VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The Virginia Beach Commonwealth's Attorney has formed a specialized DUI prosecution team.
As of Tuesday, January 3, all DUI cases and traffic felonies, including any cases where a serious injury or death happens at the hands of a drunk driver, will be prosecuted by the specialized team that consists of five prosecutors and three paralegals.
Commonwealth's Attorney Colin Stolle says the the focus of the team will be to develop expert knowledge on the intricacies of DUI laws.
DUI charges can result from drinking alcohol as well as taking illegal drugs, designer drugs or prescription drugs.
Stolle says the eventual implementation of body cameras by the Virginia Beach Police Department will create thousands of hours of video evidence for prosecutors to review in DUI cases.
“DUI is a crime that continues to threaten the safety of the Virginia Beach community, and I remain dedicated to devoting resources to combat this problem,” Stolle said. “There are experts in the field of DUI defense, and it’s important that expert prosecutors are prepared to challenge these defenses in court.”
The Virginia Beach Police Department made more than 2,100 DUI arrests in 2016.
Stolle hopes the number of DUIs that occur in the city will continue to decrease with the specialized prosecution team.
