Olympic swimming legend Michael Phelps was recently arrested in Maryland on a charge of driving under the influence (DUI). Officials say that Phelps was driving with excessive speed and that he was seen crossing double line lanes on Interstate 95 in Baltimore. 

The official report of the incident said that Phelps was going 84 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone. The statement indicated that Phelps failed the sobriety tests issued to him after he was pulled over. 

This marks Phelps’s second DUI charge in the state of Maryland, the first being in 2004. At the time, he received 18 months probation, a $250 fine and mandated presentations on alcohol awareness to local high school students. At this time, it is unclear what types of penalties Phelps faces for the offense, but second violations in Maryland are certainly more severe than first offenses. 

There are strategies that people accused of DUIs in Maryland may use to fight such charges, however. These strategies include: 

  • Malfunctioning equipment. Breathalyzers and other DUI-related equipment have been known to provide faulty results. Many DUI defense attorneys seek to invalidate test results based on malfunctioning equipment.
  • Improper test administration. There are only a few types of sobriety tests that are scientifically proven to have a correlation with sobriety. If police provided improper tests, the results could be considered invalid. 

If you are charged with DUI in Maryland, it’s important to seek legal representation as soon as possible so that you can protect your rights and best interests. Contact the southern Maryland DUI defense lawyers at Mudd, Mudd & Fitzgerald, P.A.