then there’s the fallout: missed work for court, higher insurance rates, travel restrictions during the case, and stress at home. Your problem is not just “court.” It’s everything the court affects.
Facing DUI Charges? How a Lawyer Builds Your Defense
A DUI case is only as strong as the police work behind it. An effective defense digs into common pressure points, such as:
- The stop itself. Did the officer have a lawful reason to pull you over, or did they stretch a minor issue into a full investigation?
- Field sobriety test flaws. Were tests given in bad conditions, or scored unfairly? Most of these exercises are subjective by design.
- Breath testing reliability. Machines have calibration rules, operator rules, and timing rules. Sloppy handling can change results.
- Medical and situational explanations. Fatigue, anxiety, diabetes, reflux, injuries, or even language barriers can mimic impairment.
- Refusal framing. A refusal is not the same thing as guilt. We push back on the narrative that the State tries to build.
A strong defense comes from pulling apart the stop, the testing, and the assumptions the State wants to rely on, no matter whether the case heads to negotiation, a motion hearing, or trial.
Why Working with Moses & Rooth Changes the Dynamic
Our job is to guide you out of a difficult moment. Moses & Rooth has over 20 years of experience in DUI and criminal defense in Central Florida, and our Kissimmee criminal defense attorneys are former State Attorneys who know how these prosecutions are built from the inside out. We don’t run a volume practice, so you get real attorney time, real strategy, and real preparation for every court date. When you call, you speak with the team handling your case, not a call center, so you are never left wondering what comes next.
The sooner you bring a DUI attorney into the picture, the more room there is to challenge evidence, protect your driving privileges, and negotiate for outcomes that minimize the impact on your life. Your next step starts with one call. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward protecting your rights and driving future.
FAQs
Will I Lose My License Right Away After a Kissimmee DUI Arrest?
Possibly. Florida’s implied consent rules allow immediate administrative suspension after a DUI arrest or refusal, even before your criminal case ends. A lawyer can request a formal review hearing and challenge that suspension on a tight timeline.
Are There DUI Checkpoints in Kissimmee?
Kissimmee and Osceola County agencies conduct DUI enforcement operations, including saturation patrols and checkpoint-style initiatives, especially when traffic volume is high. Whether a stop was lawful depends on how it was performed, and your defense can challenge a checkpoint stop if police did not follow proper procedures.
What If My BAC Was Under 0.08, But I Still Got Arrested?
Florida can prosecute based on impairment alone, even without a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) reading of 0.08 or higher. In those cases, your defense focuses on the officer’s observations, field tests, and any alternative explanations.
Can a First DUI Be Reduced or Dismissed?
Yes, depending on the evidence. Weak stops, flawed testing, or credibility issues can open the door to suppression, reductions, or dismissals.