Live Music Venues and Drunk Driving Arrests
If you have been charged with drunk driving, there are many ways to contest your arrest. With proper legal counsel and representation, you might be able to get the charges dropped. DUI/OWI defense lawyers Andrew Mishlove and Lauren Stuckert have helped many clients throughout Wisconsin get fair hearings, making sure the system works for everyone.
Many drunk driving arrests are made during the night after concerts get out around town. We’d like to look at some major music venues in the region and consider why law enforcement focuses so much energy on catching concertgoers.
Major Music Venues in the Milwaukee Area
Below are a few major live music venues in the Milwaukee area. Many acts large and small pass through these concert venues, which means that law enforcement typically keeps their eyes on these places at night:
- Alpine Valley Music Theatre - A seasonal outdoor concert venue located in East Troy along County Highway D, Alpine Valley Music Theatre has a maximum capacity of up to 37,000 people.
- American Family Insurance Amphitheater - Located in Henry Maier Festival Park, the American Family Insurance Amphitheater has a maximum capacity of 23,000 people.
- Fiserv Forum - The home of the Milwaukee Bucks, Fiserve Forum is a multi-purpose arena located in Westown. The venue can accommodate around 17,500 people.
- Miller High Life Theater - Located downtown, Miller High Life Theater can accommodate roughly 4,000.
- The Riverside Theater - Located in Westown by the Milwaukee River, the Riverside Theater can accommodate 2,450 people.
- Pabst Theater - Located in East Town, the historical Pabst theater has a capacity of more than 1,300.
- Cactus Club - While the maximum capacity of the Cactus Club is only around 200, this popular venue in Bay View is one of the hippest places to see live music.
Why Law Enforcement Targets Music Venues
Many music venues in Wisconsin serve alcohol on the premises, which means there’s a chance that concertgoers will have had a beer, a shot, or a cocktail. Since shows get out late, there is also a chance that people who’ve caught a show are not sober while they are behind the wheel.
Statistics on Alcohol-Impaired Driving (AID) and Time of Day
These tactics by law enforcement are not unreasonable given some facts surrounding drunk driving accidents. According to numbers from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), fatal auto accidents caused by intoxicated drivers are most likely to happen between midnight and 3am. This is the time when many shows end and when bars close in the state.
Even given these facts, a police officer needs to have probable cause and/or reasonable suspicion to pull you over. Just because you saw a show at Alpine Valley Music Theatre, the Cactus Club, or one of the many venues in downtown Milwaukee doesn’t automatically mean you are drunk while behind the wheel of a car.
Learn More About DUI/OWI Legal Defense
For more information about legal options following a drunk driving arrest, be sure to contact our team of drunk driving defense lawyers. The legal team at Mishlove & Stuckert, LLC is here to help. You can reach our team by phone in Milwaukee at (414) 206-6918 and in Waukesha at (262) 207-4527.
