On March 10, 2014, a Hamilton, New Jersey man was arrested on charges of driving under the influence (DUI) in Pennsylvania, despite the fact that his blood-alcohol level was well under the legal limit.

Consider the following details from the police report:

• An officer found 38-year-old Omar Davis’ 2006 Lincoln Town Car stopped in a left-hand turn lane. After approaching the car, the trooper discovered Davis sleeping in the driver’s seat and a child who was buckled into a seat belt without a legally required booster seat. After waking Davis and questioning him about the smell of alcohol, Davis reportedly told the trooper he had been drinking non-alcoholic beer.
• The officer found Beck’s non-alcoholic beer – a brand that reportedly contains around .03 percent alcohol – in Davis’ car. However, because police say Davis was found asleep when the car was still running at a light, they proceeded with DUI testing procedures.
• Davis reportedly failed a field sobriety test and was transported to a local hospital, where he consented to a blood draw. His BAC (blood alcohol content) was 0.043 percent, just over half the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
• Davis was nevertheless charged with driving under the influence, endangering child welfare and additional traffic violations.

A DUI conviction can have lasting consequences. If you are arrested on suspicion of drunk drivingin New Jersey, the most important first step to take is to secure representation from an attorney with a history of successfully defending clients against these types of charges. Consult a lawyer to learn more about your legal rights and options when you are charged with a DUI in New Jersey.